View in browser News | Tickets | Store |
HELP YOUR PLAYERS REGISTER TO PLAY RUGBY Your club’s players can now register themselves to play in 2024/25 ![]() From the Premiership to the community game, all adult players must complete the quick and easy online process before the start of the season. Players registered at your club last season should log into GMS and click the ‘Renew Player Registration (Adult)’ button to renew their registration. No action is required from Club Registrars. Find more information here. Players registered at a different club last season and joining your club for the 2024/25 season should renew their registration at their previous club. Club Registrars can then transfer the player to the new club on GMS. Find more information here. Players that have not been registered before and do not have a GMS account should create an account before registering to play. Club Registrars must review and approve/reject these registration requests. Find more information here. Further support for clubs and volunteers including step-by-step guides and ‘how to’ videos can be found on Community Rugby Help. Send your players this video that shows them how to register ![]() WATCH NOW > |
Coaching Development Day
On July 6, 2024, the Cornwall Rugby Football Union, in collaboration with Jon Bates from Coaching Centered, Gavin Cattle, Alan Paver, and Joe Walsh from local Rugby Championship side Cornish Pirates, hosted a Coaching Development Day for community coaches in Cornwall.
![](https://www.crfu.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_8726.jpeg)
At the coaching conference hosted at Truro School, more than 30 coaches were welcomed. The facilities were fantastic, and the team was incredibly helpful and supportive of the event. The day included practical skills, video reviews, and professional discussions. Each coaching session was divided into three parts and the activities were expertly delivered and managed by Gavin, Alan, and Joe. Each session offered options to either ramp up the intensity or focus on fundamental skills.
![](https://www.crfu.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_8715.jpeg)
Following the conclusion of the conference, Anne’s Pasties provided a pasty lunch, allowing the coaches to reflect and consolidate their knowledge over a delicious pasty.
The county is fortunate to have a championship-level rugby team that is dedicated to supporting community rugby. Neil Smith, the Pirates’ Community Engagement Manager, has played a crucial role in making this event possible. The coaching team at Pirates has been incredibly supportive, dedicating their free time to providing guidance to community coaches across the county. During the conference, Alan, Gavin, and Joe were incredibly approachable and supportive, generously sharing their knowledge and challenging coaches’ perceptions about clarity and simplicity.
![](https://www.crfu.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_8723.jpeg)
We would also like to thank Jon Bates and the team at Coaching Centred for their support in bringing a coaching conference to Cornwall after a several-year hiatus. His support and knowledge working through the logistics of the conference and running of the event has been fantastic.
Thank you to all the coaching coordinators’ secretaries who shared updates on this event and supported their coaches so that they could attend the conference on the day. Thank you to the coaches who came and took part in the active sessions, asked questions, and shared knowledge with their peers. I sincerely hope this knowledge helps support your coaching journey within the county.
Game Development Team
GET READY FOR ADULT PLAYER REGISTRATION
GET READY FOR ADULT PLAYER REGISTRATION From the 2024/25 season, all players at all levels and formats of the game (including non-contact from April 2025), will be required to register themselves annually to play rugby. Help your players with accounts on the Game Management System (GMS) to verify their email address to make it easier for them to register next season. Support can be found via Community Rugby Help. Read an update containing information regarding start of season processes in GMS and an update to the timing of the rollout of Adult Player Registration. LEARN MORE > |
Developing England Players (U14-U18 Skill Development Programme)
This course is for Coaches of U14-U18 Players and focuses on the development of high quality coaching of catch and pass skills. The course explores how we use the game zone/skill zone model to introduce, develop, and stretch players ability to catch and pass under pressure.
These courses are FREE, book via GMS.
Time 18:30 – 20:30
Pre-requisite – Coaches must be at least 16 years old on event start date
3rd June at Saltash RFC https://tinyurl.com/5t33a33m
5th June at Launceston RC https://tinyurl.com/3vy7meve
17th June at St. Austell RFC https://tinyurl.com/4j9kxpvv
10th July at Redruth RFC https://tinyurl.com/3xu94nxd
Upcoming course uptake too low!
Below is a list of numbers at the moment for all Cornish courses. These all need a minimum of 10 to go ahead. Can I please ask for your support in promoting these as much as possible with your clubs.
There is a risk of these courses being cancelled if people do not book on.
Clubs can also claim back 50% from CRFU for the cost of the course.
England Rugby Coaching Award
Launceston 3
Callywith 2
Hayle 14
Kids First Contact
Bodmin 6
Penryn 4
Saltash 5
Kids First Tag
Bodmin 1
Principles of the scrum
Truro 8
Saltash 9
Redruth 14
Kind Regards,Daubroy Delahunty
Cornwall Rugby Football Union
Cornwall & Devon England Rugby Referee Awards
Cornwall and Devon England Rugby Referee Awards
Course links 23/24 to be booked via GMS
ERRA Truro College Cornwall 26th October 2023 and 30th May 2024
https://bit.ly/3NQ5dbs
ERRA Plymouth Albion RFC Devon 12th November 2023 and 12th May 2024
https://bit.ly/3PWJJwB
ERRA Exwick Sports Hub Devon 19th November 2023 and 16th June 2024
https://bit.ly/3rskCqV
Cornwall CCD & England Rugby Coaching Awards 2023/24
Cornwall CCD & Award Courses 2023/24
Kids First Tag
Bodmin 20th September https://bit.ly/431IvTy
Kids First Contact
Bodmin August 14th– September 6th https://bit.ly/3PAGr1N
Penryn August 23 rd – September 20th https://bit.ly/436zJDM
Saltash August 30th – September 25th https://bit.ly/3PEswHX
Principles of Scrummaging
Truro 4th October https://bit.ly/3D7Gzyt
Saltash 9th October https://bit.ly/4304sCf
Redruth 30th October https://bit.ly/3rfMJcP
England Rugby Coaching Award
Hayle Academy Saturday 30th Sept 2023 – Saturday May 11th 2024 https://bit.ly/3PGhuln
Callywith College Sunday Oct 22nd 2023 – Sunday June 2nd 2024 https://bit.ly/44fbNQ8
Launceston RC Sunday Nov 26th 2023 – Sunday June 30th 2024 https://bit.ly/44nUWux
Any questions please contact your club coaching co-ordinator, or Wayne Reed, Daubroy Delahunty (Game Development) or Tony Knightsbridge (Age Grade).
Tackle Safe Clinics & England Rugby Mentoring Awards
Good Morning
I wanted to make you aware that the THC’s and ERMA courses for Cornwall and Devon are now live for registering on GMS. Can I please ask you to promote and share them with clubs and via any social media channels possible.
I have attached information regarding the ERMA courses that contains a link to search for local courses and I have also attached locations details with individual club booking links as well. Official posters will be shared next Wednesday I believe via England Rugby official social media.
Any questions please ask.
Reedy
THC Courses
12th June | Tiverton RFC | Smudge Adult | https://bit.ly/3HXpf1Z |
14th June | Ivybridge RFC | Reedy | https://bit.ly/3NGJ6pB |
19th June | Barnstaple RFC | Reedy | https://bit.ly/3nr8WDt |
26th June | St. Ives RFC | Reedy | https://bit.ly/44v5jx2 |
3rd July | Tavistock RFC | Reedy | https://bit.ly/427gWsq |
5th July | Truro RFC | Reedy Adult | https://bit.ly/3nsuShk |
17th July | Torquay Athletic RFC | Reedy Adult | https://bit.ly/416PpWq |
19th July | St. Austell RFC | Reedy | https://bit.ly/44tXfwj |
31st July | Wadebridge Camels RFC | Reedy | https://bit.ly/3nrk6rP |
2nd August | Sidmouth RFC | Smudge | https://bit.ly/3nsWTW0 |
![](https://www.crfu.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/England-Rugby-Mentoring-Award-List_1-1024x1024.jpg)
15th July | Crediton RFC | https://bit.ly/41vdQNx |
29th July | Bodmin RFC | https://bit.ly/41zqMSC |
30th July | Ivybridge RFC | https://bit.ly/3pz67ko |
Tackle Height Hub – Resources now available
Last week the RFU Council voted to adopt law changes to lower the tackle height in community rugby to below the base of the sternum to improve player safety by reducing the risk of head-to-head contact and concussion. To support players, coaches, referees, volunteers and CBs with these changes ahead of the 2023/24 season, a comprehensive range of online resources, guidance documents, training videos and face-to-face training opportunities are being created by the RFU to run from May throughout the summer and into next season. All resources, informed by community feedback provided through the consultation process, will be made available via the England Rugby Tackle Height Hub. New resources available on the Tackle Height Hub today include: Tackle height roadmap Responsibilities of the tackler graphic* Responsibilities of the ball carrier graphic* Legal tackle height examples Tackle height picture quiz Tackle height law information pack Law application guidance Sanction framework Tackle height information video Tackle height guidance video *Please note, physical poster versions of the Tackler and Ball Carrier graphics have today been sent to RFU Affiliated clubs. These resources and training materials will also be supplemented by existing RFU guidance and training, including an updated RFU Headcase toolkit. Summer age-grade framework The RFU Council has also approved a regulation amendment to allow a framework for age grade rugby activity over the summer, enabling appropriate contact activity to take place. This builds on the summer framework as used in the last few years and replaces the previous age grade out of season regulations. Age-grade summer framework for 2023 On top of the age-grade summer framework there are further updates for the age-grade game on the Tackle Height hub: Regulation and Playing Updates Game On Adapted Contact Format U14 to 18 Activity Overview Read More |
Reduction in tackle height from season 23/24
RFU Council approves reduction in tackle height across community rugby in England from 2023/24 |
Issued by Rugby Football Union |
To support player welfare, the RFU Council agreed on Monday 16 January to lower the height of the tackle across the community game from 1 July 2023. Designed to improve player safety and informed by data, this change aims to reduce head impact exposure and concussion risk in the tackle for both the ball carrier and tackler. Evidence from studies has consistently demonstrated that higher contact on the ball carrier and closer proximity of the ball carrier and tacklers’ heads are associated with larger head impacts (as measured by smart mouthguards) and an increased risk of concussion. Lowering the height of the tackle and encouraging the tackler to bend more at the waist will minimise the risk of this occurring while maintaining the tackle as an integral part of the game. The RFU Council’s unanimous vote will result in law variations from next season, 2023/24, with the tackle height being set at waist height or below. Ball carriers will also be encouraged to follow the principle of evasion, which is a mainstay of the game, to avoid late dipping and thereby avoid creating a situation where a bent tackler may be put at increased risk of head-on-head contact with the ball carrier through a late or sudden change in body height of the ball carrier. The changes will apply across the community game (clubs, schools, colleges and universities) at both age-grade and adult levels – National One and below in the men’s game and Championship One and below in the women’s game. Programmes to support players, coaches and match officials, including detailed law application guidelines are being developed to ensure players, match officials and volunteers will be ready for next season. Speaking about the law change to be implemented in season 2023/24, RFU President Nigel Gillingham said: “Players’ welfare must always be at the centre of decisions we make about how we play the game of rugby. Evidence from our own research and from around the world clearly shows that lowering the tackle height will reduce head impact exposure and the risk of concussion. The RFU Council is able to influence how the game is played at the community level in this country and, therefore, has unanimously supported the decision to lower the tackle height to waist level. The tackle will remain the primary method of stopping the ball carrier using safe techniques that are taught from an early age. “While this change will apply to matches in the community game in England, the RFU will continue its work to reduce head impacts in contact training in both the community and elite games and be supportive of any law changes that World Rugby proposes for matches at the elite level that will further reduce head impact exposure.” What to expect Reduced tackle height for all community rugby: Tackles must be made at the line of the waist and below. The aim is to put players’ heads in the safest possible place by defining in law where the line of the tackle may start. A greater focus on the actions of the ball carrier: Ball carriers will be encouraged to follow the principle that rugby is a game of evasion, and they should avoid late dipping and thereby avoid creating a situation where a bent tackler may be put at increased risk of head-on-head contact with the ball carrier through a late or sudden change in body height of the ball carrier. Match officials will focus on the actions of the ball carrier as well as the tackler when head contact occurs. Further background to the change for next season Player welfare remains at the heart of all decision-making. By making the decision now, the RFU Council has demonstrated its continued commitment to player welfare and recognised the importance of giving coaches, match officials and players time to prepare. Based on extensive research and evaluations of law changes in England, South Africa, France and New Zealand, evidence demonstrates that a waist height tackle or below is the optimal height to provide a meaningful reduction in the height of contact on the ball carrier, a reduction in the risk of contact with the ball carrier’s head and a reduction in the risk of contact for the tackler’s head. A lower tackle height is also associated with a reduction in the magnitude of head impacts, a key target for reduction. France, which introduced similar changes in its domestic game in 2019, reported a 63% reduction in head-on-head contacts. It also reported this move has led to a more fluid game with reduced levels of kicking, increased passing, offloads and line breaks. |
![](https://www.crfu.co.uk/wp-content/themes/dynamik-gen/images/content-filler.png)