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It's our History that creats today's Geography....
SCHOOLS AND YOUTH RUGBY IN THE NORTH OF ENGLAND
In 1964, at a meeting held at The Great Northern Hotel, Leeds, representatives from the Schools' Unions of the six Northern counties of Cheshire, Cumberland & Westmorland, Durham, Lancashire (though then Manchester & Merseyside), Northumberland and Yorkshire agreed that they had progressed from a friendly get-together to a more business-like organisation.
Thus was the Rugby Football Schools' Union of the Northern Counties formed to arrange trials, representative matches and tours. In due course the Union took on the mantle of the North Division of the ERFSU and for the past forty years has been responsible for the organisation of trials and selection of squads at variously Under 15, Under 16, Under 18 & Under 19 to represent the North.
In addition and separately from the selectorial function, the Counties agreed to act in unison to promote and encourage the game of rugby football amongst the schools across the north of England.
The recent review of Schools and Youth Rugby by the RFU has meant a considerable change in this procedure. Whilst the 16 Group has remained within the management of the ERFSU at Divisional and National level, the 18 Group sides of Schools and Clubs are now combined and form part of an elite development programme run by the RFU.
The Northern Counties RFSU therefore seemed for the most part redundant. However, at the AGM in 2004, it was agreed that the Union should continue to function, funded by the Schools' unions of the six counties and that the constitution should be rewritten in the light of present conditions. The primary aim would be to encourage and support rugby football in schools across the North.
Nevertheless, as all Under 16 players are by definition schoolboys, there will be a level of continuation at 16 level. A committee was formed under the auspices of the ERFSU with representatives from both Schools and Clubs and it will be responsible for the arrangement of trials and development at Divisional level.
Selection for the North Division, and therefore for the England 16 Group Squad, is through the County match process. The Selection Committee, which consists of a Chairman and two representatives nominated by each County, determines the original list of players under consideration and then, in conjunction with the England Selectors, the North of England Squad.
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