May 2020
Please find below the results and analysis from the members survey that was distributed earlier in the year. Apologies for the delay in posting the results. They were being collated when the pandemic struck and other priorities took place.
Thank you to everyone who took part. The aim of the survey was to assist with the Local Rugby Plan and identify areas of the game where funding would be beneficial.
Apr 2020
Apr 2020
End of Season Update
We are all now fully aware that the 2019/20 season for rugby union has come to an abrupt end through unprecedented circumstances. A number of communications have been published directly from the RFU and ourselves regarding the situation around the end of season and the effect that has both on playing and sustainability of clubs.
Funding
We wanted to reassure our members that as a union, we have already been making plans to support clubs over the coming months and have accepted the RFU’s offer to CB’s to match fund those who can use money from their own reserves. These funds are available for all our member clubs to access to support grass roots rugby through these difficult times. The emergency loan fund application process is online today (7th April) https://www.englandrugby.com/participation/running-your-club/coronavirus/loans
We continue to urge you to access Government support packages for small businesses. There is a great resource tool available on the RFU website with some very helpful advice on how to access support also, including loans and grants https://www.englandrugby.com/participation/running-your-club/coronavirus
League Standings
On a positive note, we are pleased to see that the final positions in leagues has been agreed and that a number of Leicestershire clubs have been promoted or finished high in their leagues. Well done! More details can be found here https://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/browse-competitions Final positions for the merit leagues have also been calculated and are available here https://leicestershirerugbyunion.co.uk/news/leicestershire-merit-leagues-results
We were saddened that our own County Cup competitions were not completed; we look forward seeing them commence in the 20/21 season. As the Colts County Cup finalists were already known, Syston and Market Harborough respectively, we intend to hold this fixture at the start of the next season as a season opener.
LRU Presidency
We have agreed that through these exceptional circumstances, and to ensure continuity of business, the existing Executive Committee will remain in place for the 2020/21 season. This means that Barbara Crellin, President, can continue with the great work she has done in visiting clubs across the 19/20 season and can visit those she had booked in, but never made it there. John Brindley, President Elect, fully supports this decision and looks forward to his presidency in 2021/22. This also enables him to provide much needed support for his own club during these unsettled times.
Volunteer Recognition Awards
I would like to finish, by placing on record my thanks to all the hard working volunteers who, without, we could not play the game we all love. The Mitsubishi Motors Volunteer Recognition ceremony would have been due to take place in May alongside the County Cup finals at Welford Road, but has been postponed. We have a list of nominated volunteers and these will be recognised.
Dean Toon
Chairman
Leicestershire Rugby Union
Apr 2020
Kevin Hick, Competitions Secretary has worked had on establishing the final positions for the Leicestershire Merit tables. His workings and results are as below.
” I have calculated the final merit table standings, for what it is worth in the present situation. I used two methods to determine the standings firstly traditional merit league with a percentage of the points accrued in games completed of the maximum possible to achieve from those games and also average points per game then multiplied by remaining games and added to the existing points total to generate a final points tally. Unsurprisingly both yielded exactly the same order and so I will simply stick with the percentage figure. The B and C leagues were very straightforward with the two dominant teams finishing top. The A league was a closer run competition with Sutton Bonnington narrowly beating Oadby Wyggs into second Place.”
Merit A –
Winners – Sutton Bonnington Students
Merit B
Winners – Coalville 2nd XV
Merit C
Winners – Anstey RFC
A big thank you to Kevin for organising the Merit leagues and for calculating the results in a methodical and fair way. Good luck to all for next season. Kevin will be in touch in due course with plans for 2020/21
Mar 2020
Club Chairs and Hon Secs will have received communications from the RFU surrounding financial commitment to the game throughout and beyond this current pandemic. The LRU Local Rugby Planning Group have met by Skype to begin looking at what assistance local Clubs might require, what might be available and how that could be delivered. We expect to receive further information and advice on how this is to be done, from the RFU, in due course.
In the short term, Clubs are encouraged to consider taking advantage of the raft of central Government support. Details can be found here
The RFU has also published a very helpful Guide for Clubs which can be found on the RFU website, here
The free RFU helpline to assist clubs with legal and tax related matters also remains available. For more details click here
The supplemental ticket pot usually paid to clubs in June of each year will be brought forward, with the intention to have these funds in clubs’ bank accounts by the end of the first week of April.
We will issue further statements as soon as we have more information. These will be posted both on our website and social media pages. In the meantime, stay safe, isolate and wash your hands!
Strong Heritage, Strong Future
Mar 2020
The RFU have today announced the end of the 2019/20 season for rugby union. Leicestershire Rugby Union have regrettably also taken the decision to cancel the majority of remaining county events in line.
The Government and Public Health England have advised social distancing to slow the spread of the virus and protect essential services so they can continue to treat people with not only the virus but any other medical priorities. We must support that too and demonstrate how well the rugby family pull together in hours of need, whether personally, locally, nationally or globally and take the opportunity to re-iterate the importance of not holding any social gatherings to protect ourselves, colleagues, vulnerable and elderly. This includes training, committee meetings in person and social events at your clubs.
We are all upset by this, particularly as we have also lost games due to poor weather this season and undoubtedly the levels of work put into the games by hard working volunteers.
At the time of writing, we hope to be able to secure dates at some point in the future to hold finals for the Colts and any other competitions where we have secured finalists. This will be confirmed in due course. This could be at the start of next season and we aim to hold at a local club so we can support and retain income at grassroots level. We will keep the clubs involved informed of all decisions.
There will be no Age Grade festivals or competitions, Senior County Cups or Plates. Any competition entry fees will be carried forward to the 2020/21 season.
Included is the Annual General Meeting to be held in June. The constitution states under 8.1 that not later than 31st July in every year a General Meeting shall be held. The preparation required to hold such a meeting at this time is untenable, therefore the AGM is cancelled until further notice.
Leagues that are arranged outside of the CB will be managed by their own committees and clubs will be informed in due course with actions surrounding promotions, relegation etc. This is included in the RFU statement.
We thank you in anticipation for your support with this decision which has not been easy. We have also taken into consideration the time and pressure on volunteers that would be required to organise these events when they will likely have additional pressures placed upon them at this time.
These are unprecedented times. Stay safe, stay healthy and most of all stay strong – Strong Heritage, Strong Future.
Here is the full statement from Bill Sweeney, CEO RFU
https://www.englandrugby.com/news/article/rfu-ends-the-201920-rugby-season-in-england
Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline, Sportmanship