Well, its not taken long...
Only a few weeks into the new-style girls' season and it has been discovered that some counties are playing fast-and-loose with the new rules, which is resulting in angry letters to RFUW.
What is the problem? Well, you will know that this season RFUW have taken over the management and structure of the county programme, organising all games and dictating when and how many training session there should be. In some areas this was unpopular as the new programme was much shorter than many counties had had in the past, and some counties asked RFUW is they could organise some extra games and training sessions.
The answer was clear - no.
Trouble is that other counties seem to have managed to get around this rule by, basically, ignoring it. So - for example - when Hertfordshire next play on 12th December it will be their second fixture, after two or three training sessions. It will be the same for Eastern Counties, who will be their hosts. However for the third team in the triangular - Kent - it will (according to their own website) be their fourth fixture, after at least four training sessions. They - like Surrey (if their website is correct) - have been playing extra fixtures on their "training" weekends, and organising additional midweek training sessions.
In the past such initiative might have been applauded - but for counties following RFUW's rules this will seem a bit unfair (to put it mildly). And with places in the new divisional squad trials being dependent on county performances... well, having had twice as many games and training sessions is hardly going to be a disadvantage to the players involved.
Clearly this would not have been a problem if RFUW had based their new season on the best county programmes - keeping the popular tournaments that had developed - as the demand for extra fixtures would not have happened, but having made the rules they did it is up to them to enforce them, especially when the breaches are so blatant. After all, if they do nothing (or just issue a weak "tut, tut") next season could be interesting... not to say chaotic...
In the meanwhile if this season's London Divisional squad is dominated by girls from Surrey, Kent and other counties who have organised unsanctioned fixtures, don't be too surprised.
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
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I wondered how long it would be before this came to light. I have heard of several counties doing extra training sessions.
ReplyDeleteWill the rfuw do or say anything ? i very much doubt it. They have always let clubs get away with bringing in players from other clubs for competitions. Have you heard of a club being punished for this,even when they have clearly broke the rules ?
I doubt they will punish counties when the counties are now supposed to be rfuw run.
And then we watch the talent head off to the county which is dominating the squad in the same way we have at club levels.
ReplyDeleteNow stand back and watch the RFU(W) do nothing about this too.
Sussex Girls trials
ReplyDeleteSunday 19th Sept @ Eastbourne RFC
Sussex Girls training sessions (7-9pm)
Wednesday 29th Sept @ Eastbourne RFC
Monday 9th Oct @ Brighton RFC
Wednesday 20th Oct @ Eastbourne RFC
Wednesday 3rd Nov @ Eastbourne RFC
Wednesday 17th Nov @ Eastbourne RFC
Wednesday 1st Dec @ Eastbourne RFC
Wednesday 8th Dec @ Eastbourne RFC
Well done to Sussex. Adopting an approach replicated in the boys representative structure with county training held twice a month on a week night.
ReplyDeleteWell done?? Are we now condoning going against what the RFUW are advising or have stipulated at U15 and U18 for county rugby.
ReplyDeleteNext we have divisional rugby, so which division will the first to train and replicate the boys and train mid week?????
Absolutely - I think you miss the point by praising Sussex. Whether or not extra county training - or matches - are a good thing or not is neither here nor there.
ReplyDeleteThe simple fact is that RFUW have taken over the county programme and have laid down rules on exactly how many games and training sessions there should be.
Some - maybe most - counties have kept to the RFUW rules, some like Sussex have not. And - because this inevitably gives them and their players and advantage in a competitive environment - by ignoring the rules that are quite simply cheating.
I trust that all those CB's who have clubs with the "Club Mark" status will now be removing this from them if they have allowed members of their club to attend these additional sessions - To obtain and maintain the "Club Mark" it is a requirement to adhere to the structured season - Claerly not happening in these cases mentioned above
ReplyDeleteDon't agree with that at all. The structured season makes reference to activity on the weekends - I don't see where there is any restriction on mid-week training. The dates above are all mid-week.
ReplyDelete"Sunday 19th September" was not mid week and not a day set aside as a county day by the RFUW - Therefore outside the structured season
ReplyDelete