Local Clubs Become Part of the President's XV

The winners of the 2012 President’s XV Awards, supported by QBE, have been announced

Fifteen rugby clubs across the country have been named as the 2012 winners of the RFU President’s XV Awards, supported by QBE. The winning club in each of the 15 categories will receive £500, with two Runners Up projects in each category receiving £100 for their club.

The Awards, supported by QBE, Official Insurance Partner of England Rugby, were launched in October last year by RFU President Willie Wildash, 2003 Rugby World Cup winner Joe Worsley and England Women’s star Maggie Alphonsi.  Winners were chosen by a panel of judges who sought to identify and reward initiatives that promote the development of rugby at a grassroots level.

This season’s Awards saw the introduction of some new-look categories, hand-picked by the new President to reflect a focus on growing the game; the Awards headlined with the ‘Choose Rugby-Player Recruitment Campaign” category, and introduced a new “Playing Opportunities” category.

Choose Rugby – Player Recruitment Challenge

Old Rutlishian FC ran the Old Ruts Primary School Development Day in July 2011 where 17 schools participated, 90 boys and girls of whom 95 per cent had never played rugby before. Speed, teamwork, athleticism and physicality were assessed by 26 volunteers. The results are 140 new junior and mini players. The scheme will be run again in the summer of 2012.

This is Rugby – Discipline

HMP The Mount which is in the Herts/Middx Merit table leagues. Introducing rugby and coaching to inmates, some of whom have never played before, to achieve the three goals of Prison PE: education, rehabilitation and resettlement. Being on the rugby squad is the opportunity to change personally and play in a team that joins prisoners and officers together, developing trust and communication within a common ground – the rugby pitch.

More Volunteers

Farnham RFC ran a record breaking minis tour with 673 children and their families going to South Wales. The tour generates more active volunteers, not only putting together a safe and fun tour but once on board often helping out again in other club activities. All contribute to it being a successful and welcoming club. And with local businesses sponsoring the tour, it is a whole community working in partnership.

Better Referees

Hertfordshire Society of Referees operates a structured programme to develop and train referees, including assessments and high performance fast tracking. It proactively recruits and has exceptional retention levels, aided by a recognition scheme in place. Its current membership includes men, women of a wide ethnicity and aged between 15 and 65 years.

Playing Opportunities

Sandbach RC has implemented five initiatives to increase playing opportunities: touch rugby; women’s rugby; under 6 rugby; social 4s; senior colts. The club has considerable success at 1^st XV level but is also strongly committed to creating playing opportunities for all.

High Quality Coaching

Dorchester RFC has implemented a proactive and structured coach development programme to ensure coaches are brought through from U17 with tag coaching, level 1 at 18, and level 2 at a senior level. Each age group coaching team has a structure of a senior coach and mentor. There are also coach development days twice a year. The club has found former players and coaches maintain interest in rugby through these schemes.

Better Facilities

Ilkley RUFC had needed to replace its old club changing rooms from as far back as 1928 but the estimated cost was £1.4m. In 2007 a huge fundraising campaign involving the club, the RFU, the RFF, Sport England and the entire Ilkley community was undertaken and the project became a community sports club rather than rugby club to consolidate fundraising. The new building opened in September 2011 and already participation in rugby has significantly increased.

Women and Girls Development

Exeter Saracens RFC has worked hard over the past year to promote girls rugby and get more girls involved in the sport. Tag festivals, referee courses, girl’s rugby fun days, rugby skills sessions with RAF outreach team, prize giving and a Q&A from former England Women captain Catherine Spencer, and Denise Hodge outlining the player pathway. The results have been 16 new U13s (from zero), and increased numbers in the U15 and U18s. Local links with schools and students should see this continue.

Community Links

Streatham-Croydon RFC is located in an area of inner-city deprivation and has developed its role in the community accordingly. It has become a member of the Croydon Sport for Social Change Network, proactively recruited at Thornton Heath Festival, played matches against the British Asian XV, hosted Sky TV’s ‘School of Hard Knocks’ and been visited by the Mayor of London. It’s closely involved with schools, has a minis section and a ladies team. The club is now devising a redevelopment programme to remain attractive for years to come.

Schools Development

Ealing Trailfinders RFC is working with schools to build a borough-wide competition to provide competitive rugby for all age groups and genders at grassroots level. Through the clubs programme it aims to educate the teachers at affiliated schools and encourage them to teach more rugby in the curriculum. On a weekly basis, the programme delivers to six different schools made up of 400 children a week.

Student Players

Henley College Coventry launched its rugby development centre in April 2011 which offers a bespoke educational framework for students to embark on a professional career in sport and rugby. This season has seen great success for the centre with a proven player pathway as well as work in the community supporting minis and juniors at Coventry RFC.

Fundraising

Thurrock RFC has supported a multitude of charities with donations ranging from Breakthrough Breast Cancer to the Essex Air Ambulance and many others in between. Activities have ranged from charity car washes and club calendar sales to lunches, discos and BBQs. More plans are in place for this year.

Comms & Technology

Weymouth RFC uses facebook, twitter, teamer (sms), email, newsletters and website banners to communicate with members and volunteers. The website is constantly updated and Rugby First is fully up to date. The website has a Flickr photo frame. The website had 225,000 hits last year, including 79,000 of 133 photo albums.

Young Volunteers (vRugby)

University College London Women’s are actively involved in volunteering and championing their sport through teaching rugby in local primary schools, teaching wheelchair touch rugby, singing at Euston Station, playing ball games with elderly people, taking part in the Sport Relief Mile and cupcake decorating workshops. Enthusiasm and commitment have ensured success along with strong relationships with the local community.

Seal of Approval Club of the Year

Hitchin RFC is now the largest rugby club in Hertfordshire. It aims to demonstrate to sponsors, community partners and future partners in the development of the club that it is a club of excellence and ambition. It will help with Council negotiations on lease extension, sponsor negotiations and reputation with players and parents locally.

President's XV Runners Up:

PXV Category	Runners Up
Choose Rugby - Player Recruitment Campaign	Feltham RFC
	Bury St Edmunds RFC and Suffolk College
This is Rugby – Discipline	Hampshire RFU safe guarding team
	Upper Clapton RFC
More Volunteers	Old Colfeians RFC
	Weymouth RFC
Better Referees	Staffordshire Rugby Union Society of Refs
	Stoke-on-Trent RUFC
Playing Opportunities	Old Rishworthians RUFC
	Plymstock Albion Oaks RFC
High Quality Coaching	Birmingham & Solihull RFC
	Stratford on Avon RFC
Better Facilities	Castle Cary RFC
	Egremont RUFC
Women and Girls Development	Upper Clapton RFC & West Essex SSP
	Old Emanuel RFC
Community Links	Oakmeadians RFC
	Warrington RUFC
Schools Development	Lowestoft & Yarmouth RFC
	Broad Plain RFC
Student Players	Nottingham Casuals RFC
	Old Emanuel RFC
Fundraising	Preston Grasshoppers RFC
	Harwich & Dovercourt Rugby
Comms & Technology	Lancashire County RFU
	Streatham-Croydon RFC
Young Volunteers (vRugby)	Birmingham Exiles RFC
	University of Warwick
Seal of Approval Club of the Year	Wharfedale RUFC
	Richmond RFC

Rugby World, the world’s best selling rugby magazine, are the official media partner of the President’s XV scheme and highlight the best of the nominations within their pages.