RFUW calendar for 2009/10 (updated)

Denise Hodge at Devon County has unearthed the first draft of the RFUW calendar for next season. As this has yet to be officially circulated by RFUW it needs to be hedged around with all kinds of warnings about it being subject to maybe significant change.

Anyway... a few standout matters of note are that it is broadly similar to this years calendar. For example, Twickenham has not yet swallowed its pride and reinstituted the National 10s. On the other hand, the National Cup continues - but it is now reduced to just two rounds (a qualifier and a final), presumably reflecting the number of teams who can actually take part in the competition if the rules are followed literally. The draft Devon have sent me doesn't include the National 7s... but it stops at 2nd May, so presumably it is incomplete?

Incidentally a season lasts roughly 32 weeks, and its interesting to note that two years ago RFUW devoted about 20% of the season to national club tournaments that they organised, by next season this will dropped to less than 10% (ie. just three weekends - one of which is a "final" for presumably just two clubs). On the other hand well over 40% of the season is now devoted to county and regional rugby. 

Dates listed in draft circulated by Devon are:

• Club training: 6, 13 Sept
  
• Club matches: 20 Sept; 4, 11, 25 Oct; 1, 15, 29 Nov; 13 Dec; 10, 24 Jan; 28 Feb; 18 Apr; 2 May
  
• National Cup: 14 Mar; 25 Apr
  
• County: 27 Sept; 18 Oct; 8, 22 Nov; 6 Dec
  
• Regional: 17 Jan; 7, 14, 21 Feb; 7, 21, 28 Mar; 10/11 Apr.
  

In addition the following dates are not listed, but will presumably be...

• Club matches 9, 16 and 23 May
  
• National 7s: 30/31 May