Berkshire Youth ReportApril 15th 2015

March 2014

Agenda•1) 2014/2015 Review•2) 2015/2016 County/DPP Programme•3) 2015/2016 OBB/BB/BYL Leagues•4) Age Grade Competition Review•6) Any Questions

Player centric – Development driven – Competition supported

Berkshire Youth 2014/2015 Review

Player centric – Development driven – Competition supported

• Berkshire U18s and Under 16s Programme completed.• Jacob Atkins, Conor Hayhow and Cameron Gray all selected for England Counties U18s.• Ben Loader selected for England U16s v Wales.• U15s/U14s/U13s programmes have all been successfully implemented.• Berkshire U14s had ties presented by Nick Kennedy.

Berkshire/London Irish 2014/2015 Review

Player centric – Development driven – Competition supported

• Relationship with London Irish much improved.Release of players for U18s CB Matches.

• London Irish DPP Programmes have been implemented: U13s/U14s sessions have not been mandatory Sessions have been cancelled Little disorganised Skill levels have improved Coaching Courses not happened (May 2015) Young Berkshire Coaches being developed.

• London Irish recognise more work needs to be done to build relationships with clubs – 2015/16 focus.

Berkshire Youth 2014/2015 League Review

Player centric – Development driven – Competition supported

• OBB Leagues – issues where clubs enter more than one side – playing A Team players in B Team Matches.• Berks/Bucks U16s League a great success• U15s/U14s – players getting rugby at an appropriate level.• U13s Finals Day at Reading Abbey on Sunday 26th April.

Berkshire Returning Students/Under 21s

Player centric – Development driven – Competition supported

• Berkshire Invitational 10s held at Windsor RFC on Easter Saturday• 6 Clubs invited (Marlow, Windsor, Tring, Redingensians, Reading Abbey, Maidenhead)• Great success and will take place again next season on Easter Saturday but will be expanded to 8 Teams.

2015/2016 County Programme

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Player centric – Development driven – Competition supported

• DPP Under 13s/Under 14s Fortnightly Break Dec to Feb DPP Programme finishes in May 2016 London Irish Silver Group will be based in Berkshire for Berkshire Players

• U18s/U17s/U16s/U15s/U14s Programmes will be similar to previous seasons

• U13s CB Activity will be minimal and will be post Xmas• Programmes to be published in due course.

2015/2016 League Programme

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Player centric – Development driven – Competition supported

• OBB U18s Colts Clubs will only be able to enter 1 side. 3 Divisions to be retained

• Berks/Bucks U16s to be expanded to include 3/4 Clubs from Oxon

• U15s/U14s BYL will remain in current format• U13s to be a Berkshire Cup with a Finals Day.

But this could all change dependant on Age Grade Review submitted to RFU Council 17th April 2015

RFU Age Grade Competition Review13 Key Proposals

• Mixed contact rugby finishes after Under 11s• U13 Dual Age Band for girls does not include U11s• 15 A side rugby starts at U14.• U13 New Rules of Play to be implemented in 2016/2017• Line Out Introduction delayed until U14• A nationally defined menu of national and county competitions per age group• No Formal Leagues before Under 15s• No Tournaments (that find an overall winner) before U12s.

• Competitions and Rep Rugby at all levels to be played in specific nationally consistent windows in a season• Formation of Regional Player Development Groups to drive player pathway programme• Divisional Representative replaced by Regional Level Programmes at Under 16 ( from 2015-2016).• No representative rugby before U15• No District Programmes at U16s

RFU Age Grade Competition Review13 Key Proposals

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• Mini Tournaments will need to be reviewed – Festival with no winners• Should all clubs now adopt U12 New Rules of Play for the 2015/2016 season which will lead to a better transition to U13s 2016 – 2017?• BYL will be scrapped at U14s and replaced by a Cup Competition (i.e. same as U13s)• U16s League Structures will need reviewing 2016/2017 season with CB activity moving to Jan/Feb/Mar.

RFU Age Grade Competition ReviewImplications

• U13s CB Programme will be scrapped for the 2015/2016 season. DPP Trial Process to be managed by London Irish and not CB• U14s CB Programme to be scrapped if changes are effective from 2015/2016 season. If changes are effective from 2016/2017 • Under 14s CB Programme will remain for 2015/2016.• CB Rugby will start to disappear and be controlled by the professional game/academies.

RFU Age Grade Competition ReviewImplications

• If approved on Friday 17th April 2015:

Communication to be sent to clubs Club Youth Chairman’ s Meeting - tba for end of

April/beginning of May.

RFU Age Grade Competition ReviewNext Steps