Well, it looks like there are significant changes ahead for the senior men’s section of the club. Some of you may know that at the moment, second teams from our colleagues in the upper leagues are not allowed to join the Herts/Middlesex League and so the likes of OA’s, Bishop’s Stortford etc. have been having to make alternative arrangements for their second teams for some time. This has been achieved with varying levels of success and, up until four years ago was the challenge faced by similar clubs across the country. The RFU undertook a review and decided that second teams should be allowed into the leagues unless two thirds of the members of the relevant leagues voted against it. Clearly, a control percentage of two thirds means that the RFU are keen that this moves forward. In the initial vote, a few years back, the Herts/Middlesex Leagues voted against but, whilst Middlesex members were almost unanimously against, the Hertfordshire contingent were 64% against and so 2nd teams were not allowed to join.

The RFU conducts a review at certain periods and this is one of them. Whilst the Middlesex contingent have come out against the proposal again, Herts RFU have decided that they will not hold a vote, but as the 64% against in the original vote does not reach the RFU threshold, they intend to split with Middlesex and set up their own leagues for 2025/26, allowing 2nd teams to play in the leagues. It is worth noting that Welwyn voted against this proposal originally and would probably have done so again had there been a vote, but we are where we are and we now need to move forward.

Clearly, there are potential travel benefits for the clubs as we will not have to travel into London for any away games (although this is assuming that HRFU do not allow Middlesex 2nd teams to join the league which appears to still be a possibility). This is one of the big selling points (the other being that the bigger clubs 2nd teams get more guaranteed rugby) which is ironic, given that our women’s team have been moved into a league where they are having to deal with greater travel despite our protestations against it.

There are concerns about fairness of leagues, player safety and revenue over the bar (if the total number of teams mean that the size of the leagues reduces slightly) which are shared by a number of clubs. These are all details that will need to be ironed out by HRFU and we hope that they will listen to the clubs that have concerns, as well as the clubs that are strongly in favour. The first part of the process will be for the clubs that want to enter 2nd teams into the league to make an expression of interest so that the HRFU can see how the numbers look, but I suspect that it will be some time before the shape of the leagues and the rules that will govern those leagues will be clear. We will keep you updated.

Last year we made a big play about behaviour on and around the pitch as part of a campaign by HRFU to ensure that we do not lose the overall reputation that rugby has enjoyed for so many years. I have been away for the last few weeks, but I understand that we have had a couple of incidents where behaviour has not been at the level that we as a club would expect. I appreciate that in the heat of the moment decisions can seem unfair, but we need to make sure that we are encouraging our team, not criticising either the referee or the opposition. We knew that this would be a tough season with Brunel and Ealing joining the league on what appears to be a journey to higher things, but let’s make sure that we do not lose the hard-earned reputation of proper behaviour towards our opposition.

I am really pleased to be able to let you know that the club, in conjunction with JOCA has managed to secure enhanced insurance for all our men's and women's senior sides (except the Vets because of the small number of games they play). The committee has been very keen to improve the overall health and safety offer for our players and this is another string to our bow which I hope will be appreciated by the players. The insurance starts from the 8th November 2024.

Whilst I was away sunning myself in Kenya, I understand that the Former Players’ Pre-Match Lunch was a great success. Many thanks to guest chef Rachel Elliott and to Mark Elliott for taking over the running of the event. I hope that many old acquaintances were renewed and that all those who attended had a great time.
Don’t forget to pick up your bar card, which should be available behind the bar, and to get your gym fob sorted if you have one.
As a reminder the remaining pre-match lunches are on the following dates:
14th December 2024 – Christmas Lunch – v Old Streetonians
1st February 2025 – Sponsors Lunch – v Hackney and Welwyn 2s v Cuffley
1st March 2025 – JOCA Lunch – v Datchworth and Welwyn 2s v Hemel Hempstead 2s
22nd March 2025 VPs’ and Volunteers’ Lunch – v Hitchin
If you want to attend the pre-match lunch on 14th December, please sign the list in the clubhouse or email me chairman@welwynrugby.co.uk or Mark Elliott mark.elliott10@outlook.com
Many thanks
Mark

The senior games for November are:
1st Team Men
9/11 Welwyn v Brunel University
16/11 Datchworth v Welwyn
23/11 Welwyn v Ruislip

1st Team Women
10/11 Welwyn v Ipswich
24/11 Bedford Blues v Welwyn

2nd Team Men
9/11 Hatfield v Welwyn
16/11 Welwyn v Verulamian
23/11 Hemel Hempstead v Welwyn

PLUS of course, plenty of action for our minis, junior boys and girls teams.