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September Newsletter from SARFC

September Newsletter from SARFC

Terry Evans29 Sep 2020 - 10:20
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Fraser Morris updates us on what's happening at the Club.

We start this months newsletter with an update on the return to competitive matches. It has been confirmed by the RFU that grassroots rugby will not be returning until January 2021 at the earliest. This is frustrating as it had previously looked like we where working towards a November start date, however, as government guidelines have changed in line with recent case numbers and local lock-downs the news is once again not surprising. Following this recent announcement the club will now plan how we progress in the short term in relation to training and squad engagement. The next announcement will be made this Friday the outcome of which will be shared in next month's newsletter. In the meantime training has been adapted to fit with protocol effective immediately.

At the beginning of the month the community game moved to Stage D of the return to rugby road-map. This now means that we can do 1 on 1 contact, line-outs (unopposed) and adapting rucking 2 vs 2. It has also be confirmed that between stages E and F there must be at least 4 weeks. It is at the moment unclear how fixtures will be re-organised in line with the start date being pushed back and we expect to receive communication on this in the next few weeks.

A number of sponsors have raised the question when supporters will be allowed to return to watch matches. In recent weeks the government in conjunction with various sports governing bodies ran a number of test events across different sports including football, rugby league, horse racing and snooker. Two Rugby Union test pilots were conducted with 2,700 fans attending Harlequins vs Bath at The Stoop and 1,000 at Gloucester vs Harlequins. These tests have now been paused and all sport is being played behind closed doors. It is yet unclear what the rules will be on this lower down the league structure. We hope to have fans back as soon as possible although we believe that when this does happen there will be some restrictions and we will update you on this when we know more.

We where delighted to welcome back our minis and juniors at the beginning of September. It is fantastic to see age grade rugby continuing to thrive at our club and we once again thank the hard work of all coaches, parents and volunteers in making sure this went ahead. Age grade rugby plays a crucial role in the clubs long term strategy and within the wider community and we hope that our membership will continue to grow. With senior rugby suspended the minis takes on even more significance in the clubs day to day operations and the Committee are working hard to drive it forward.

Finally, we are delighted to announce that Think Hire have renewed their sponsorship of our 2nd XV for the 2020/21 season. Thank you to Pete Moloney for his commitment to the club and his support is greatly appreciated by everyone, especially during a very challenging time for businesses.

Stay Safe

Fraser Morris
Sponsorship Coordinator
St Albans Rugby Club

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