Minutes of Mini and Junior Task Group Meeting
Held at The Lions’ Den Kingsholm
Wed 20th Jan 2010
Present: 31 attendees from 18 clubs : Simon Collyer-Bristow - Chairman, Sally Brown - Secretary, Mike Heath – GRFU Competitions, Shane Aldridge & Mark Smyth-Roberts - Dursley RFC, Andy Brown – Gloucester Rugby, Steve Carpenter - Clifton, Pat Mumms & Bill Bates – Chosen Hill, Chris Hall & Victoria McGreevy- Painswick, Andy McWhinney – St Marys OB, Gary Fowke –Spartans, David Gee - Fairford, Adrian Vaugn- Berry Hill, Gerrard Jenkins & Rob Dundas – Longlevens, Laurence Venn & Graham Loveridge – Newent, Steve Cooke – Cheltenham, Tim Lawson & Peter Brunt – Referee’s Society, Simon Tupper - Old Pats, Dawn Trigg & Becky Townsley – Widden OB, John Deare – Lydney, Anthony Greensweig - Stroud, Steve Lushington –Stow, Geoff Davis & Carol Martin – GRFU, Neil Loader – RFU CRC.
Apologies: Pete Healey, Courtney Kerkin, Nick Cox, Gregg Bayliss, Ruari Spencer, Lesley Gomer, Peter Williams, Stuart & Glenda McWalter.
CHAIRMAN + SPEAKERS: Simon Collyer-Bristow opened the meeting welcoming the guest speakers and introducing the subject of this month’s forum – Referees - their role and the organisation.
Peter Brunt – Club Referee Co-ordinator (CRefC) for Chelt RFC and Club Referees Developer (CRD) for North Glos, (Ian Haller is CRD for South Glos) spoke first.
The RFU have suggested that the individual CRefC’s should compile a list of all referees in their club, Cheltenham RFC started their mini Society 2 years ago and the currently have 50 club referees. They have received training via the club and some of them are as young as 14. The entry level award (ELRA) can contribute to the GCSE PE course. Some players are prepared to referee when they are not playing and the “playing” referees often have good awareness.
Each club should have a CRefC and if anyone is interested in the role they need to contact Steve Harper.
Every month there is a forum or training sessions delivered to the club referees via the CRD. This helps to increase the standard of refereeing across the county.
The CrefC is not one of the key 12 positions for SoA - it is desirable but not compulsory.
U15 & U16 referees start refereeing in younger U9-12’s friendlies and Festivals. Some referees are put with a particular age group where the coach can act as a mentor.
When RFU referee courses are taken candidates assume that they must be a member of the Referees Society. It needs to be made clear that qualified refs do not have to be members of the Ref’s Society. If they do join they do not have to referee every weekend – just when they can. To join the referees Society costs £10.00 pa.
Tim Lawson – Sunday Junior Refs Appointments – then spoke. Tim gets his information from Chris Hall @ Competitions the Sunday before. It is essential therefore that any fixture changes are communicated as soon as possible.
The appointment details are issued on the Wednesday evening on www.juniorcupgames.co.uk
The better qualified/experienced referees are normally allocated to the older age groups by priority. Sometimes this isn’t possible.
Clubs please ring the referee on the Weds evening to confirm the details – certainly by Friday otherwise you could lose them elsewhere.
On match day after the game the referee will provide an assessment form so please complete it and return it to the referee or post. There is an expense claim form at 30p per mile to be paid to the referee on the day.
Last year there was a sportsmanship award voted for by referees taking into account the coach’s, club’s and player’s behaviour in displaying the right ethos of the game.
TL stated that he is there to help and Clubs should not be afraid to contact him.
SCB There is a large difference between refereeing on a Saturday – normally clubs are very welcoming and accommodating BUT on Sunday’s many clubs do not know the protocol interacting with visiting referees. Make them feel welcome and host them properly.
COMPETITIONS: Mike Heath – GRFU Competitions Chairman:-
As of 12/1 just one CC game had been played due to the bad weather.
Please could the administrators watch over the referees and support where required.
Registration is very good BUT administrators have been asked to do an additional check.
ST It is not the referee’s responsibility to check registration details.
SCB If a club is not happy with opposition registration details they can even refuse to play and if the allegation is confirmed even if the game is played then points are awarded to the wronged club – though this has not happened yet.
Chris Hall - Junior CC age-group co-ordinators are in place.
U13’s and 14’s have 6 or 7 games to get into 9/10 weeks and the 1/4 finals are still all planned for March 14th with U17’s on March 7th and U19’s SF’s on 21st March,
PLEASE PRIORITISE County Cup games over friendlies and Bristol Junior Combination games.
If you choose to go on tour and it clashes with CC games then this needs to be sorted out by the clubs ASAP but the Finals dates of 25th April are not moveable!!!
102 teams entered into the cups there is a single version of the schedule on the GRFU website.
If the game is changed for any reason then you need to let Tim Lawson know of any changes and do not assume that the referee will remain available for the rearranged match.
Please send game cards in and squad lists as soon as games are played. Electronically is preferable.
SL To avoid any confusion when a team enters 2 teams in one age group 2 clear squad lists are required.
JD When information is sent out to the clubs it is helpful that the coordinators indicate which age group they are referring to as easier to re-direct.
CH Pitch and referee availability may mean that matches need to be staggered throughout the day.
AB There are some clashes with JTDP but these dates cannot be changed. Utilise all Club players.
MH The Registration Card photos should be no older than 3 years and the numbers should not be 1500- numbers.
Shane Aldridge: U19’s - All information has gone out and competition starts in February and should be completed by the end of February. 11 teams entered but not all registered yet.
No over age players hence the requirement of registration.
MH - A 17 year old adult player has a different registration number to an U17/18 Youth player.
SCB Thank you to the competitions committee and Refs Society from the County for all their hard work – especially with weather interruptions.
COACHING:-
There are plenty of things available to enable you to enhance the coaching within your clubs. In response to your comments, the administration of the Rugby Ready Courses has been centralised. The next available courses are as follows:
Rugby Ready Courses
3 Feb 10 Tewkesbury RFC Start times: TBC
24 Feb 10 Clifton RFC
3 Mar 10 Dursley RFC
The course fee is £18 and places should be booked through Bev Rawlings at Hartpury – 01452 702119, you may wish to note that she is now able to take payment by debit/credit card.
Similarly the CPD programme is now starting in earnest. Feedback from coaches in Bristol indicates that the content is excellent and you will find yourself challenged by attending.
CPD Courses – All courses are £15 except Front Row in Union which is £20. Book through Bev Rawlings at Hartpury
22 Feb 10 Continuity (Youth) PoW Cheltenham 1830 hours
23 Feb 10 Ruck & Maul (Youth) Cirencester RFC 1830 hours
22 Mar 10 Front Row in Union Portway RDC Bristol 1830 hours
14 Apr 10 Ruck & Maul (Youth) Portway RDC Bristol 1730 hours
18 Apr 10 Lineout (Youth) Portway RDC Bristol 1000 hours
26 Apr 10 Planning & Periodisation Oxstalls Campus Gloucester 1830 hours
(Indoors)
Don’t forget if you have sufficient coaches within your club or cluster of clubs you can organise your own CPD course where the coach educator will come to you. Course fees remain the same. Please contact Neil Loader the CRC to discuss your requirements.
The next Level 1 and Level 2 Courses as follows: All booked through Bev Rawlings at Hartpury. All course to be booked and paid for one month in advance of course start date.
Level 1
17/21/28 Feb 10 Hartpury - Phone to check availability of a late booking.
10/14/21 Mar 10 Portway RDC
7/11/18 Apr 10 Hartpury
12/16/23 May 10 Portway RDC
7/11/18 Jul 10 Hartpury
Level 2
8/9 May 10 & 13/20 May 10 Hartpury
26/27 Jun 10 & 25 Jul/8Aug 10 Portway RDC
All this information will be posted on the GRFU Website.
Please remember to start planning ahead now for the coaching courses you would like to book in the summer months. They are always oversubscribed; so you will need to book early to avoid disappointment!
Peter Williams – Chairman Coaching GRFU
RDO Report: Neil Loader representing Gregg Bayliss:-
Re. Coaching non award courses still running (details above) - coaches must take 3 CPD courses within 3 years.
If you get a group of coaches together (min 12) then NL will come to your club to deliver sessions.
Neil is hoping to run a coaching day depending on the interest.
SCB: SoA (Seal of Approval) Poor performance as a county: 8 clubs in North, 8 clubs in Bristol have SoA with several (2 + 3) not far away.
AG Stroud is there abouts.
SCB Clubs not working towards it by the end of 2011 may be penalised by the RFU and if clubs still make no effort penalties may be imposed by the RFU via the CB ie; Unable to enter Festivals/Cups.
RFU have announced that they are looking to partly change the role of the RDO and as a consequence GRFU may end up with 3 RDO’s – 1 in Bristol and 2 in the North. The role may be called the club service officer (CSO) with focus on servicing 20-25 clubs. GRFU are working with RFU and announcements are due shortly.
ELITE RUGBY – Andy Brown:
JTDP missed 2 sessions due to the weather. There is no choice but to hold a training day other than a Sunday. Andy is obliged to fulfil the commitment as a result of costs incurred.
Schools of Rugby U15 have been running since October -15 players. SoR U16’s one session, an induction - 17 players.
The very best will go into the academy system at GRFC.
U13’s &14’s SoR players will come from JTDP and there will be a camp the first week of June.
SCB Some clubs have suggested that they are not going to put players forward because of the standard of coaching. Frankly this is just plain silly – all SoR coaches are RFU Level 3 or 4 and have vast experience. The only people who will suffer from this attitude are the young players.
SCB County U16’s - North Glos Won 3 games and, lost 2. Bristol won all of their games.
10 boys selected for the South West trials, 7 from Bristol, 3 North Glos with 3 or 4 selected for next stages.
U18’s 4 games won 2, lost 2.
AB Landrover Cup. U11’s & U12’s - all places are taken. To be held at Cheltenham RFC Newlands on 21st March. The 2 winners will be invited to Twickenham on Finals day – BUT not to play!!
All of the entered teams are from Gloucestershire and Bristol.
SA For the competitions Trophies and medals are coming from a very reasonable wholesaler. Shane Aldridge has brochures available if required.
SCB Thank you to Tim Lawson and Peter Brunt for speaking and to County Chairman, Geoff Davies, for attending. Also Gloucester Rugby Club for hosting the meeting again.
Next Meeting Wed 3rd March, 8pm @ Lions Den Bar, Kingsholm
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