Senior Men’s XV Annoucement

Posted on WRITTEN BY Karolis Gritenas

19

Apr 2023

Dear All,


A lot has happened since our last campaign and with the new one here at our doorstep it is
only right to share updates with players, coaches and clubs alike.

Earlier in the season Chris Campbell stepped down from the head coach role of
Leicestershire Men’s. Chris has had another successful season with Hinckley and is taking
some well-deserved time to rest and enjoy family time.
Chris gave an enormous amount of time and effort to county rugby winning the Bill
Beaumont Championship Div 2 in 2019 and steering the team in Division 1 for the first time.
Chris departs with a great amount of thanks from the players, coaches and management
team and admiration of the committee.


I’m happy to announce that Chris McAuley will be leading the program for this season
building to the future. Chris also has had a wonderful season being a key part of the
coaching behind Leicester Lions winning the National 2 West Championship, as well as
being involved with the County set up last season too. Chris will be joined on training nights
by a new coaching team and supported by the Leicestershire Barbarians program as we
encourage more players from level 6 and below to join the level 5 players, and build our core
of players.


Barbarians will run in conjunction to aid us in finding the hidden talent pool. Helping our
wider player base develop can help our clubs benefit taking advantage of their progress.
The goal for the program at the new level is the start of rebuilding Club Leicestershire Rugby
for Senior Men’s. Developing a new player base and brand of rugby we can take to the
future to be successful. Finding the hidden talents as well as recognising the standout
players to build our most competitive squad. Things will be different, but by no means do
they have to be any less fun and rewarding that they have been in the past.


As with all of our county rugby programs, enjoyment is the number one priority for all after a
tough club year, we want to celebrate the season together and represent Leicestershire to
the highest quality. That’s why we’re looking to ensure our training nights are fun & beneficial
to all involved, without putting a toll on the body. Our games, will be those to remember.
Without the support of the players and clubs, we as Leicestershire cannot hit the heights we
all know we can. That’s why this future plan, which starts now, relies on our strong rugby
community within the County, players, coaches, volunteers. I do hope that as many of you
can and do become a part of things to come.

Kindest Regards
Leon Brown
Leicestershire Senior Men’s & U20 Manager

RIP : Rob Knapp

Posted on WRITTEN BY Karolis Gritenas

12

Mar 2023

Rob Knapp ‘ Knappy’ sadly passed away on 11th March 2023 following a hospital stay after a stroke.

Our President John Brindley has said a few words:

‘Rob was part of the juniors section in Syston RFC before moving to Burton, on his return to the county he joined the new club of Sileby Vikings. His love of the game was clear; becoming a ref along side playing, he was always willing to help clubs out at short notice. A very warm character and always offering a helping hand to those in need. A great servant to rugby and will be greatly missed by many.
Our sympathy and thoughts go out to his family and friends at this time.’

Tackle Height Debate : Update 16/02/2023

Posted on WRITTEN BY Karolis Gritenas

17

Feb 2023

At the Leicestershire Clubs’ Zoom meeting on Tuesday 31 January 2023, with the attendance of Paul Walsh, you will recall that I was mandated by the majority vote of those clubs represented, as follows:

  1. To back Staffordshire RU in their motion for the RFU to rescind the alterations to the tackle law to allow for consultation with clubs and members
  2. To support the Community Clubs Union (CCU) in their proposed motion for the RFU to revise procedures to ensure that CBs and Clubs are consulted before any future major changes to the game are made.

I contacted Staffordshire’s Honorary Secretary that same evening to convey Leicestershire’s support. Unfortunately, as we now know, there were only five Council Members of the twenty required who had notified their support by the deadline of 3 February 2023; and so the proposed motion could not be put to Council at its meeting last Monday.

At the time of writing, I understand that the CCU have sent out draft template letters for their supporting clubs to use when writing to the RFU seeking a Special General Meeting. There has been no announcement yet of any such request having met the required threshold of 100 clubs.

Since the Staffordshire proposal fell I have been talking with a group of like-minded Council Members about how we might best further the legitimate interests and concerns of our Clubs, given that the introduction of a lowered tackle height remains on the calendar to be introduced from 1 July 2023, just 4 ½ months away.

Council was promised a debate on the events and decisions that brought us to the current position, at Monday’s Council Meeting. In the event, we were allotted just five minutes. In an attempt to extend the time for the debate, we made approaches to the President and submitted a series of detailed questions that we felt needed answering. We received no direct response to those questions but did learn that it was the President’s intention to set up a ‘Task & Finish Group’ (Chaired by the Senior VP) to look at this whole subject.

The President introduced the subject in this way and I took the opportunity to state how disappointed I was personally, that we had not been given what we were promised and that the whole subject appeared to be being kicked into the long grass. The President assured me this wasn’t the case. The SVP said this wasn’t to be an exercise in the attribution of blame but rather a look forward at what we might do differently in the future. I said we could not learn any lessons without first understanding exactly what had happened in the past.

I have applied for a place on this T&FG and hope to have the opportunity to ‘keep it honest’ and transparent. I have yet to see any Terms of Reference.

So, we move on, in the meantime, to the Consultation phase. This is what we know so far:

• Over the course of the next few weeks, the RFU will be launching a series of initiatives to listen to and learn from people across the game.
• Central to these will be a series of 24 consultation forums, 12 face to face and 12 virtual.
• The LRU can nominate 40 people to represent across the senior men’s and women’s game and the age grade game, including players, coaches, match officials, parents, teachers, Club and County volunteers, Disciplinary officers, Safeguarding and Rugby Safe officers.
• This should mean direct consultation with around 1000 people across the country.
• We have to submit our list of nominees to the RFU by noon on Friday 24 February 2023; so, if you want to be involved, please complete the online form which will shortly be available on the LRU website, ASAP
• An open survey will also be launched by the RFU on Wednesday 1 March 2023
• There will also be a series of online focus groups – though no details of these are yet available
This consultation, in its various guises, is currently the most direct route for the whole Game to have a say and to try to effect change in the start date, the actual tackle height and the law changes that will be required.


I urge you, please, to seize the opportunity to be heard loud and clear.


Regards,
Peter A Howard
RFU Council Member for Leicestershire & Rutland
07912 057919
peterhoward@rfu.com

Leicestershire U18 Boys selected for Midlands

Posted on WRITTEN BY Karolis Gritenas

9

Feb 2023

Leicestershire rugby union are thrilled to receive news that 7 of Leicestershire U18 boys have been selected to play for Midlands U18s.

Backs
Dan Abell (Birstall RFC)
James Boyles (Leicester Forest RFC)
Joe Atkinson (Oakham School)
Lewis Roberson (Demstone School/Leicester Forest RFC)
Oscar McCarthy (Leicester Grammar/Leicester Lions RFC)

Forwards
Owen Charles-Cockerill (Brooksby College/Lutterworth RFC)
Will Leebrook (Market Harborough RFC)

 All players will be provided with the forthcoming programme, which will include:

  • England Camp 17th-19th February
  • Midlands v The Southwest
    – Taking place Sunday 19th February at Warwick School – kick-off 13:30
  • Midlands V The North
    – Taking place Sunday 25th February at Leicester Forest RFC – kick-off 13.30 TBC

On behalf of Leicestershire we would like to congratulate the Lads on such a fantastic achievement,
We look forward to supporting you on the sidelines!

More Tackle Height Information

Posted on WRITTEN BY Karolis Gritenas

1

Feb 2023

Please see further reading resources regarding tackle height.


• Please read all of the information contained within the Community Game Update issued 19 January 2023 here: https://rise.articulate.com/share/zxgc0AZr8XezmvQLSSJLWjSAd6pEvHXQ#/ and watch the video presentation from Dr Simon Kemp, RFU Medical Services Director which is linked from there.
• Rationale and Evidence Paper: 27.01.23 Waist height Rationale.pdf (englandrugby.com)
• Tackle Height Science Presentation: https://www.englandrugby.com/dxdam/90/9035104b-3124-434f-81e6-cb85eff14ee1/Tackle%20height%20science%20presentation%20Jan%202023.pdf
• RFU Tackle Height Communication to the Game: https://rfu.sharepoint.com/sites/CorporateGovernance/
• https://www.patreon.com/posts/lowering-legal-77489775 

Tackle Height – RFU Council FAQs (19.01.23) (1) Tackle height media summary 23-01-2023 Timeline of Head Impact Actions, Research and Interventions

Tackle height media summary 23-01-2023

Timeline of Head Impact Actions, Research and Interventions

Further update : Tackle Height 23/01/2023

Posted on WRITTEN BY Karolis Gritenas

23

Jan 2023

The FAQs which have already been shared with Council Members, and which were not previously included with the Community Game Update last week, are being updated by the RFU and will be published on the RFU website later today, here:
https://www.englandrugby.com/news/article/rfu-council-approves-lowering-of-the-tackle-height-across-community-rugby-in-england-2023


The RFU will also be providing a link to an article by Dr Ross Tucker in The Science of Sport.
I can however, provide this link now:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/lowering-legal-77489775

I understand that a Community Game Update is planned for tomorrow and will include a video to explain the rationale and changes including interviews with Professor Simon Kemp – RFU Medical Director, John Lawn – Head of Game Development and Paula Carter – RFU Council Member, Council appointed Board Member, Chair of RFU Governance and Chair of the RFU’s Head Impact Prevention & Management Subcommittee.

John Lawn will also be doing a series of interviews including The Good The Bad and The Rugby (to be broadcast on Wednesday), BBC, Times and Sky to explain the intent of the changes.

John Inverdale; RFU Council Member for the National Clubs Association will also be hosting a live broadcast later in the week with recognised faces from the game discussing the changes.

There is a scheduled monthly drop in call tonight for Constituent Body representatives. Whilst these sessions have defined topics (in breakout rooms) the President has agreed to re-purpose the call and to update on the tackle height issue. The President will Chair the call, Simon Kemp will give an overview of the science and John Lawn will explain the intent of the changes. Paul Walsh, former Hinckley and Leicestershire County men’s coach, who many will remember, now lives and coaches in France. He has contacted the LRU and offered to speak to a Zoom call for Clubs, to explain the effect of the changes in France and LRU colleagues are working to arrange that; hopefully for next week.

Further details will follow.

Peter Howard
RFU Council Member
23 January 2023