A Welcome Initiative

Regular readers of my columns on our LSH Website will no doubt be well aware of my tendency over the past couple of seasons to criticise the RFU for seemingly lacking any sense of urgency in their attempts to boost the playing numbers in our North West area.” Out of Order”, some will say. Possibly. But let me be the first to praise the initiatives now coming from Twickenham and the outstanding work being carried out by the governing body’s ever helpful Development Officers within our playing area.

Two new projects, launched recently to help increase the numbers playing the game, and especially encourage those who play the game for the sheer enjoyment of it and the camaraderie to be obtained via the social activities within a club, are to be welcomed.

The financial support for a club’s Seconds and Thirds teams with the provision of, after a couple of training sessions, a few pints and food for the players is most welcome and will surely encourage more to commit themselves to their club. As will the idea of helping to restore the currently ailing Vets and Casuals teams at many of our local clubs, again with further funds available for the playing of ten or twelve matches per season.

The loss of teams throughout our region over the past decade has caused serious problems at many clubs and especially has it hit the income so necessary to promote rugby within a locality. Indeed, as we do at LSH, clubs welcome our friends from rugby league and encourage many lads to play seamless rugby throughout a twelve months season to help further the financial, the social, and the standard of rugby played.

A far cry from the days when I was banned from playing, and later from coaching, at Moss Lane, having dared to cross the then ‘Great Divide’ between the two codes of rugby.

Though youngsters are quite rightly thrilled and encouraged to watch or play rugby by what they see at international levels and many young men enjoy the competitive nature of playing for a team within a league structure the 15 a side code must cater for young and old who simply wish to enjoy themselves along with their friends, who wish to socialise at their clubs, and who are more likely to become the volunteers running the club in the future.

Well done! And here’s hoping our hardworking Development Officers succeed in their task to increase the numbers playing the game and simply enjoying the experience of a friendly “run out” with and against friends.

Ray French

August 2016