RFU’s Bill Sweeney on the road in South West
The Rugby Football Union’s CEO, Bill Sweeney, has been on the road catching up with the grassroots game and visiting clubs, watching training and matches and talking to those ensuring that rugby is back up and running after lockdowns.
His trip to the south west of England has taken in Devon, Dorset and Wiltshire and Bristol and he said: “I’m really glad to have been back on the road and meeting club volunteers who have played such an important role in supporting their communities and the game during the pandemic.
“Seeing clubhouses operating again as social hubs and all formats of rugby back on the pitches is really encouraging. I hope people can make it down to support their local clubs as the new season gets into full swing.
“I watched around 130 girls enjoying their first contact rugby of the season at Dorset & Wilts Super Cluster hosted at Devises RFC and saw some really impressive play. I took in Plymouth Albion against Rams at Brickfields Recreation Ground which was a closely fought contest, with Jack Nowell’s younger brother Frankie scoring his first senior try for the visitors.
“Clubs up and down the country have kept me up to date with the grassroots game over the past year but it has been a real pleasure to be back out spending time with our volunteers and watching rugby being played. It is thanks to those running our clubs that, despite all the challenges, not one has had to close because of the pandemic.”
Rugby at the forefront
Max Venables, MD of Plymouth Albion, said: “Although we couldn’t quite get the win, we gave a decent reflection of the club and how we’re planning for a prosperous future. Our dispute with the RFU is well documented and I have to tip my cap to Bill for allowing us to draw a line under things and look to move on in a positive manner with rugby at the forefront of all our agendas.”
A guided tour of the Brickfields ground and time spent there post game gave real insight and Sweeney added: “It was a very productive visit to the Albion and a pleasure to meet and talk to their people, and listen to their plans for growth after a difficult and challenging period.
"You always learn more from a face-to-face meeting and to hear their ambitious plans for a club with such a great history, facilities, and potential was enlightening. I’m sure this is the start of a new chapter in our relationship. We have a number of important issues in the game and it was helpful to get their input and opinions to help us all improve the game.”
Far from Twickenham
At Bude RFC Bill met club and Cornwall representatives to talk about grassroots rugby and the challenges faced.
Said Julian Morris, club chair: “We are so far from Twickenham and so far out on a limb at Bude that half our catchment area is the Atlantic! To be able to have a genuine chat about our issues and challenges face to face was great. We talked about making, finding and applying for funding accessible and it was brilliant that Bill could see what we have done.
"During the past six months we completely refurbished our changing rooms, installed new showers,and reorganised the bar area using the scheme where young people learn a trade by helping fix youth and community facilities Volunteer It Yourself and the NatWest Rugby Force initiative. We also discussed finance in general and how to keep young players into adulthood.”
Student leadership
At North Dorset RFC Bill saw secondary school students in Years 10 and 11 taking training with U7s to U12s as part of their leadership programme. The senior men and girls aged U12 to U18 were out training too on pitches made available to other sports, including martial arts and football, when Council owned facilities were closed and indoor training was impossible during the pandemic.
He talked to coaches and the Board members about life in a rural grassroots club and how the start of the season was going.
Said the club’s Director of Development, Alec Newing: “It has been a positive start to the season here, with decent numbers out on the pitches. The teens are always a challenge with competing activities and some cricket activity overlap this time, but on the whole we are doing well.
"We were just at Bath who want to form closer relationships with clubs in Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire by supporting local coaches’ development and discounting home games.
“We gained new friends in the community by helping other sports clubs and running community events like the World’s Biggest Beer Garden, with food, spaced out tables and an outdoor bar and see relationships with the community and other clubs as key for the club.”
Ship shape & Bristol fashion
At St Mary’s Old Boys in Bristol, Bill spent three hours talking to club officials and taking on board their views and concerns.
Said club chair Steve Cooke: ”We told Bill just how much the RFU and the Winter Survival Fund had really helped. We still had outgoings and our salaried steward was furloughed during the pandemic, but we had no money coming in.
"We had no reserves as I came in as chair in June last year so we could have been in a pickle but thanks to the RFU’s actions, the Fund and our own crowd funding with help from Sport England, we managed to be ship shape and Bristol fashion.
“Bill also really listened to our concerns about club second teams coming into the leagues and pushing clubs like ours down a league without having any track record to show. We had a good discussion about league restructure, which was very useful, and we felt really listened to, he was taking it on board and making notes, which was pretty exceptional.
“He was also very interested in our plans to be a sustainable junior rugby club. With a loan application already approved by the RFU we are aiming for solar energy and solar walls and hope our experience of installing this in an older building, rather than a new build, might be a case study that’s useful for other clubs.”
