CRFU Stalwart honoured by RFU President
Many congratulations to our hard-working Tony Knightsbridge who has received the England Rugby President’s volunteer award when he was a guest at Sunday’s England v Australia game at Twickenham.
Pictured above with CRFU President Terry Carter and CRFU council member David Saunter.
I am sure you will agree there is nobody more deserving than Tony and we thank him for all he has done, and continues to do for Cornish rugby.
Cornwall U.18 Girls Assessment Day
Cornwall County U18 Girls Assessment Day
Thirty-seven talented players attended the Cornwall U18 Girls Assessment Day on Sunday,
enjoying a highly competitive and rewarding afternoon of rugby.
The standard of rugby on display was outstanding throughout, highlighting the tremendous
strength, depth, and continued growth of the women’s and girls’ game across Cornwall.
Players demonstrated impressive skill, commitment, and game understanding, making a
strong impression on the coaching team. The quality of performances across all areas of the
field has undoubtedly provided us with a challenging task as we work towards finalising this
season’s squad.
A sincere thank you goes to Bodmin RFC for once again providing the use of their facilities
and for their unwavering support of Cornish rugby.
Congratulations to all those who attended and embraced the opportunity to showcase their
abilities. We wish every player the very best of luck as the selection process continues and
look forward to seeing their rugby journeys develop throughout the season.
CB selection day will be on Sunday 29th November 10:30 am until 12 pm.
Penzance & Newlyn are the Tribute Team for October
Congratulations to Penzance & Newlyn RFC who have been voted Tribute Team of the Month for Cornwall.
The Pirates have enjoyed an unbeaten start to their Regional 2 South West winning their first six matches.
Pictured in front of their recently re-furbished grandstand at the Mennaye Field, Lee Maher on behalf of the South West leagues presents skipper Stan Somers with the Tribute Ale.
THE BLACK & GOLD – A CORNISH RUGBY CAMPAIGN
What does it mean to pull on the famous black and gold shirt and represent Cornwall?
Our new 40-minute documentary goes behind the scenes with Cornwall Under-20s, following the players and coaches through the highs, lows, passion and pride of a county rugby campaign.
From the training ground to the changing room, from unforgettable victories to the heartbreak of defeat, it’s a story of ambition, friendship and what it means to be Cornish.
Watch the full documentary now on YouTube!
#CornwallRugby #BlackAndGold #CornishRugby #RugbyDocumentary
Clubs Loan Facility
The CRFU is delighted to announce the introduction of a new Clubs Loan Facility, which is now active. An outline of what has been introduced is as follows :
– a new, and additional, facility whereby any member club can submit a request for up to a maximum £5,000 towards a one-off capital project they may be considering (so it could be for a loan of say £1,000, but capped at £5,000 maximum)
– this would be via an interest-free loan which would have to be paid back to the CRFU over 3 years
– any 1 club can only make 1 loan request in the initial 3-year cycle for the scheme, meaning only 1 loan will be outstanding at any one time per club
– Clubs will have 4 opportunities per year to submit requests, at the end of each calendar quarter, so the 1st one will be by 31/12/26.
– this is additional to, not in place of, the existing Facility Grants (max £500) which will remain ‘as is’
– there will be a strong emphasis on the club’s ability to repay the loan amount during the assessment phase : clearly not all requests will be granted
– the CRFU will retain the right to suspend or stop the scheme at any time at solely its discretion
VAT Payment Phasing
This interest-free loan facility is also being introduced to the very specific circumstances where a VAT-registered club faces a challenge to make VAT payments on bought-in goods /services linked directly to a capital project. The CRFU have introduced a further loan facility (max £10,000) whereby any such loan for input VAT would be immediately repaid once the HMRC have reimbursed the club, so should be within 3-4 months max. of the loan being granted.
I’m sure there may be questions, so please just fire them in to the Treasurer : ashley.shopland@gmail.com or 07768 687 998.
CRFU host successful Development Day
More than 80 volunteers from across Cornwall attended the 3rd Annual Cornwall RFU Development Day at St Austell RFC on Sunday 11 October 2026.
The event brought together coaches, match officials, first aiders and club volunteers for a day of learning, development and sharing best practice. Attendees took part in a wide range of sessions designed to support the continued growth of the community game across the county.
Highlights of the day included well-attended non-contact and contact coaching clinics, expertly delivered by Wayne Reed and Neil Smith, providing coaches with practical ideas and the latest insights to take back to their clubs. A dedicated First Aid course also attracted strong participation, helping clubs strengthen their player welfare provision.
Alongside the coaching and medical education opportunities, delegates completed the Play It Safe safeguarding programme and benefited from a GMS Masterclass led by Lee Maher, offering valuable support and guidance on the Rugby Football Union’s Game Management System.
The day once again demonstrated the commitment of Cornwall’s rugby volunteers to developing their knowledge and skills, ensuring players across the county continue to benefit from safe, enjoyable and high-quality rugby experiences.
Cornwall RFU would like to thank all presenters, volunteers and participants for making the event another successful and worthwhile development opportunity.
What does it mean to wear the black and gold?
What does it mean to wear the black and gold?
Go behind the scenes with Cornwall Under 20s — from training and dressing-room team talks to the pride, friendships and emotions of representing your county.
Here’s a first look at our film following the squad through their county championship campaign.
https://we.tl/t-hhC3p3m4YXO6r2ry
The full film is coming to YouTube in the next week or so. Keep an eye on our channels for the release — and tag someone who’d love to watch.
#CornwallRugby #BlackAndGold #CornwallU20s
Cornwall RFU Finance AGM
Notice is hearby given for the CRFU Finance Annual General Meeting to be held at Bodmin RFC on Wednesday 14th October, 7 pm.
We look forward to seeing our clubs attendance.
CRFU
All Club Coaches
We are pleased to let you know that the Exeter Chiefs Academy Coach Development Officer
will be delivering a practical training session at Truro College on Monday 19th October 18.00-
20.00. This workshop will focus on effective coaching methods and enjoyable, player centred
training techniques designed to help young athletes grow in a positive, supportive
environment. It’s a great opportunity to pick up fresh ideas and strengthen the way we
develop our players across the county.
Please copy and paste link bellow to register your interest.
