With the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England fast approaching are grassroots clubs doing enough to promote the tournament and the game itself? Many clubs will look to the Unions for support and guidance and the necessary investment but it may well be the clubs who are not utilising themselves or the Unions support sufficiently.
Rugby World Cup 2015: Grassroots Club Challenge
As a current playing member at level 8 of the RFU structure in England for Littleborough RUFC, I have the pleasure of travelling around the North West to compete against numerous sized clubs struggling to thrive in a football dominated landscape. A home Rugby World Cup is the perfect opportunity for grassroots rugby to pose a serious challenge to the areas football related hysteria. The current season is only four games old so granted I have not explored the region to its full so far but from what I have witnessed clubs have not left a footprint on the local area in order to advertise the availability of watching live Rugby World Cup matches at clubs or indeed trialling rugby.
It is the use of social media that has revived my hope for what will undoubtedly be termed the Rugby World Cup Legacy following the over use of the term during the build-up and after math of the London 2012 Olympics. Clubs around the country are offering taster sessions combined with watching live England games after for all ages and both genders. The opening up of clubhouses to the public and trying to draw them in for games is vital and will create lasting connections that could ultimately lead to new players, supporters or volunteers for grassroots clubs. Twitter accounts such as #letsGROWrugby (@letsGROWrugby) and Keep Your Boots On (@KYBOEngland) are providing a forum that clubs should be utilising to expand the game and in turn become more sustainable.
It is the issue of sustainability that is paramount to grassroots clubs being able to take advantage of the extra publicity being focused on the sport during the World Cup. For the game to thrive it needs to be built upon strong foundations and nearly two decades since the turn of professionalism the game at the top is thriving but many smaller clubs are finding it difficult to exist. From personal experience clubs have struggled to maintain 2nd/3rd/4th teams in the RFU structure whilst some have even dropped out of this structure entirely into the Raging Bull sponsored leagues. Can clubs harness the power and positivity of the World Cup to improve player numbers? One aspect that has perplexed myself is whether the need for change should be player driven or from the committee level. At amateur level players are there for the love of the sport as are the volunteer committee members but who exactly should enact any changes to push the promotion of clubs? The establishment of a Players Committee at my club who work alongside the regular committee to generate ideas for promotion of the club and to recognise player welfare issues has had a positive impact. In the build up to the World Cup we now have a much heavier presence on social media and indeed in the surrounding village as we look to attract locals to our club, to watch and play.
The Unions and in this case the RFU have in place a number of programmes designed to bring rugby to the masses. This includes the All Schools programme that is aiming to take the game to schools that have been designated non- rugby playing with the specific aim of improving school level rugby and most importantly forging a significant link between schools and local clubs. Although organised and conducted by RFU coaches the bonds of rugby will be tested as teachers are looked to take over and continue the rugby programme in the years to come. This initiative has massive potential and will bring the game to many school children that would never have been exposed to the great sport that is rugby.
Ultimately, this is all based on my own personal experience in one corner of North West England that is not renowned for its ties to rugby union but I’m sure there are others in similar situations around the world. Although this article is focused on English rugby it is my wish that rugby prospers around the world, from Uruguay to the Pacific Islands and all the nations in between and not just those represented at the 2015 Rugby World Cup. The 8th edition of the World Cup has the potential to make a lasting impact and it is hoped that it is not merely at the top international level, regardless of the nationality of the captain holding the William Webb Ellis trophy aloft in the Twickenham night air on the 31st October, I want to see the game of rugby thrive across the globe.
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