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The Official Newspaper of The RFU
March 2017 Issue 199
PRINCE HARRY JOINS 12,000 FANS TO
WATCH ENGLAND TRAIN
SUZI MURRAY
Last month (February) Prince Harry, in his new role as Patron
of the RFU, met young people involved in charities connected
to England Rugby’s Try for Change programme as well as
representatives from the RFU’s National Youth Council and
Young Rugby Ambassadors (YRAs) at the England team open
training session.
He also met Old Mutual Wealth Kids First Champions from
Didcot RFC, chosen from groups around the country to form a
guard of honour for the England team.
Over 12,000 supporters from grassroots clubs and schools from
all over England, alongside local residents, were at Twickenham to
watch England prepare for their RBS 6 Nations game against Italy.
Fans were guided through the rugby session, while the players also
took part in a series of specially-arranged supporter activities. The
players also met Prince Harry on the pitch following their session.
Richard Hill, England team manager said: “It was fantastic to
end the week’s training at Twickenham in front of so many fans, I
thank everyone for joining us.”
As well as 40 school and college groups, 30 U11/U12 players
and five coaches were there from Didcot RFC, Old Mutual Wealth
Kids First Champions who were nominated by their local RFU
delivery team.
Continued on page 2
RFU ANNOUNCES 10 WOMEN’S
SUPER RUGBY CLUBS
TURIA TELLWRIGHT
The Rugby Football Union (RFU) recently
announced the 10 clubs offered places, subject to
contract, in the new women’s domestic competition
from September 2017.
Women’s Super Rugby is a major development for
the women’s game in England and will significantly
raise the standards of rugby domestically and help
support the Red Roses’ ambition to be the number
one team in the world. It is also expected to help
grow participation and create new commercial
partnerships to help underpin the competition.
Following a rigorous and independently-chaired
application process, the 10 successful teams offered
a place in the Women’s Super Rugby, subject to
contract, are:
• Bristol Ladies Rugby Ltd
• Darlington Mowden Park Sharks
• Firwood Waterloo Ladies
• Harlequin FC
• Gloucester-Hartpury Women’s RFC
• Loughborough Students (Lightning)
• Richmond FC
• Saracens Women
• Wasps FC Ladies
• Worcester Warriors RFC
Continued on page 2
MORE THAN 1,000
NOMINATED FOR
MITSUBISHI MOTORS
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
CHARLOTTE HARWOOD
An astonishing number of rugby volunteers have been
nominated for the inaugural Mitsubishi Motors Volunteer
of the Year Awards, which recognises volunteers or their
dedication to the game.
Continued on page 2
TOUCHLINE – MARCH 2017
1
PRINCE HARRY
JOINS 12,000
FANS TO WATCH
ENGLAND TRAIN
Continued from page 1
The coaches, volunteers and committee members have worked
tirelessly over the past six years to set up and grow a minis
section, which now has over 130 players aged 5-13 registered. They
have also created a supportive and developmental environment
encouraging older players to stay involved in rugby, when often
there is a big drop off at 12-13.
Didcot’s Harry Levell, aged 11, said: “It was so exciting to meet
Prince Harry and to be part of the guard of honour to cheer the
England players as they ran out to training. I love playing rugby
and it was so cool to come to Twickenham with friends from my
rugby club.”
Also there were young people involved in rugby via Street
Games, The Dallaglio Foundation and The School of Hard Knocks.
The event at Twickenham raised over £12,500 for the Try for
Change fund, run by Comic Relief and England Rugby, which
will support projects and programmes that use rugby and the
rugby community to improve the lives of disadvantaged people in
England and across the world.
For more information on Try for Change click here
RFU ANNOUNCES
10 WOMEN’S SUPER
RUGBY CLUBS
Continued from page 1
All applicants will be required to deliver against a set of
minimum operating standards designed to create an infrastructure
within the clubs to support an increasingly professional game.
The key focus of these minimum standards include:
•To develop a professional coaching resource to support players
in training throughout the week
•To provide teams with regular and expert sports science support
and medical provision for both training and match days
• To improve the training and playing environment.
The competition will receive a multi-million pound investment
from the RFU over the next three years to help deliver the minimum
standards expected and provide high-quality coaching, facilities,
training environments and community engagement plans.
The announcement reflects the increasing popularity and
success of women’s rugby in England following the Red Roses’
success of winning the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2014
and Great Britain playing in the first sevens competition of the
Olympic Games last year in Rio.
This season has seen the RFU announce its ambitions to double
the number of women and girls playing rugby to 50,000 and the
arrival of 15-a-side professional contracts ahead of the eagerly
anticipated Women’s Rugby World Cup in August this year.
RFU Director of Professional Rugby Nigel Melville said: “This
is another significant development for women’s rugby in this
country. Women’s Super Rugby will drive standards in the game,
both domestically and at an elite level, and continue to encourage
more women and girls to play the sport.
“I would like to congratulate the 10 clubs on their successful
applications which have resulted in them being offered a place
in the new competition. We now have the opportunity to build a
world-class domestic competition, with the backing and funding
of the RFU, demonstrating the union’s commitment to growing the
game at all levels.”
RFU Head of Women’s Performance, Nicky Ponsford, added:
“We are really excited about the innovative opportunity that
Women’s Super Rugby gives us to reach new participants and
attract new fans to the game, and we are determined to make the
most of this opportunity.”
BE PART OF ENGLAND
RUGBY 24/SEVENS
SUZI MURRAY
At the start of the month (March) England Rugby
announced the 24/Sevens 2017 competition as
being open for all
community clubs and new and existing sevens
teams to enter.
The exciting community sevens series, launched
in 2016, aims to continue to grow sevens rugby
and increase participation among men and
women. By aligning existing domestic sevens
tournaments, the competition has created
consistent playing opportunities for sevens
players at grassroots level, with over 6,000 players
taking part in 2016.
Sevens rugby is a key part of England Rugby’s
work with Sport England, broadening high quality
playing opportunities for all players. In 2017 the 24/Sevens
competition will be bigger and better, with more local qualifiers
being held in 38 locations across England.
24/Sevens 2017 will also see the addition of a new tiered
competition structure, with Social and Invitational Elite tiers
added alongside the existing Open competition.
Formats
•Local qualifier winners in the Open tier, where men’s and
women’s sevens teams and community clubs can enter,
will progress to one of four regional play offs in the North,
Midlands, South-East and South-West across two weekends in
July. The competition will culminate in a showpiece national
final event hosted by England Rugby at The Recreation
Ground in Bath on the 29th July.
•The new Social tier will see tournaments held at all 38
local qualifier venues across England. Open for all levels of
ability, the Social tier is a great entry point into the game for
those new to contact formats of the game and those returning
to rugby.
•The Invitational Elite tier will showcase top level men’s sevens
teams and players with two Super Sevens Series rounds
coming under the 24/Sevens competition structure for the
first time, including the 24/Sevens national final.
RFU Development Director, Steve Grainger said: “More than
6,000 players took part in the inaugural 24/Sevens competition
in 2016. This year we are broadening the competition’s reach and
capacity to cater for an even wider range of playing levels with
the new tiered competition structure.
“Sevens is an exciting format of rugby that can be played not
only by sevens specific players but also by anyone who plays
or has played 15-a-side rugby, as well as players who are new to
contact rugby. We are looking forward to seeing player talent
on display this year as teams compete for the highest national
accolade at community level in rugby sevens in England.”
England Sevens Head Coach, Simon Amor said “Following the
success of the Olympics there has never been a more exciting
time for rugby sevens. There are undoubtedly more players
playing the sport around the world and the growth of 24/Sevens
is fantastic for sevens in our country. The linkup with the Super
Sevens Series also creates a clear elite level for players in which
to compete, providing a great opportunity to develop young
sevens talent.”
England Sevens Assistant Coach (Women), James Bailey said:
“The 24/Sevens competition is important for the development of
the women’s sevens pathway as it’s giving players at community
level more quality and consistent playing opportunities. This is
making sevens a real option for aspiring players. The Olympics
last year was a great showcase for the sport and inspired so many
to get involved. 24/Sevens is a great entry point to the game.”
The local qualifier events take place throughout April, May
and June, with regional play offs in the North, Midlands, SouthEast and South-West in July. The 24/Sevens national final, on
the 29th July, will be a vibrant combination of electric rugby,
entertainment and live music ensuring a unique experience on
and off the pitch for players and spectators.
For more information on how you can be part of the 24/Sevens
series click here
IPF GUESTS AT OPEN
TRAINING
MORE THAN 1,000
NOMINATED FOR
MITSUBISHI MOTORS
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
Continued from page 1
The inaugural Mitsubishi Motors Volunteer of the Year
Awards will take place on a regional basis by rewarding
worthy volunteers at 42 local events held at selected
Mitsubishi Motors dealerships.
Of the hundreds of volunteers invited to these localised
events, 42 outstanding finalists will be invited to the
Mitsubishi Motors Volunteer of the Year Awards ceremony at
Twickenham Stadium on Friday 15 September.
More information on this exciting programme will be
released over the coming months. For more volunteer
recognition opportunities visit our website
2
TOUCHLINE – MARCH 2017
Enjoying the England open training session and VIP breakfasts
were RFU Injured Players Foundation (IPF) clients Ross
Morrison and Liam O’Keefe.
Liam, aged 27, was injured in January 2016 playing for
St Mary’s Old Boys, and has been having a second series of
treatments at neurological specialists Hobbs Rehabilitation,
thanks to the IPF.
He said: “Hobbs has been helping massively and now I can
almost be independent and just need a little help. I’ve been
talking to my old employers SAS Electrical in Bristol and hope to
return to work. The IPF have been brilliant, they are still there for
me and are the reason I’m here enjoying today’s event.”
Paralympian Ross, who has retired from international
wheelchair rugby but coaches the GB Development squad
also works as a fitness instructor and personal trainer and has
recently taken up discus and is “seeing where it goes.”
He’s a big IPF ambassador and was at open training with wife
Eileen and son Luke, now two, who was in the IPF box watching
his first England match at 26 days old. He’s already at Rugby
Tots every weekend and is a big Ruckley fan.
CBRE ALL SCHOOLS UNVEIL NEW
CANTERBURY KIT
A hundred students from this season’s CBRE All Schools intake
unveiled their schools’ new Canterbury rugby shirts on the
Twickenham pitch before the England v Italy RBS 6 Nations match.
Each shirt was individually designed by pupils at Canterbury
kit design workshops, while they learned about the core values of
rugby, the pride associated with the shirt and the importance of
colours, logos and emblems.
The CBRE All Schools programme, launched in 2012 by the
Rugby Football Union, has now established rugby in an additional
500 state secondary schools, impacting some 450,000 pupils’
lives by making school life happier and healthier, reducing antisocial behaviour, enhancing learning and increasing students’
confidence and self-esteem.
The programme plans to take rugby to 750 schools by 2019 as
part of the RFU’s Rugby World Cup 2015 legacy.
CBRE All Schools Ambassador Billy Vunipola shared with the
pupils his experience of what it means to represent England, the
importance of the shirt and what it is like taking centre stage at
Twickenham on match day.
Billy Vunipola said: “It’s great to see more state secondary
schools getting involved in rugby through the CBRE All Schools
programme. The atmosphere in Twickenham on match day is
very special and it’s fantastic that the students experienced it
first-hand, who knows, maybe one of them will be playing for
England one day.”
Andrew Morgan from Hodge Hill College said: “It’s been hugely
exciting to have pupils both involved in designing our new school
rugby shirt and especially in getting the opportunity to unveil
it on the pitch. It’s great to be involved in the CBRE All Schools
programme and we look forward to continuing to grow rugby and
participation in our school.”
All the shirts on display were created by pupils for their schools’
rugby teams to wear for many years to come, and all were provided
free by Canterbury.
Chris Stephenson, CEO of Canterbury said: “This is our fourth
year as Official Partner of the All Schools programme – something
we are extremely proud to be part of. The students were doing
their schools proud by wearing shirts they designed at such a huge
game and, hopefully, gaining some special memories.”
For more information click here
TOUCHLINE – MARCH 2017
3
REAL RUGBY STORIES
Featuring regularly on englandrugby.com, as well as in Touchline, our Real Rugby Stories celebrate the
achievements of those involved in the grassroots game. Whether it’s supportive mums or medics,
chairmen taking clubs places, or children with inspirational stories, let us know about your remarkable
people by emailing: [email protected]
A WHOLE NEW BALL GAME FOR PHILIPPA
We often talk about refereeing as a confidence booster but one
grassroots match official says qualifying as a referee a year ago
and joining the London Referee Society, has totally transformed
her life.
Philippa Greenwood was, on turning 40, a divorced, part-time
single mum, working for the Foreign Office and says that after “a
rough few years” she found refereeing at just the right time.
Having grown up watching rugby, initially the Hong Kong
Sevens when she lived there with her parents as a child, she was
a definite fan and keen supporter but had never played.
It was as the Sporting Opportunities Manager at the Foreign
Office that she attended a Rugby World Cup match and
proceeded to explain the referee hand signals to the person
watching with her.
“They told me I should do something with that knowledge
but initially I thought refereeing would be too much of a
commitment and qualifying too expensive.”
Having discovered the cost was just £50 and that she could
qualify over non-consecutive weekends near her home, which
fitted in with her child care, Philippa signed up.
“It was the first thing I had done in years which was purely for
me, my confidence had taken a battering and I felt like I had lost
my identity,” she says.
Imagining that she was making a mess of the course, Philippa
was amazed when she was complimented by those running it
and applauded by those taking it.
“A trainer said ‘I’ve been hearing good things about you’ and I
actually went home and cried,” she adds.
Having opted to take charge of a men’s match as her first game
two weeks after qualifying, Philippa says, “It was worse than
giving birth to my daughter. If I could have pressed a button to
beam me up off that pitch I would have done.”
Fortunately, a referee observer talked her down, told her to take
some time to read the Laws book and then go and watch another
first-time referee in action.
“That was great advice because it made me realise that we all
make mistakes, at whatever level of the game. At my next game I
felt so much better and now I referee every other weekend.
“The experience and the positive feedback has had such an
impact on my life. I now think ‘If you can take charge of 30 burly
men on a rugby pitch there’s nothing you can’t do!’”
Less than a month after qualifying as a referee, Philippa applied
for a new role at work that came with a promotion. She got the job
and puts this success down to her new found confidence.
“The referee training and the experience of officiating has been
so impactful and the feedback you get is great. I can now say to
myself ‘You’ve done a good job’ which I hadn’t been able to do
for years. And it transfers across life, which is why I invited Dave
Broadwell, a London Society referee coach, to come into my work
to speak to colleagues about confidence building.
“Refereeing took me out of my comfort zone, with each game a
new mini challenge which I meet and enjoy.
“My daughter Indigo, who’s nine, regards rugby with a sense of
sibling rivalry, but she tells everyone her mum is a rugby referee.
So now I’m going to try to arrange to take charge of a match that
she can come along to watch.
“If you love rugby and you are one of those people always
commenting on the sidelines and if you’ve got stamina, I would
say try refereeing. Give it a go, it’s amazing what you get out of it.”
Why not visit englandrugby.com/referee
COACH CRICK: FROM BRAZIL TO
AUSTRIA VIA ESSEX
3.30am every day in Innsbruck, a city in the west of Austria,
rugby coach Jim Crick can be found cycling the six miles
between his house and the first job of the day.
“I have five jobs here to keep me going,” says 28-year-old
Crick. “The first is unloading barrels at a depot. I do that
for three hours every single morning while everyone else
is asleep.”
With the first job out the way, Crick cycles back in
temperatures below freezing to begin the rest of his day.
“The second job is at a kindergarten, followed by a few
hours of childcare and in the evenings I do security work at
nightclubs. I get about four hours of sleep a night.”
It is a gruelling schedule and a long way from Essex and
East London RFC where Crick’s journey began.
“When I was growing up I played football and pretended
to enjoy it,” says Crick. “I didn’t discover rugby until I was
a teenager and I was blown away by how welcoming the
club was. They took me in with open arms and I never
looked back.”
Crick continued playing for the club for the next few years
while qualifying as a personal trainer but after going through
a difficult period in his life, Crick found himself without a job
or home and decided to pursue coaching, gaining his level
one and two qualifications.
“I was at a pretty challenging stage and that’s when I turned
to rugby more than ever. It’s at those times when you turn to
what means most to you. My dad helped me massively and the
rugby family were a big support too.”
The coaching qualifications gave Crick the opportunity to
travel to Brazil where he worked for a year coaching rugby in
local communities.
“I had an amazing time coaching over there and doing
outreach work but I didn’t feel I was testing myself enough, so
I accepted the role of head coach at Innsbruck Rugby Club,”
says Crick who has now been in the job for over a year.
The club compete in Austria’s top domestic league and
are currently vying to become champions for the first time
under Crick.
“It is a great experience to coach a team of this standard. I
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TOUCHLINE – MARCH 2017
Image courtesy of Johann Trojer
have to do all the other jobs to give me enough money to live out
here but it is worth it to be able to coach at a club like this.
“It doesn’t feel like work to me. I have an obligation to coach
rugby, it has given me so much and so I feel like I owe rugby
something. That’s why I’m doing this. That’s why I am working so
hard, I kind of think I have a duty to help the game.”
Crick has recently submitted his level three coaching application
and while growing the game abroad is his passion for now it can’t
be long before this incredibly driven coach comes home to put
what he has learned into practice here.
Interested in becoming a coach? Go to englandrugby.com/coach
Brian Tempest
CORNISH PIRATES UNITE WITH STONEWALL
The Cornish Pirates rugby team has teamed up with Stonewall’s
Rainbow Laces campaign to show support for lesbian, gay, bi
and trans (LGBT) people in sport.
When the Pirates played the Titans from Rotherham at the
Mennaye Field, Penzance, last month (February), members of both
teams and the officials wore boots tied with rainbow coloured
laces, while the two captains also wore rainbow armbands.
Numerous clubs and associations have committed to kick
anti-LGBT attitudes out of sport, following research released by
Stonewall, Britain’s leading LGBT equality charity, which shows
45% of people who played sport in the past year heard language
offensive to LGBT people.
But the research, conducted by ICM in 2016, also showed that
most sports supporters welcome LGBT supporters and players.
Almost two thirds (63%) said more should be done to make
LGBT people feel accepted.
Robbie de Santos, Head of Campaigns at Stonewall, said:
“There are still people who think it’s acceptable to discriminate
against LGBT people in sport, which is something we have to
work together to stop.
“Stonewall works with sports clubs at all levels to show that
supporting diversity, in all its forms, is the easiest way to build
a more supportive and high-performing team and a strong,
loyal following.
“The good news is that anyone involved in sport can be part of
creating a more welcoming environment for LGBT people.”
Said Cornish Pirates club captain Chris Morgan: “We know sport
has the power to unite communities across Britain.
“As a club at the heart of our community, we are used to involving
and supporting a wide variety of people with different needs.
“We believe that it doesn’t matter who you are, everyone should be
able to play sport, so signing up to the Rainbow Laces campaign was
a natural step for us.
“It is a fun, easy and instant way to demonstrate that we are fully
inclusive and that our members and supporters can be true to
themselves when they are with us.”
The Rugby Football Union and Premiership Rugby began
supporting the Stonewall campaign during the autumn’s Old Mutual
Wealth Series, supporting Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign,
with England and Argentina, Twickenham Stadium’s LED displays
turning rainbow for the England v Argentina Test.
“The Rugby Football Union is proud to support Stonewall and
the Rainbow Laces campaign,” said RFU CEO Ian Ritchie. “We
believe rugby’s core values of respect, teamwork and sportsmanship
resonate with what is at the heart of this important campaign.
“We are committed to ensuring that sport provides an inclusive
and welcoming environment for all at every level and we look
forward to working with Stonewall to raise awareness and tackle
inequality on and off the field.”
England’s James Haskell said he was proud to back the campaign,
adding: “It is a sad world when people make so much of a person’s
sexuality. It shouldn’t matter if anyone is lesbian, gay, bisexual or
transgender and excellent campaigns like this can help educate as
many people as possible.”
ENGLAND
COUNTIES BEAT
SCOTLAND CLUBS
AT MOSELEY
England Counties defeated the Scotland Club XV last month
(February) with a 45-28 win at Birmingham Moseley RFC. The
teams turned around level at 14-14 but England Counties piled
on the pressure and the points after the break.
Hooker Matthew Miles, opened the scoring breaking away
from the back of a rolling maul to cross the line but Scotland
responded minutes later when inside centre George Taylor
weaved his way through.
England centre Steve Leonard then ran in to score, before the
final try of the first half went to Scotland wing Jordan Edmunds,
who started the second half off by crossing once more.
Scotland’s lead was short lived, however, fly half Joe Tarrant
addig points with his boot and, from the restart, centre Leonard
fed Leo Fielding who ran it in.
The floodgates then opened for England Counties, who scored
three further tries, through Stokes, Fielding and Leonard.
Scotland clubs scored once more, through John Cox, but this
was England’s match, with Ampthill fly-half Joe Tarrant pulling
the strings.
After last year’s 57-27 defeat, head coach James Shanahan
said it had all been about restoring pride. “We didn’t talk about
revenge, we just talked about the guys that played last year,
about making sure they got their pride back.”
The match was the first in the England Counties’ season, with
the next match against Ireland Club XV on Friday, 17 March in
Cork, followed by a three-match tour in June. England Counties
is the flagship team of the community game in England
and offers players from National League One and below the
opportunity to represent their country.
Julian Quick
FOR JULIAN
A minute’s silence was observed before the kick off of Weymouth & Portland’s match
against Sherborne II in memory of former Weymouth & Portland captain and No.8
Julian Quick, who died aged 28 following a long battle with cancer.
The Seasiders secured a 24-10 win and said head coach Paul Harding: “Julian fought
cancer for two years with incredible dignity and courage. He was a fantastic rugby
player; he played with passion and was a born leader who inspired the players that he
led to play to their full potential.
“He epitomised all that is good in the game of rugby, yet at the same time he was a
very humble man, he had time for everyone and his passing will leave a big gap. In fact,
I would say he is irreplaceable and will be missed by so many people both within the
club and outside.”
TOUCHLINE – MARCH 2017
5
IPF AND STEVE GET
TOGETHER ALMOST 30
YEARS AFTER HIS INJURY
In 1988 Steve Gascoyne was seriously injured
playing in the second row for what was then the
Midland Bank rugby team.
That was 20 years before the RFU Injured
Players Foundation existed, so when he spent
six months in Stoke Mandeville Hospital the
charity was not there to spring into action as
they would now.
Steve, whose spinal injury then saw him spend
three months at home before returning to work,
has had lots of support over the intervening
years from his employers HSBC.
“They were very supportive when I was injured,
the rugby president and chairman of Midland
Bank met my parents, and I have always been
helped in the work environment,” said Steve.
“I had never come across the IPF. Of course,
they didn’t exist when I was injured and I just got
on with it. Now my mobility has got worse over
recent years and I started to avoid doing things
because of it. One of my physios suggested I
consider using a wheelchair occasionally and
gave me funding options, which is the first time
I’d heard of the IPF.
“As soon as I met up with them I was invited
to watch England play France at Twickenham
and was really excited to come with my stepson
George, who’s come up from Brighton University.
“Now I am talking to the charity about my
needs. They’ve been really helpful and I feel that
I am part of the rugby community again.”
The IPF provides immediate and lifelong
support for every rugby player across England
who sustains a catastrophic spinal cord or
traumatic brain injury while playing the game
and aims to prevent future injuries through
research and education.
Discover more at www.rfuipf.org.uk
NEWBURY LADIES RECRUIT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA
Newbury RFC’s ladies section has
gone from just managing to field
a 15 to having a full bench and
selection options, having gained
ten new players this season alone.
Take a bow social media
secretary Milly Taylor, who has
upped the profile with revamped
social media and advertising what
they do, gaining more exposure
through local newspapers.
Sponsor Johnny Stokes of JWS
Fitness and Wellbeing has helped
to spread the word too, together
with other partners Herongate
Leisure and Scofell Landscapes.
The social media campaign
relied on Facebook Live at preseason training. This featured the
fun and social side of the team
and fitness work showing that
rugby is for everyone, whatever
their goals.
Most of the new players
followed the team on social media
before joining and says Milly:
“I think the fact people can get
a real insight before they join
encourages them to show up. The
aim of our social media is to illustrate all the
different sides of the club, so that people know
what they’re going to experience before they
come along.”
The girls’ section regularly has over 20 girls
training every week, with the ladies team
sometimes helping with coaching. Malcolm
Darvell, who leads the girls section, is also backs
coach for the ladies section, and does a fantastic
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TOUCHLINE – MARCH 2017
job. There are now plans for the girls to play a
curtain raiser before a ladies’ game, to continue
bringing both groups closer together.
A healthy relationship is also being established
between the senior men’s and senior ladies’
coaches, with guest coaching sessions and
improved coaching standards, thanks to
Newbury RFC Head Coach Lee Goodall.
Recent successes include the ladies winning
the Berkshire Cup in 2014 and 2015 and
progressing for the first time to the Quarter Final
of the National Junior Cup this season. The girls’
section has provided an England U18 Sevens
player, Carys Cox, and a South West England
U18, Cara Brincat.
With senior players who play for the Army,
have played internationally, at Premiership and
Championship level, encouraging and playing
alongside those who have never
before picked up a rugby ball,
there’s a great team spirit. And
there are plans to hold a pitch up
and play event early next season
to recruit more players.
Newbury Chairman Hywell
Price-Richards said: “As our
ladies section goes from strength
to strength, their influence is
spreading throughout the club,
with our girls sections expanding.
Next season we will have an
independent club for the younger
players and hopefully this will
grow rapidly and make us a
force in the girls’ game, which
will eventually feed into our
ladies section.
“The ladies section works very
hard to improve not only their
standards of play but also the
social input into the whole club.
They regularly support the senior
teams and in turn the senior
players support the ladies, who
are great fun and produce some
thrilling rugby, which is easily as
enjoyable as watching the Blues.
The ladies are now well represented on the
committee and I can see a very bright future!”
One new player Alice Hill said: “As a sports
coaching student I wanted to try something new
while at university and I’ve ended up choosing
rugby over football which I played for more than
10 years. The coaching is great and the team is
very hard working and determined.”
CBRE ALL SCHOOLS ON
TWICKENHAM TURF
GREAT EXPERIENCE
Last month (February) saw some fantastic CBRE All Schools events across North
Warwickshire and Coventry.
Pinley RFC ran a Match Day Experience Day for new and existing junior players, with CBRE
All Schools pupils and club junior players invited down to train groups prior to having lunch
and then watching the first team play in the afternoon.
It was a great day for all. Pinley RFC gained nine new junior players from the day and the
1st team beat top of the table Rugby Lions, a game watched by many of the new players
and parents.
Then 101 Year 7 children enjoyed a CBRE All Schools festival at Nuneaton Old Edwardians
RFC to support the development of their new junior section along with Bedworth RFC’s.
England Rugby Community Rugby Coach Adam Blackford organising a flexible festival
format allowing schools to turn up at any time between 2pm and 5pm and play as many games
as they liked.
The same week saw 32 players take part in a CBRE All Schools Year 11 fixture, Stoke
Park playing their first game of the season at this age group in support of Pinley RFC U17s
recruitment. Club coaches were on hand to support the coaching of each side and promote the
next Pinley RFC Club Experience Day in April. Copsewood RFC for provided the floodlit facility
free of charge for Pinley RFC to make sure the game took place.
ENGLAND WOMEN
U20S LEARNING
FROM DEFEAT
Boys from two CBRE All Schools played a curtain raiser on Twickenham’s hallowed turf before
England took on Italy.
City Academy Norwich took part in no rugby and had no rugby playing facilities or club links
before getting involved with CBRE All Schools 18 months ago. The school have now installed a rugby
pitch onsite with the support of the RFU and Eastern Counties Rugby Union. This has been used to
host school fixtures and games for Crusaders RFC, a growing rugby club who now have U13 and U14s
sides. They have even picked up a new coach, a father of a pupil from the Academy.
Chantry Academy, an improving school with a high percentage of pupil premium students, had
limited take up for extra-curricular sports before introducing the All Schools programme but this year
they have fielded three teams across three year groups, all performing well. Being supplied with boots,
gum shields and kit has also made a difference as many pupils didn’t own boots, making quality
rugby out of the question. Now teachers are also impressed with the way behaviour has improved due
to pupils’ involvement in extra-curricular rugby and positions of responsibility within the squad.
SOUTH WEST
STUDENT
REFEREES
The launch of the South West Student Referee Programme last month (February) involved six
universities in Gloucester, Bristol and Bath and saw 17 students enjoying an evening which included
tasty treats like free food and stash.
Attending were students who had already completed the ‘Refereeing the 15-a-side Game’ course, and
others keen to take the course and get involved.
Supported by the local delivery teams and University Rugby Development Officer Mike Panoho,
the programme is building on the existing scheme at the University of Gloucester and local Referee
Society work.
It’s hoped that it will expand and grow, recruiting, training, supporting and developing student
referees, who will in turn support England Rugby’s local delivery teams’ work, as well as refereeing the
student game in their universities.
TURIA TELLWRIGHT
England Women U20 were defeated 7-17 by France Women U20 at
Esher RFC last month (February).
England’s points came from a first-half try from No.8 Zoe Aldcroft, following up her player-of-thematch performance against Army Women earlier in February, which was converted by Zoe Harrison.
France U20 scored tries through captain Fiona Lecat, No.8 Lucie Vinacua and full back Charlotte
Torres Duxan.
England Women U20 head coach Jo Yapp said: “The scoreline probably didn’t reflect the game
overall but France took their opportunities and we didn’t. Unfortunately, we weren’t clinical enough
on the day. Part of our programme is to see whether the players can pick themselves up from these
sort of defeats so it will be a real test of their character.
“They did fight hard and we can’t fault their effort but there are certain parts of our game plan that
we really need to have a look at. We’ll learn an awful lot from this experience.”
The game was the first of two matches against France Women U20s with the second on Friday 17
March at Stade Guy Boniface, Mont-de-Marsan (KO 7pm).
TOUCHLINE – MARCH 2017
7
MOODY INSPIRING YOUNG LEADERS
Former England captain and Leicester and Bath flanker, Lewis
Moody MBE, has gone back to school with his Mad Dog Sixth
Form Rugby Programme.
His first Mad Dog Rugby Academy was integrated into
Melksham Oak Community School, in Wiltshire, in 2015, and
now CEO of Mad Dog Sport Ltd, Moody has confirmed a second
school partnership, to launch in September 2017 at Royal Wootton
Bassett Academy.
Moody explains: “In our character development programme
coaches focus on the players as individuals, helping to develop
them into confident, respectful and considered young leaders,
who set high standards within the school community, creating
an aspirational pathway. It is fully integrated into the timetable,
and the students benefit from healthy lifestyles through a better
understanding of nutrition, fitness and wellbeing which in turn
prepares them for life beyond school.”
Players enjoy on field training sessions, weekly matches, video
analysis, nutrition and strength and conditioning lessons, as well
as one-to-one development and player feedback sessions. They
become RFU qualified Level 1 coaches in Year 12 and can also
extend this to become Level 2 coaches and referees in year 13.
All players are enrolled on the RFU Young Rugby Ambassador
programme and gain experience coaching the lower school years.
The programme also alerts students to job opportunities through
work experience linked to sport and local and national business.
Said Owen Vince, Deputy Head at Melksham Oak School, “The
Mad Dog Academy has certainly had an impact. Zac, who joined
us from another school, without perhaps having achieved the
grades that he would have liked, or that would have set him up for
post-16 study, has benefitted from our approach, as a school and as
a rugby academy. Not only has Zac been able to further his studies
and put himself into a different bracket in terms of post-18 options,
Lewis Moody
but he has absolutely flourished as a player and a leader.
“In the classroom, he has shown a real commitment to his
education, and his teachers are extremely proud of the efforts that
he has shown to be as successful as possible come the end of Year
13. There is no doubt whatsoever that the opportunity to join the
Mad Dog Academy at Melksham Oak has enabled him to flourish
in ways that would not otherwise have been possible.”
Melksham Oak Head Teacher, Stephen Clark, shared another
success story. “James would admit to being rather disorganised
and this contributed to rather poor academic performance in his
Year 12 biology. Unfortunately for James, I was one of his teachers!
Once he became fully engaged with his Mad Dog rugby lessons,
his leadership skills developed, and he started to see the benefits
of the hard work he was putting in. He grew in confidence and, as a
teacher, I was able to support and challenge him to deliver a similar
work ethic in his academic lessons. As a result James has exceeded
his predicted grade and found something different within him.
“By creating a positive environment for students to enjoy their
rugby, enhance their social skills and achieve academically, the
Mad Dog Academy has brought a new and exciting provision to
our Sixth Form, while absolutely matching our whole-school ethos.
Having seen first-hand the difference it is making to our students
and the positive engagement it has had at grass roots level and
in the community, we are delighted that Royal Wootton Bassett
Academy will benefit next year.”
Head Teacher of Royal Wootton Bassett Academy, George
Croxford added: “I am massively excited about this partnership.
The scheme offers a superb opportunity for local sportsmen while
being able to complete their academic studies within a supportive
and successful environment. The Academy is open to 6th form
students of all rugby ability, while they study A levels or a Btec.
It uses the power of rugby as a force for good, to encourage and
nurture young players to further themselves through education.”
“It has been great seeing pupils grow and develop into confident
young students, rugby players and leaders of the future, and we
can’t wait to take the programme into more academies looking to
fulfil sixth formers’ potential,” said Moody.
2017 DIRECTOR OF RUGBY COURSES
The two England Rugby Director of Rugby (DoR) courses are now available to book via the RFU
Online Course booking system at a cost of £600 including VAT. Places are limited and the closing
date for applications is 18th May 2017.
The North course (Shropshire) workshops will be:
Workshop 1 – 10th & 11th July 2017
Workshop 2 – 2nd and 3rd October 2017
The North Course (at Lilleshall National Sports Centre)
booking URL link
The South course (Buckinghamshire) workshops will be:
Workshop 1 – 24th & 25th July 2017
Workshop 2 – 4th & 5th October 2017
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TOUCHLINE – MARCH 2017
The South Course (at Bisham Abbey)
booking URL link
The course has been developed by the RFU in partnership with the Ashridge Sport and Business
Initiative to develop and support a generation of dynamic and inspirational leaders for the game. It is
aimed at those leading rugby programmes in clubs, schools, colleges and universities.
The course will develop leadership and management themes, but set them firmly in an applied
rugby context. It will be delivered over four days, taking in four modules. Modules will be delivered in
two sets of consecutive days, with residential accommodation provided within the cost.
Over dinner at each overnight stay, there will be chance to listen to and question an experienced
Director of Rugby to further develop your learning. It is envisaged that each cohort will become an
ongoing Community of Learning, sharing practice and experience for years to come and the RFU
intends to help facilitate this.
RFU SUPPORTS
NATIONAL
MENTAL HEALTH
CAMPAIGNS
The Rugby Football Union is supporting two
national mental health campaigns launched
by the Rugby Players Association (RPA) and
Time for Change.
With statistics showing that one in four
people will fight mental health problems in
any given year, the RPA, Mind and Rethink
Mental Illness have launched campaigns
aimed at raising awareness, offering support
and changing perceptions of how to deal with
mental health.
The RPA’s ‘Lift the Weight’ campaign aims
to remove the stigma surrounding mental
health issues, sharing stories and experiences
of teammates and peers in order to create a
greater understanding of mental health issues
within rugby.
The Lift the Weight launch video and
interviews are available to view on the RPA’s
new Lift the Weight hub, alongside other
resources, links and advice relating to a range
of mental health issues.
Time to Change, the mental health campaign
run by charities Mind and Rethink Mental
Illness, has launched a five-year campaign ‘In
Your Corner’, encouraging men to be open
and supportive to someone they know who is
fighting a mental health problem.
“It is important to help remove the stigma
surrounding mental health issues which is why
the RFU is proud to support Lift the Weight
and Time to Change,” said Ian Ritchie, RFU
Chief Executive. “We want everyone involved
in the game to feel supported, that they are not
alone in their struggles and able to speak out
about anything that is troubling them.”
UNDERGRADS UNDER
CLUB FLOODLIGHTS
Sean Wright
When University Rugby Development Officer
Richard Marelli introduced the GameFinder
programme in Derbyshire, Community Rugby
Coach Sean Wright took it up and ran with it.
Supporting university students to forge new
friendships and find teammates in local clubs is
very important to Team Derbyshire and to the
new Sport England funding. This is backing to
increase numbers of students playing club rugby,
and to ensure that they continue playing when
moving on from education.
A recent rainy Friday night saw 23 University
of Derby students arrive at Belper rugby club for
a game, several of them having got involved with
the club last linked to September.
Now CRC Sean is working with colleagues,
such as Simon Jones in Staffordshire, whose
patch covers Keele and Stafford Universities to
get more Friday night games at Belper RFC.
The University of Derbyshire 3G pitch is
completely booked by football but by taking
students to Belper it’s a win-win situation,
with students getting involved in a rugby club
environment and the club also benefitting from
Friday night takings in the bar. Club colts can
also get game time, helping their step up into
senior rugby.
Said Sean, “The approach certainly seems to be
working and we are now planning more threeway Friday night games.”
HARTPURY WIN SUPER LEAGUE
& LOOK FOR MORE
DON McDERMOTT
With a 17-12 home victory over Loughborough, Hartpury College
etched their names into BUCS rugby history as winners of the
inaugural Super Rugby league title.
The eight-team league, which has replaced the previous format
of separate North and South Premier divisions, was a resounding
success in the eyes of Hartpury Director of Rugby John Barnes.
“I think it’s been an outstanding tournament this year. It’s
certainly stepped up from the years gone past, with regular
week-in, week-out hard competition, and to come out on top after
fourteen games was an outstanding achievement from the team,”
said Barnes.
As Touchline went to press, Hartpury’s focus had shifted to
the knockout stages of the BUCS Championship and the dream
of reaching the final, to be played at Twickenham on Thursday,
30 March.
Barnes pointed out that in previous years, reaching Twickenham
always was the top priority, but with the advent of Super Rugby,
the league is a prize on its own.
“It’s always been the main thing in BUCS to win at Twickenham,
but I think having this Super League has given us two titles to
go for. So we’ve got the first, and the boys are already back in
training preparing for their quarter- final. The double is certainly
something we’re aiming for.
“Winning the league gives you the advantage of a home quarter-
final, potentially a home semi-final,” said Barnes. “So effectively a
potentially easier route to Twickenham. All our focus now is going
for that Twickenham appearance.
“I think it’s a great place to play, certainly for youngsters, and
the target for us is not just getting to the final, it’s about winning
it when we get there. We’ve not been there for a few years now and
we certainly want to get back there and get that title.”
The BUCS Championship knockout stages began on
Wednesday, 1 March, with the quarter-finals scheduled for
Wednesday 8th March. The top four teams in the Super Rugby
league – Hartpury, Loughborough, Exeter and Durham – received
byes into the quarter-finals.
TOUCHLINE – MARCH 2017
9
NATWEST SCHOOLS CUP – THE FINAL STAGES
From 1,000 teams down to 32, the NatWest Schools Cup
is entering its final stages with the winning schools set
to be crowned on 28th and 29th March.
A new structure this season has seen both age groups
divided into several tiers to create more competition and
to encourage more teams to enter. Here’s your guide to
the action coming up…
U15 Vase
• Both matches will be played on Saturday, 18 March
•Dr Challoner’s Grammar School will play Welland
Park Academy
•Thomas Hardye to meet Bridgewater High School
Key stat: Dr Challoner’s Grammar School are defending
their title this year.
U18 Cup
•Allianz Park will host the U18 Cup semi-finals on
Saturday, 4 March
• Bishop Wordsworth’s will play Bromsgrove
• Warwick school will meet Felsted
Key stat: Bromsgrove are aiming to reach their third
successive Twickenham final while Bishop Wordsworth’s
played in the first ever final in 1991. Felsted have never
reached this stage of the competition
U15 Plate
•St Paul’s School to host St Albans on Wednesday,
15 March
• Sir Thomas Rich’s will play Seaford College
Key stat: St Paul’s have been beaten twice in previous
Vase finals
U18 Vase
• The Perse School to host Trent College
• Silcoates to host Royal Latin
• Both matches to be played on Saturday, 4 March
Key stat: Royal Latin won the U15 Vase in 2013 and beat Taunton
School 28-14 in the quarter-finals.
U18 Plate
• Reigate GS will meet Crossley Heath on Tuesday, 28 February
• Lymm HS to host Solihull on Wednesday, 1 March
Key stat: Crossley Heath won the Vase in 2005 while Lymm were
Vase winners in 2000 and 2006.
SWINGING LOW
IN THE SIXTIES
U18 Bowl
• St Olave’s GS to host Bolton School on Tuesday, 7 March
•Woodbridge to host Old Swinford Hospital on Wednesday,
8 March
Key stat: Five years ago Old Swinford Hospital were runners up to
Dulwich in the Cup.
U15 Cup
• Wellington will play Whitgift
• Warwick will take on Ivybridge Community College
Key stat: Ivybridge Community College will play in their first
semi-final against Warwick who have reached the final four for the
fifth successive time.
U15 Bowl
• Dorothy Stringer to play Beths Grammar School
• Kings Priory to meet Pocklington
Key stat: Kings Priory edged past Wootton Upper School U15
29-25 in the quarter-finals.
Finals Days
The finals of the Cup and Vase competitions in both age groups
will be played at Twickenham Stadium on Wednesday, 29 March
while the Plate and Bowl finals will be staged at Sixways Stadium
on Tuesday, 28 March.
COX REFEREES
NATIONAL
LEAGUE ONE
Joe Stead was a star struck 17 year old when he met Paul Robeson
at a South East London garden party and Robeson sang Sing Low
Sweet Chariot with him.
“It was amazing,” said Joe, who joined Old Askeans after playing
school rugby and introduced Swing Low to their repertoire of postmatch songs in February 1960.
“I believe that’s where it all started,” said Joe, now 75. “It had to
start somewhere and we sang it in the sixties with all the visiting
clubs joining in and then taking it home.”
Since singing with Old Askeans, Joe has played at all the major
folk festivals in Britain and has toured America countless times.
His first professional performance came with Ralph McTell in 1965
and he has played at folk festivals and concerts, appeared on TV
and recorded ever since.
Joe, who now lives in Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire, plays the
five string banjo and a specially manufactured cross between a five
string banjo and a mandolin. He has a repertoire of over 100 songs
and Swing Low still features among his favourites.
He is hitting the touring trail again after coping with Hogkin’s
lymphoma and complications affecting his breathing and still
loves rugby.
You can catch Joe (pictured centre below) in April at Sweeps
Festival, Rochester, in May at the Gloucester Maritime Festival, or
in August at the Warwick Folk Festival.
If you want to know more why not visit his website
10
TOUCHLINE – MARCH 2017
Photo credit: @ppauk
Is this where it all began?
Last month (February) Sara Cox broke new ground when she
became the first female match official to referee in National
League One, after in 2015 becoming the first contracted full-time
female referee in the RFU’s professional match official team.
Having officiated at the Rio Olympics, she took charge of
Loughborough Students against Plymouth Albion and said Head
of Professional Game Match Officials Tony Spreadbury: “Being
involved in National League One is a massive achievement and
well deserved for the work that Sara puts in during the week and
for performing so well.
She has Six Nations appointments, like Claire Hodnett, who
has been part of the professional team for three years, and Sara
also flew out to Las Vegas to referee the women’s sevens.
Said Sara; “I am really enjoying my refereeing and the
support and feedback I get as part of the match official team
is outstanding. It has certainly helped to develop my skills and
performance and to build confidence. And refereeing in National
League One was a tremendous milestone for me.”
Another pioneering female match official, Clare Daniels,
became the first ever female fourth official in Premiership Rugby
history last September and in November, secured another first
by being appointed assistant referee for Exeter’s Anglo-Welsh
Cup clash with Cardiff Blues.
Spreadbury added: “Clare is also progressing really well and we
would hope in the future that she would be an Assistant Referee
in the Premiership.”
In 2014, Claire Hodnett made history after becoming the
first woman official to be appointed to the RFU’s national
panel of referees. The emergence of female referees highlights
the strength of the RFU’S Professional Game Match Officials
programme, with several involved in RBS 6 Nations duty.
Four contracted assistant referees also recently joined the
programme: Hamish Smales, a former England Sevens player,
Adam Leal, Anthony Woodthorpe and Jack Makepeace.
“We think they have huge potential as referees but to speed up
their development they are coming in as ARs which is a different
skill set but we’re putting in a training programme for them to
develop,” added Spreadbury.
Craig Maxwell-Keys has been an assistant referee in the Six
Nations, with Rowan Kitt a TMO. Luke Pearce and Matthew
Carley also fulfilled assistant referee duties in the Championship,
with JP Doyle and Wayne Barnes refereeing matches.
“We always want to raise the bar, every season the challenge is
to improve,” said Spreadbury. “Standards rise so we have to get
better every year but I think we are in a really healthy position.
“We work hard to continually develop consistency and high
standards through the weekly review process. The officials
have a full strength and conditioning programme so that
physically they are in a very good condition. Mentally we have a
sports psychologist working with us who does group work and
individual work on request.
“We try to give everyone as many skills as possible, including
French lessons, and work on our technical ability sees the
England coaches come in and deliver sessions on the set piece to
allow the referees to understand what players are looking at and
what they’re trying to achieve.”
VISITING
GRANDFATHER’S
TWICKENHAM
Charles Crane
Families have a tendency to take mothers’ claims with more than a pinch of salt. So it
was whenever Lady Bennett, who was 90 last September, declared a family connection
with Twickenham having gained a national rugby stadium.
A keen rugby fan, Henrietta Bennett, whose maiden name was Crane, loves watching
England matches on the TV, especially the Six Nations. She watches the matches
and keeps up an email commentary to family, and used to have a poster of Jonny
Wilkinson above her fireplace.
When she continued to insist that her forebears were closely connected with the
ground, her family decided at last to take the claim seriously and got in touch with the
World Rugby Museum.
Oh yes, they were told, Lady Bennett’s grandfather Charles Arnold Crane was RFU
President in 1907-09 and it was he who signed for the purchase, at the princely sum of
£5,572. 12s 6d, of the land on which today’s Twickenham Stadium was built.
Not one to say “I told you so”, Lady Henrietta merely beamed.
But then, invited with her daughter Medina and son-in-law Chris Gilbey to be current
President Peter Baines’ guests for the RBS 6 Nations England v Italy encounter, she
cast composure aside.
“I had never been to Twickenham and when I was invited I was flabbergasted and
quite frankly over the moon. Quite honestly I wasn’t aware of my grandfather’s position
in all of this but now I have copies of all the documents.”
Lady Bennett’s husband of 53 years, Sir Reginald Bennett who died in 2000,
was Conservative MP for Gosport and Fareham from 1950 to 1974 and then member
for Fareham for a further five years. He was a noted yachtsman, and that sport was
all encompassing.
“Life was always to do with sailing,” said Lady Bennett. “But I started following rugby
and when I saw Jonny Wilkinson on TV in the 2003 Rugby World Cup I fell for him.”
“She had a poster of Jonny Wilkinson on her wall,” said her daughter Medina. “She
says being at Twickenham is a dream come true and she is particularly excited because
her granddaughter’s husband, Giovanni, is watching his home nation Italy on the TV
at home!”
However, Lady Bennett’s relationship with her nine grandchildren is vastly different
to hers with Charles Arnold Crane.
“My grandfather didn’t like children. On visits we had to be very, very quiet, sit up
and eat our lunch nicely and then he would go to his study, drink port and fall asleep!
He was really tetchy and I was very scared of him.”
Perhaps, however, the old boy would have approved of Henrietta watching her
grandchildren play school rugby. And certainly she was impressed with the stadium
built on the land he signed for.
TOUCHLINE – MARCH 2017
11
RED ROSES TO TOUR NEW ZEALAND IN JUNE
TURIA TELLWRIGHT
The Red Roses will take part in a three Test tour of New
Zealand in June as part of their preparations for the Women’s
Rugby World Cup.
England kick-off their International Women’s Series campaign
against Australia in Wellington on 9 June, before taking on
Canada in Christchurch on the 13th
and the Black Ferns in Roturua four
days later. The 28-player squad will
tour from 2-18 June, and head coach
Simon Middleton says it is a great
opportunity for his squad to test
themselves against the best sides
in the world. The series finale – at
Roturua International Stadium – will
be a double-header, as the British
& Irish Lions take on the Maori
All Blacks at the conclusion
of the Red Roses’ clash
with the Black Ferns.
BUDE WARRIORS
After an Inner Warrior camp at another club, East Cornwall CRC Neil Smith was asked
if he could run a similar event at Bude RFC.
A date was put in the diary and one of the women who attended the earlier camp
spread the word, encouraging others to come along. Neil arrived at the club to find 30
would be warriors ready and waiting.
“They were all ready to unleash their inner warrior. And I can confirm that they all did!”
he said. “This bodes well and means there’s a very strong possibility of a new women’s
team in Cornwall.”
THE RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION WOULD LIKE TO THANK
THE FOLLOWING WHO GENEROUSLY SUPPORT THE GAME
TOUCHLINE
Editorial input with pictures to: Touchline Editor, Patricia Mowbray
Email: [email protected] Direct Line: 0208 831 6514
Correspondence to:
Patricia Mowbray, Touchline Editor, Rugby Football Union, Rugby House,
Twickenham Stadium, 200 Whitton Road, Twickenham TW2 7BA.
Mailing and Distribution: Enquiries or updates
Email: [email protected] Tel: 0208 831 6762
Touchline is published by PPL Group, on behalf of the Rugby Football Union,
the national governing body of the game in England.
Also available on the RFU website: englandrugby.com
Photography courtesy of Getty and Touchline contributors.
Thanks to all individuals, clubs, schools and CBs for contributions.
No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the RFU.
The views expressed are not necessarily those of the RFU or PPL Group. While every care has been
taken to ensure accuracy of editorial content, no responsibility can be taken for errors and/or omissions.
All trademarks are acknowledged as the property of their respective owners.
The RFU Rose and the words ‘England Rugby’ are official registered trade marks of the Rugby Football
Union and are subject to extensive trade mark registration worldwide.
12
TOUCHLINE – MARCH 2017