Outlined below are some Frequently Asked Questions with answers to help you understand the RFUW Regional Programme including calendar dates; player pathway and where the programme fits; payment info and details on eligibility.
FAQ's
Click on a question below to go directly to the reponse:
Why does the RFUW run a Regional Programme?
Who is eligible for the Regional Programme?
What is the route from Club to England / Elite Rugby?
What format does the programme take and when do I need to be available?
What are the regional splits?
How much do players have to pay for the programme and what do they get for it?
What happens next?
Why does the RFUW run a Regional Programme?
The regional programme aims to provide every player with the opportunity to maximise their potential and be ‘the best they can be’ at all levels of the game.
Senior Programme Ethos:
- In the 08/09 season the Regional Programme is considered as a step up from club (and in some cases county or CB) rugby
- It is a development opportunity for players and volunteers alike
- It is an integral part of the Player Pathway as the Regional Programme feeds into the High Performance Academies which, in turn, is the selection process for the Super 4s leading to the England Squads for both England U20s and the Seniors (see Player Pathway on Page 2)
Junior Programme Ethos:
- The Programme is a step up from club and county / CB rugby
- The Programme presents the necessary opportunity for U15s and U18s to play in quality full-sided games
- It is a development opportunity for players and volunteers alike
- It provides essential quality competition for girls who are involved with many other sports
- It is a step on the Player Pathway (see Player Pathway on Page 2)
Who is eligible for the Regional Programme?
- Born in England
- Or: 1 or more parents or grandparents was born in England
- Or: She has completed 36 consecutive months of residence in England immediately preceding the time of playing
- Any player selected for the England Senior Squads is NOT eligible to participate in this programme
- Any player selected for the Super 4’s (outside of the England Senior Squad) must be available to play regional rugby to be considered for future selection.
- Any player selected into the England U20 squad must be available to play Regional Rugby and attend the trials to maintain their place in the squad and to be considered for future selection.
- All players selected into the U18 Talent Development Group (TDG) must be available to play regional rugby and attend the trials to maintain their place in the group and to be considered for future selection.
- All players selected to attend the U15 Schools of Rugby (SoR) must be available to play regional rugby and attend the trials to maintain their place at the SoR and to be considered for future selection.
What is the route from Club to England / Elite Rugby?
The regional programme forms an integral part of the RFUW's talent identification programme and provides players with a progressive pathway. The regional programme allows RFUW performance staff the opportunity to identify and monitor players who demonstrate the potential to progress within the game
What format does the programme take and when do I need to be available?
The format of the programme will run as follows and volunteers are expected to be available for all relevant squad dates:
|
Date |
Activity |
|
14th December 2008 |
Senior Regional Trials |
|
11th January 2009 |
Youth Regional Trials |
|
25th January 2009 |
Youth Training |
|
1st Feb 2009 |
Youth & Senior Training |
|
8th Feb 2009 |
Youth & Senior Match |
|
15th Feb 2009 |
Senior Training |
|
21st & 22nd Feb 2009 |
Youth Training (Sat), Youth Match (Sun) |
|
1st March 2009 |
Senior Match |
|
8th March 2009 |
Youth Training |
|
14th & 15th March 2009 |
Youth Regional Tournament @ Lichfield RFC |
|
15th March 2009 |
Senior Match |
|
22nd March 2009 |
Senior Finals |
Fixtures
SENIORS
The competition will be run as one large league table with bonus points available as previous years. The 1st and 2nd placed teams will play in and end of season final with a 3rd / 4th place play-off between 3 and 4.
|
Match 1 – 8/2/09 |
Match 2 – 1/3/09 |
Match 3 – 15/3/09 |
|
East v Thames Valley |
W Midlands v E Midlands |
North West v North East |
|
North West v W Midlands |
Thames Valley v South West |
West Midlands v South West |
|
South West v South |
South v South East |
Yorkshire v East |
|
North East v Yorkshire |
East v North East |
East Midlands v South |
|
South East v East Midlands |
North West v Yorkshire |
South East v Thames Valley |
YOUTH U15s & U18s training games
The Youth games are preparation games for the RFUW Youth Festival only.
|
Match 1 – 8/2/09 |
Match 2 – 22/02/09 |
|
East v Thames Valley |
West Midlands v East Midlands v South |
|
North West v West Midlands |
Yorkshire v East |
|
South West South v South v South West North |
South West South v South East |
|
North East v Yorkshire |
North East v North West |
|
South East v East Midlands |
Thames Valley v South West N |
Youth Regional Tournament
U15s on Saturday March 14th & U18s on Sunday March 15th
What are the regional splits?
The RFUW is structured in accordance with the Sport England regional split. The counties listed below are dictated from Sport England. These are subject to slight change but will be set by Sept.
Region |
Areas |
|
1.Yorkshire |
Barnsley, Bradford, Calderdale, Doncaster, East Riding of Yorkshire, Kingston-upon-Hull, Kirklees, Leeds, North Lincolnshire, North East Lincolnshire, North Yorkshire, Rotherham, Sheffield, Wakefield, York |
|
2.West Midlands |
Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Herefordshire, Sandwell, Shropshire, Solihull, Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Telford & Wrekin, Walsall, Warwickshire, Wolverhampton, Worcester |
|
3.East Midlands |
Derbyshire, Derby City, Leicestershire, Leicester City, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottingham City, Nottinghamshire, Rutland |
|
4.East |
Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Luton, Norfolk, Peterborough, Southend-on-Sea, Suffolk, Thurrock |
|
5.North West |
Blackpool, Blackburn with Darwen, Bolton, Bury, Cheshire, Cumbria, Halton, Knowsley, Lancashire, Liverpool, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, St Helens, Salford, Sefton, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Warrington, Wigan, Wirral |
|
6.South East |
Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Medway |
|
7. South |
Hampshire, Surrey, Isle of Wight |
|
8.Thames Valley |
Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Middlesex, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire |
|
9.North East |
Durham, Northumberland, Teeside, Tyne & Wear |
|
10.South West (South) |
Cornwall, Devon, Somerset |
|
11.South West (North) |
Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Dorset |
A player may play for the region in which her club / uni is situated or the region in which she lives. Once a player has selected the appropriate region, she must stay with that region for the duration of the programme. English players at a Scottish / Welsh or Irish Uni are eligible to play as long as they are individually registered with the RFUW. (Please contact RFUW office to receive forms and process – 020-8831-7996)
Due to exceptional circumstances a player may be granted permission by the RFUW to play for another region. Any player who wishes to apply for dispensation to play for another region, must apply in writing to the RFUW Competition’s Officer stating the reasons why.
If you have any queries regarding the regional splits please contact the RFUW on 0208 831 7996 or email regionalrugby@therfu.com
How much do players have to pay for the programme and what do they get for it?
- All selected players will be required to pay a one-off fee of £65. This will include participation in the programme in its entirety as well as Regionally branded kit.
- NB. This will be done through Pay-pal again this year so that all funds can be held centrally and to assist the Regional Programme Manager with Admin support
The RFUW Regional Programme is an important part of the RFUW talent identification and player development programme and is the largest programme in central operation in terms of volunteer staff, players, training and matches. In order to deliver a quality, well managed Regional Programme, the financial commitment from the RFUW is substantial. However, we would be unable to deliver the programme without contribution from the players involved.
The Programme Fee covers the players for:
- Match Fees
- Post-match meals
- Some Team Travel to Matches
- Medical / Volunteer Expenses
- Match Officials
- Programme Manager
- Venue costs (Trials, training, triangular matches, Senior Final or Youth Tournament)
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What happens next?
Please return your completed Expression of Interest Form to regionalrugby@therfu.com by Thursday 31st July. You will be notified upon its receipt and then sent further correspondence. If you are successful in your application you will be notified in September with dates of Regional Volunteer Training ahead of the programme.
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Any queries regarding the Regional Programme please email regionalrugby@therfu.com or telephone 0208 831 7996 |
