East seniors miss out on final by narrowest margin

East seniors won their game against East Midlands today - but missed out on the final by only points difference, and will have to play their neighbours again in two weeks time (31st March)in a third place playoff at Wasps. The seniors were left to rue a last minute try conceeded to South East in an opening game they had othewise dominated - or maybe the luck of a draw that saw South take on two of the eventual bottom four teams and West Midlands three of the bottom five, while East had had to play (discounting themselves) two of the top four.

The final Senior table was as follows:

TEAM	P	W	D	L	F	A	DIF	BP	PTS
WEST MIDLANDS	3	3	0	0	96	5	91	1	16
SOUTH	3	2	1	0	43	20	23	0	13
EAST	3	2	0	1	43	31	12	2	13
EAST MIDLANDS	3	2	0	1	27	23	4	1	12
SOUTH EAST	3	2	0	1	34	36	2	0	11
NORTH WEST	3	1	0	2	39	39	0	2	9
THAMES VALLEY	3	0	2	1	34	41	-7	1	8
YORKSHIRE	3	1	0	2	18	41	-23	1	8
SOUTH WEST	3	0	1	2	15	82	-67	1	6
NORTH EAST	3	0	0	3	36	67	-29	2	5

It is proposed that from next year the new U18 championship will be based in the senior model instead of the Sun Alliance festival at Rugby School, which it is suggested will become an U15-only affair.

However, this year the juniors continue with a pattern of warm-up games leading to the final festival. Today the first warm-ups saw the U14s came back from conceeding an early try to beat East Midlands 25-15, while the U17s game was abandoned in the second half with East Midlands leading 19-5 when an unseasonal hail and snow strom turned the ground into something that looked like the front of a Christmas card.

Herts Sevens update

Letchworth, last years hosts, and Eastern Furies, a combined team from players in Norfolk and Suffolk Clubs have now confirmed their entries in both the U14 and U17 sections of the Herts Festival. There are now 11 teams entered in the U17 section (out of a maximum 16) and exactly half of the available places in the U14 section have been booked.
If any Club is intending to enter this tournament you are urged to enter soon as the U17 section, in particular, is nearing capacity.

New title, same great online magazine

A new issue of Rugby Player Magazine is now out. This is not a new publication, but the "DSM Rugby" magazine with a new title.

Its still an impressive publication, available only online, and totally free. The latest issue includes:

• Danielle Waterman column – Danielle reviews the RBS 6 Nations and previews England's Grand Slam game in Cardiff.
• Magnificent 7 Last-Minute Tries - with video links
• Power Play – Exeter Chief’s Kevin Barrett looks at modern power training techniques.
• Men's World Cup update – with this year’s men's RBS 6 Nations almost over, Adam Hathaway looks forward to the tournament coming up in France.

Herts Sevens Update

Reading and Aylesbury & Milton Keynes are the latest two clubs to enter both U14 and U17 teams into the Herts Festival. This means we are past the half-way point for the U17 section as nine teams out of a maximum 16 have now secured their places, whereas six sides are now confirmed for the U14 section.

The Festival will cater for all standards of Rugby as once the initial group stage has been decided, the tournament splits into the teams competing for the Cup, Plate, Bowl and Shield at both age groups. Therfore all 16 teams in each section will have something to play for right until the end of the day.

Review recommends major changes to regional programme.

The recommendations of the Regional Programme Review have now been published - and there are some major changes planned, especially for the juniors.

At senior level the only major change comes in 2008/9 when seniors move to eight regions - effectively mirroring the RFU regions (so East will gain Middlesex and possibly lose Huntingdonshire - though the latter needs to be confirmed). In addition by the following year a national county structure is planned leading to closed trials - in other words the same as the junior system which came in this season.

For the juniors....

From next season the U18s will mirror the senior programme - ie. there will be no tournament at Rugby School, but instead three regional matches with the top four qualifying for a final and third place play-off. U15s will remain as they are, with two warm-up fixtures and the tournament.

This would inevitably mean that - instead of the two junior squads working together, sharing physio support, etc. - they will now be largely independent entities. It maybe that the U18s will have the same fixture and training programme as the seniors - that is not confirmed.

However before the adminsitrative and organisational implications of that sinks in there are even more changes planned for 2008/9.

In that year the U18s drop down to the eight RFU regions, as with the seniors BUT the U15s gain an extra region and will therefore run on a completely separate 12-team regional system. In practice this will not affect East/London North too much as it seems that even in the 12-team format the borders will be the same (ie. the U15s probably gain Middlesex as well) - the main areas of confusion will be in the new North East & Yorkshire, South, and South West regions which will "split" at U15 level while being "combined" at U18 and Senior.

Other reforms will be a nationally standardised trial procedure for closed trials, including a nationally agreed criteria for "wild cards".

Finally the regional programme will now be officially considered a "Talent Development" programme while the County Programme will be charges with promoting "Participation". What this means in practice - if anything - (and how it will be adminstered) is, at this stage, unclear.

Bumper bundle of RFUW news and competition information

... should be dropping on doormats and e-mail boxes shortly (or even already). The mailing gives information and entry forms for:

• National Sevens (Leighton Buzzard, 26/27 May)
• Regional and National 10s (Various venues, 28/29 April)
• League "intention to affiliate" forms (for senior clubs)
• Senior draft calendar
• Regional programme group review report

All of which will keep club adminstrators and managers happy for a few hours.

If you have not had the information most of it will also be on teh RFUW website by now.

Regional Tens: entries now open

Another thing that has slipped out is that entries are now open for the Regional Tens, whichare on the 28th (seniors) and 29th (junior) April.

Contrary to previous advice on the subject, entries forms are from RFUW who are setting the fees (£25 per team, plus a £50 deposit) but need to be sent to the appropriate venue (and cheques made payable to the hosts, it seems).

Full details on the RFUW website

National Sevens Update: forget everything you thought you knew!

No official announcements yet that I have seen but readers should note that the dates and venue for National Sevens 2007 will not be what you expected.

The sevens WILL be at Leighton Buzzard RFC in Bedfordshire.

The Adult Sevens will be a one-day competition this year on Sunday 27th April (not a two day event over the Saturday and Sunday, as in previous years)

The Junior Sevens will be held on Saturday 26th April (not the Bank Holiday Monday, as in previous years) and WILL include events for both U14s and U17s. Indeed it will be of some historic significance as it will be last day of rugby for these age groups.

National Sevens on the move?

Surprising news in a posting tucked away on the website of Leighton Buzzard RFC. It would appear that Harpenden are NOT hosting this year's sevens after all - apparently they are refurbishing both pitches and buildings at their ground.

However, although this says that Leighton Buzzard are taking over the hosting the dates given on their website are only those originally put by for the senior event. No news of the junior tournament, due to take place on the 28th May (Bank Holiday Monday).

And nothing to confirm any of this on the RFUW website - so you saw it here first!!

Women's rugby - the place where young coaches get noticed!

In your late teens or early twenties? Interested in developing a career coaching rugby? Then contact your local women's or girls' team - because THAT is the place to go!

That is the subliminal message to come out of last week when the four of the country's leading young coaches - all recipients of the RFU's"Young Volunteers Plus" award - were invited to join the England (Men's) U20 side for their pre-match preparation last Tuesday and game against France on Friday (see here for the full report on RFU website).

Three of the four winners work in the female game - including two from Hertfordshire (Joe Randall from Letchworth and Luke Williams from Welwyn - or "Wilham" as the RFU call him...) which, considering the mismatch in the numbers of male and female teams in the country, is pretty unlikely to have happened by chance.

It is more likely to be the case that young coaches are given far more opportunities to take on responsibility and prove themselves - not just a club level but even at county and regional level - than in the more crowded (and, dare on say it, staid) atmosphere of the men's game. After all it is vanishingly unlikely that even the best teenage coach in the country would get to work with a senior mens regional or divisional team (as Joe has this season) or that someone in their early 20s would be a lead coach for any county team (as with Luke).

It is also possible that women's and girls' teams are more appreciative of their coaches efforts, and more willing to put them forward for awards like this.

But whatever the reason, the message is clear - if you want to make a name for yourself as a rugby coach then your quickest way to the top is to pick up the 'phone and contact your nearest women's or girls' team. They're waiting for your call!

Regional News

• U14s will be informed shortly (or may alreday have been informed) as to who will be travelling to Aylestone St James (click here for directions) on Sunday. 12.30 meet at the grounds for 2.00 start.
  
• U17s are at the same venue, and have the same match times. All U17s have been asked to travel as it is intended by both sides to use the fixture as a training event, trying out different positions and combinations - there being only one other fixture and one more training session before squads are selected for the final tournament.
  
• Seniors are at Coalville (click here for directions) , 12.30 meet for 2.00 start. This is their final "league" fixture. A win will definately give them a top four finish - and could (if West Midlands or South East lose) see them into the final!

Current standings are as follows (and note that South play South East in the next round of games, so they both cannot win!)

Team	P	W	D	L	For	Aga	Diff	Bp	Points
West Midlands	2	2	0	0	77	5	72	1	11
South East	2	2	0	0	29	15	14	0	10
East Midlands	2	2	0	0	20	10	10	0	10
South	2	1	1	0	22	15	7	0	8
East	2	1	0	1	30	24	6	2	8
Yorkshire	2	1	0	1	18	22	-4	1	7
Thames Valley	2	0	1	1	22	19	3	1	5
North East	2	0	0	2	24	38	-14	2	4
North West	2	0	0	2	10	27	-17	2	4
South West	2	0	0	2	3	70	-67	1	2

Herts Sevens update

Worcester have now confirmed that they will be fielding one Under 14 side and two Under 17 sides. This means that both Finalists in last season’s U17 National Sevens (Basildon were the Winners) will be at this seasons Herts Girls Sevens.

Neat promotional idea

Good idea this from Saturday's A Rugby Day..

"I was playing around one day on Wikipedia and found that several sports teams in our city had added themselves to the Wikipedia page on Madison. And also had their own pages. So I added our rugby teams and also added a page for my own team. You can do it too, you just need to make sure it's all factual/objective, not subjective or opinion. "

What makes it a particularly impressive tip is that the world's most popular search engine - Google - currently puts anything on Wikipedia very high in its rankings, so if you create a page for your club/team on Wikipedia chances are that your page will appear in the high up in the results of any Google search.

National Cup venues announced.

The big day for some of our clubs is only a few weeks off - and at last they know wherethey will be going.

In the U14 cup Hertfordshire Barbarians (Saracens, Letchworth and all points east) team will be at Petersfield in Hampshire.

In the U17 cup Welwyn and Letchworth will be at Camberley in Surrey (home of "Cramberleigh").

The opponents for the U14s will be up against Cranberleigh (from Surrey), Ellingham and Ringwood (Hampshire), and Thornbury (Gloucestershire), while the U17 teams will face Ivel Barbarians (Somerset), and Wimbourne (Dorset).

Both days will be a round-robin tournament with the winners qualifying for the final against the northern champions on 15th April (somewhere in the Midlands normally).

Make the Herts blog your team's blog!

Some interesting developments behind the scenes means that this blog can now become a news service for not just the county, but your individual club or school or... whatever.

As you will see from a couple of entries down, I am not now the only writer on here. Peter McCullough from Welwyn has joined me to post news on here about the Herts 7s competition he is running.

You could do the same thing with your club or event as well. Instead of sending stuff to me to put on (or not), you can add things directly yourself, in your own words, with whatever links or pictures you wish!

And what is more - thanks to the introduction of "categories" - you could even have what amounts to your own club's "page" - for example a page of news relating only to Saracens Amateurs can be found here, or a page of Herts 7s news can be found here. There is a list of all current categories in the column to the right - more can be added.

This means you can get all the communication and promotional advantages and ease of use that comes with a blog without having to worry about the tedious business of setting it up or maintaining it.

If you are interested, drop me a line and you could be publishing your club's news on here by tomorrow.

Are you getting all the information you need?

The RFUW is asking all women's and girls' sections to ensure that either the "Volunteers co-ordinator" in your club, or equivalent, is passing on all information from the RFU about volunteering. If this is not happening, please check that the co-ordinator has your contact details.

If your club does not have a volunteer co-ordinator, or a not very good system, please choose a person to be the contact for information from the RFU and give this person's details to Carole Thelwell Jones at the RFU.

Child welfare: a reminder

It is a requirement that all coaches, team managers, first aiders etc, in fact anyone working with U18’s in girls rugby, to hold an up-to-date CRB check by the RFU.

These usually last 3 years and you should receive a reminder from the RFU to get a re-check done. Please would you all send this out to all clubs and remind them of this, and ask for new volunteers to make sure the club welfare officer completes a disclosure form with them.

No coach or team manager should be involved with the County programme or the Regional Programme without a clear RFU CRB check, and anyone involved who does not have this clearance can be asked to step away from the programme until they produce their certificate.

More grant tips

Some recent advice from Herts Sport Partnership on sources of funding:

Sportsmatch- sponsorship of a minimum of a £1000 in cash or kind, can be matched £ for £. So for example, if you persuaded a garage to give you a car, you could get the cars worth in cash! You will need a clear plan of how the money (and car if you got one) would increase participation. This funding stream cannot be used for replacement kit, general existing running expenses. More usually a company will agree to sponsor you so many £1000’s, and so you will have double that for your project. For a project Sportsmatch do prefer one sponsor but in some cases will match the sum of up to three sponsors providing each gives at least £1000.

Possibilities: development of a new team, or a new second team, both of which would then need new kit, coaches courses, first aid courses, first aid kit including strapping, new equipment, advertising, admin cots, maybe coach hire (wheeled variety), venue hire, maybe new trophies for end of season awards; perhaps the hire of specialist coaches for development.

Development of a developing coach and other volunteer infrastructure within the club, coaches courses, refs courses, volunteer courses, volunteer co-ordinator development etc. Some clubs have used the funding to pay for a dedicated CRC or YDO, if you wish to do this, speak to your RDO.

• Can not be used for tours abroad, and also not usually for physio therapy costs.
• The main thing here is to remember that the new sponsor must not give you the money or sponsorship in kind before you have got the o.k. from Sportsmatch.
• Records of publicity, attendance numbers etc will need to be kept as will clear accounts.
• A club can have more than one Sportsmatch application going on at ny one time.
• For sponsorship over £5000 the NGB will be involved, helping ensure all goes to plan.

Ideally get the business sponsor to commit for 3 years, they do have the option of pulling out, but if they only commit to one year, they cannot then decide to do another year without putting in even more money. So in the first year, if a business sponsors you £3000 you will end up with £6000, in the second year the business again gives you £3000 and Sportsmatch will give you up to £1500 and in the 3rd year, once again, £3000 from the sponsor and £750 to £1000 from Sportsmatch.

Applications are considered at set dates throughout the year. It may take a few months from when the sponsor first says they will sponsor you. Forward planning is essential.


Awards for All- only 1 application per club per year, so ensure the club exec know whts planned. Grants given from £300 to £10,000. To increase access and participation. W&G are a target they wish to meet. Each region may have slightly different targets, look on the website to check. About 8-12 weeks for an answer.


Small Grants Fund-google “small grants fund” because each local authority has slightly different criteria. Grants up to £500 for running costs that volunteers usually cover themselves e.g. ink cartridges, paper etc. Grants up to £2000 for things such as, refurbishing the clubs kitchen, a new store for equipment, security equipment for the club, new kit for a new team, projects which will improve participation, enjoyment and health. Decisions made as the applications come in.

Youth Opportunity and Capital Fund-goggle this title, as each local authority has some funding which they control. The unusual thing about this funding possibility is that the young people themselves complete the application form and run the project!!!!!

The Youth Opportunity Fund, could for example be for increasing participation and recruitment of girls, so maybe use the funding to put young adults on coaching courses and get them coaching in schools, it may possibly be used to pay an adult coach to coach in schools, but the main thing is its for kids, by kids.

The Capital Fund has no upper limit and is for capital projects e.g. facilities.

The panel has young people on it as well as adults, and grants are considered on 1st Friday of each month

Local Network Fund-again google this title. This fund will come to an end at the end of this year I believe so get your application in quickly. Funding is for increased access and participation and again girls are a target, but boys could apply too. Simple application form and the record keeping is not difficult. About 8 weeks for a decision.

Commander Collins Bursary-google title. Matched funding up to £500 for development of volunteers, so coaches and refs courses, maybe LTAD seminars, Running Sport workshops etc etc

B&Q you can do it, community fund.-Each branch of B&Q has about £2000 a yar to give away. They tend to give it in £500 lots. Apply in writing to the store mnager. Money to be used in the store for paint, coat hooks, signs etec…to smarten up your club house.

Post Office- If you have a club member who works for the P.O. get them to contact their regional office. The post office gives grants to its employees sports clubs. £5000 I do believe. The employee must hold a position at the club, e.g. coach, team manager etc.

Foundation for Sport and the Arts (http://www.thefsa.net/). This is a funding body that fund new and refurbishment of facilities, and will also provide revenue grants.

Community Foundations. E.g Herts Community Foundations-these bodies hold charitable funds and act as distributors. Ask your Local Authority for contct details and then phone and ask if they have any grant bodies which support sport.

Who else will know where to look for money?: Your County Sports Partnership may well have a list of funding bodies both National ones and local ones. The CSN or Community Sports Network will also be helpful to you in finding funds or applying for funds. They can help if you have a big project, £10,000 plus, by helping you look at the possibility of CIF, Community Investment Funding. CSN’s vary from district to district. Contact either your CSP or your local authority to ask where and who makes up, your nearest CSN.

Completing Application Forms:This is easier, much easier if you have a development plan. Your Local Authority may, in the volunteers department have someone who will sit and help you complete the application form.

New magazine for parents promotes girls rugby

Look out for ABC Hertfordshire Magazine, especially if you are in the northern half of the county where the distribution will be concentrated.

This first issue includes an article on junior rugby with ever such a clight bias towards the girls game. Cannot imagine why - blame the author perhaps. Actually it was written a while ago and I had forgotten all about it.

The text actually aims to cover both boys and girls rugby across the county - but the pictures are all of girls (and - before anyone asks - the photos used were chosen by the magazine based on a number submitted) which possibly makes it unique!

I would not even begin to suggest that its a classic piece of literature, but every little helps.

Herts Sevens 2007: more entries confirmed

One of last years participants, Becket School from Northampton has entred two teams in the U17 Section and one in the U14 Section. As this is an open tournament one of the big names in national girls rugby have also indicated their intention to enter. More news when this is confirmed!

Middlesex Womens Sevens: Quick response needed!

Clubs are invited to enter one or more teams into the Middlesex Club Sevens 2007 Women’s Competition, which will take place at the Richmond Athletic Ground on Saturday 5th May 2007.

The competition is open only to Club (including college and university) sides playing regular 15-a-side fixtures. Each Club can enter a squad of 12 players and will be allowed to make 3 replacements during each match.

The entry form should be signed by the Club Secretary and the Club or Sevens Captain and returned to the address below by Friday 9th March 2007. The entry fee for the Competition is £40 per team. An additional £50 will be levied if your Club fails to show up on the day.

If the Club is neither an Affiliated nor an Associated member of Middlesex County RFU then it will be necessary to include an additional £30 to become a Temporary Associated Member Club. A cheque must accompany your application form.

An acknowledgement of entry will be sent by return, together with the Rules and Regulations of the competition. Please enter all your Club details on the attached entry form. Your Club will be notified of the draw and final arrangements in April 2007

Craig Silver
1 Gyles Park
Stanmore
Middlesex HA7 1AN
e-mail: silvered@aol.com
Telephone: 020 8952 0806 (Home)
Mobile: 07712 677 400

ENTRY FORM:

Club Name: _____________________________________

Number of Teams: ________________________________

Competition: WOMEN

League at 2006/7: ________________________________

Club Colours: ____________________________________

Named Contact for Sevens: ___________________________

Address : _______________________________________
______________________________________________
Post Code: ______________________________________

Home Phone: ____________________________________
Work Phone: ____________________________________
Mobile Number: __________________________________
Fax Number: ____________________________________

e-mail Address: : _________________________________

Entry Fee for 2007: £40 £
Temporary Associated Membership: £30 £
Total £
Cheques should be made payable to MCRFU Club Sevens.

Signed by Club Secretary: ____________________________
Signed by Club or Sevens Captain: ______________________

Finding what you need on the Herts blog

I have added some improved navigation to the blog. Basically all blog entries have now been categorised (see the list in the column to the right). Now clicking on any subject heading will produce a page of entries just on that subject.

So - for example - all news on the Herts 7s can now be found on a single page by clicking on Herts 7s. You could even add that page to your "Favourites" (http://hertsgirls.blogspot.com/search/label/Herts%207s) - thus in effect creating your own blog devoted just to the 7s.

Venues for regional away games announced.

The venues for the seniro and junior regional away games against East Midlands on 18th March have finally been revealed. These will be:

Seniors: at Coalville, Kick-off 2.30
Juniors: at Aylestone St James (Leicester), Kick-off 2.30

East Region seniors: standings after round 2

The latest results and standings in the senior regional championships (after today's fixtures) are:

11/02/07
East 5 South East 12; North East P Yorkshire P; South 12 Thames Valley 12; East Midland 10 North West 5; West Midlands P South West P

25/02/07
East 25 North East 12; North West 5 West Midlands 17; Thames Valley 10 South East 17; South 10 South West 3; Yorkshire 5 East Midlands 10

Team	P	W	D	L	For	Aga	Diff	Bp	Points
South East	2	2	0	0	29	15	14	0	10
East Midlands	2	2	0	0	20	10	10	0	10
South	2	1	1	0	22	15	7	0	8
East	2	1	0	1	30	24	6	1	7
West Midlands	1	1	0	0	17	5	12	0	5
Thames Valley	2	0	1	1	22	19	3	1	5
North West	2	0	0	2	10	27	-17	2	4
Yorkshire	1	0	0	1	5	10	-5	1	2
South West	1	0	0	1	3	10	-7	1	2
North East	1	0	0	1	12	25	-13	1	2

One round of games remains to be played - with East away to East Midlands on 18th March. The top four teams will then play-off for the regional championship at Wasps the following week.

Herts Sevens 2007: Entries starting to come in!

The entries for Herts 7s 2007 are starting to come in, where the following entries are already confirmed...

Basildon/Rochford
Eastern Furies
Letchworth
Paviors/Leicester Forest
Welwyn

So that is more than a quarter of the places gone already - with girls from eight different counties already taking part!

Don't delay, enter TODAY! Contact Peter McCullough (peter.mccullough@ntlworld.com) for details.

Herts Sevens 2007: Don't miss out!

Following last season’s successful Hertfordshire Girls’ Sevens Tournament held at Letchworth RFC, it is the turn of Welwyn RFC to host this prestigious event in 2007.

It is taking place on Sunday 20th May 2007. Clubs may enter both U14 and U17 teams, and there will be up to 16 teams in each age group. This is an open tournament and is potentially the biggest Girls Sevens Festival in the East and East Midland Regions this season.

Paviors / Leicester Forest have booked their place in the U17 section, so there are now only 13 places left at U17 and 14 places at U14 as the hosts Welwyn Warriors have already booked their places and a place is being reserved for a Barbarians Team at both age groups.

So get your entries in ASAP to avoid disappointment. If you have not already received your entry form please e-mail peter.mccullough@ntlworld.com

Looking ahead: plans for 2007/8

The main points from last night's meeting:

County squads 2007/8

• The new U15 squad will run in the same way as this year's U14 squad
• Instead of one official U17 county squad of 25 and a semi-official "Barbarian" team, two official county U18 squads will be selected - County "A" and County "B"
• Each U18 squad will have 20 members.
• The two squads will train at the same venues on the same dates
• Variations in form, injury, or lack of commitment may result in players moving between squads
• Squad training (and hopefully fixtures) will run throughout the season, continuing on regional training for "A" and "B" squad members not selected by East.
• In major festivals - like the one at Westcliffe in December - both U18 squads will play, while on other occasions it may be that the "B" and "A" team may have different fixtures.

U12s 2007/8

• Training and development days for U12s will be run on the same days (and ideally the same location) as county squad selection/training days
• If other counties will be running similar schemes, inter-county games may be organised.

Tonight's county meeting

As reported at the end of last month there is an important meeting on the future direction of rugby in Herts tonight. Anyone with any interest in girls of womens rugby in the county may attend.

The meeting is at Welwyn RFC, and starts at 7.30pm. The agenda is:

1. County programme - Spring 2006/7
We said we'd revisit the feasibilty of running any county training or matches for the rest of the season after the regional trials.
Timing: Simple yes or no required really - so 5/10 minutes

2. Promoting the girls game current U11/U12 girls
a) Saracens/Herts Youth Games tag - involvement, follow-up, support, etc.
b) Contacting girls at clubs without existing girls sections - can we do something at the Herts Festival? Other ideas?
Timing: c15 minutes

3. Emerging schools tournament - report, follow-up ideas, suggestions for expansion/ improvement next year.
Timing: c5/10 minutes

4. Support for U12 girls - 2007/8
Welwyn have matter in hand at club level for their area (previously reoported) - but what is planned elsewhere, and what can be done at county level to further support this?
Timing: 15 mins

5. County squad proposals - 2007/8
In particular the idea to merge the existing separate County and Barbarians squads (mainly at at U18 level) to form a single county squad of c40 girls from which two teams would be selected for each fixture. This is model used (apparently) by some boys age groups, and also the Worcesteshire Girls (who recently finished 1st and 2nd in the West Mids county tournament).
Timing: Views may be more divided, but ultimately a yes or no - say 10/15 minutes

6. Way forward paper. Discussion.
Timing: c30 minutes

7. AOB

Womens & Girls Development within Counties: The way forward"

The following is a paper discussion from Amanda Bate, who until recently ran things in the county, but has now been "called upstairs" to cast her magic across East Region and London North. It will be discussed at tonight's meeting:

Recently the 5 WRDM’s , who cover the whole of England, discussed ways of helping county groups to plan the development of W&G rugby in counties.

Eventually the RFUW and the RFU will merge and the better infrastructure W&G have the easier this merge will be.

Herts, like some other counties has really developed in the past 3 or so years, helped by the formation of the forum. However, it was felt, and I agreed, in the case of Herts, that the forum, in its informal guise has just about run its course. For those of you at the inception of the forum, may remember that attendance and the number of clubs represented was much higher then, than it has been in the last 6 months or so. The forum used to plan and feed back, but the last few have just been general discussion and nothing taken forward as a group, apart from the county teams, but of course, clubs, individually have been very pro-active in some cases.

An idea has been discussed and I would like to see if Herts could do it and be a pilot study in a way. Devon and Cornwall are interested in having a go. Read the Management structure idea and development plan and see what you think. You can adjust both to fit your needs.

At first reading you may think this is too big a project to take on, and you may be right, in which case feel free to go on as you are. However, if you want, or feel the need to have a better structure, maybe this is the way forward. I have begun a development plan, but the plan must be what you as a group want. If it is, it will serve to keep you focused and your work will be measurable. If it’s not a plan you want, nothing will be achieved from it.

Women and Girls Management Group
Structure:

• Chairperson
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Funding/sponsorship Officer
• Press/communications Officer
• Volunteer Co-ordinator
• Coaching Officer (to sit on or be in contact with CB RDP coaching committee)
• Referee Officer
• Welfare Officer (to have contact with county Welfare Officer, or Welfare Officer to sit on this committee)
• CB RDP representative, or someone from CB RDP sits on this committee.

Also, people to lead on the development of:

• U12’s
• U15’S
• U18’S
• Senior
• Competitions and Events Officer.

Of course it may be that the treasurer is also the funding officer, the press officer is also the secretary…i.e. use skills people already have. But it is also fairly certain that new volunteers will need to be sought from within your clubs. (For guidance, the HSP website has job description templates on it, should this sort of information be needed. In fact google any of these committee positions and templates, guidance notes will be found.)

This group, would, with help and support from the WRDM, write a development plan for the development of the county. This would include age group development, coach development, volunteer development as well as county teams development.

The development plan can be as simple or as complex as the Management decide they can handle. Once agreed it would be passed to the CB RDP for their acceptance. Once a year it would be evaluated and revised, each time feedback being given to the Herts Exec via the CB RDP. This should ensure that W&G rugby is taken seriously and becomes included properly and totally within the entire county rugby structure and planning.

A General Forum

It is suggested that once at the beginning and again, maybe half way through, the season a general forum is held. The first part of the forum could be a workshop. Say on, form filling around affiliation, or funding applications etc, and then an hour on the questions and answers Parents, players, coaches, and other interested parties could be invited to this.

Support from the WRDM.

Amanda would aim at this,

• to write a development plan for the group to adjust as they see fit.
• to attend meetings of the group when invited, if possible.
• to help provide volunteer training
• to help with funding applications
• to help with the general forums

Amanda also envisages that possibly at the RFUW Regional conferences, members or representatives from the county management groups could get together and find out what each county is doing. If counties have similar set ups they could be very beneficial to each other.

Make an impact at national level

The RFUW is seeking to appoint four Directors.

The RFUW Board is responsible for overseeing the policy, strategic direction and performance of the RFUW and its allocation and use of resources. It has a Corporate Governance & Audit sub-group chaired by the Chairman of the Board. This is an excellent opportunity to become involved with a national organisation at an exciting and important time – it is also an opportunity to make a valuable contribution to sport at both a strategic and operational level.

Posts do not currently attract remuneration, but there are significant development opportunities and travel expenses.

Attendance is negotiable with the Chairman but will be required for at least 6 days a year. Directors will also need to allow for reading time to ensure they keep abreast of developments in the Sport. Directors may also be invited to play an active role in one of the consultative or advisory groups and panels that have been established by the Board. the duration of the Appointment is initially for up to 1 year.

For further job description and person specification details please follow this link.

Please register your interest or send a CV with covering letter or e-mail including your rugby knowledge / experience to Susan Allen, RFUW, Rugby House, Rugby Road, Twickenham, TW1 1DS or to susanallen@rfu.com. The closing date for receipt of applications is 23rd February 2007and interviews will be held in Twickenham in March.

RFUW launch female referee initiative

The Rugby Football Union for Women is launching a new national campaign entitled Women into Refereeing II.

The aim of the campaign is not only to help increase the number of female referees working in the game but also to look for the talented female referees of the future who have the potential to take to the national and international stage in both the men’s and women’s game.

The RFUW will be hosting an Entry Level Referee Award Course in eight of the RFU’s regions for women only during March, April and May. The courses will be discounted and cost just £20. Course dates and venues are to be confirmed but will shortly be posted on the rfu.com.

The RFUW’s National Rugby Development Manager Sam Marshall said: “From these courses we are looking to talent spot up to six female referees nationally to go on to a specially designed fast track Continuous Professional Development course.”

The RFUW have also appointed ten female Referee Ambassadors who all regularly officiate in refereeing societies at Level 8 and above. These include Somerset’s Clare Daniels and Gloucestershire’s Debbie Innes who both recently ran touch during England’s RBS Women’s 6 Nations international against Italy at Twickenham Stadium.

Marshall added: “As well as providing good role models for aspiring female referees, the ambassadors’ role will be to link up with local schools, universities, clubs and counties to ensure that women and girls are aware of the pathway available for female referees from grassroots rugby to the elite level.”

The RFUW will also be running one day ‘back to refereeing’ courses in June for women. Dates and venues to be confirmed on rfu.com.

Does your team have a website?

It has been suggested that the blog should include a listing of all girls club websites so as to make it easier for new players to find a team - which seems a pretty good idea.

So - does you team have a website or webpage?

Please note that I mean specifically the address that goes directly to the page or pages devoted to your girls' team - not just your broader club (have you ever tried to fight your way through the average club website to the girls page?). I also mean a page that is regularly updated - so all the phone numbers should work, and it perhaps should include this year's fixture - not those from 2-3 years ago!

If so please let me know the address and I will add it to the bar on the right.

"I like the bit when you can jump on people!": Emerging Schools 2007

Thanks to Dave Marques from Welwyn for proving me with some more detail about Wednesday - including the brilliant quote above from one of the players from Yavneh College which deserves to be hung up and framed somewhere!

Six teams entered - four from single schools - Highfield (Letchworth); Hitchin Girls; Roysia (Royston), and Yavneh College (Borehamwood) and then two combined teams - Stanborough/Sir Frederic Osborne (from Welwyn Garden City) and Chauncey/Simon Balle/Presdales (from Hertford).

The latter two teams - well padded out with experienced club players from their respective town's teams - were from the outset going to be clearly too powerful for the relative newcomers from the other schools (virtually all of whom had only started playing this season). So it was decided that "Welwyn Schools v Hertford Schools" would be the final - which Hertford won by five tries to one. Both of these teams go through to the next stage.

The remaining teams played in a "newcomers" tournament which was won by Hitchin Girls by virtue of conceeding one try less than Highfield. However, perhaps the performance of the day was from Yavneh who were all year seven girls and, while they lost two and drew one, "were a really plucky bunch!".