RUGBY FOO[BALL UNION' l ; Annu1Report :[ SEASONI' 1955,56

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l' 1 ANNUAL' REPORT SEASON f l'

The R.F.U. Committee Il , 1 It is with very sincere regret that your Committee ha.s to report the death of two of its Members-Messrs. Lewis Clifford and H. A. Haigh Smith. At last year's Annual General Meeting Mr. Lewis Clifford was elected your President for Season 1955/56. Within a few weeks ;of that Meeting he had died. Mr. Clifford represented Yorkshire on the Committee for t,en years, was an ex-County player and a Union admini­ strator in the North of England. At a Special General Meeting held on the 4th N ovember last, Mr. W. D. Gibbs of Kent was duly elected President in his stead and one is most grateful to him for taking on the heavy duties at such short notice, particularly as he had already accept~d the Presidency of London R.F.U., and Kent County R.F.U. Mr. Haigh Smith represented Hampshire on yoùr Committee for thirty years. Hewasparticularlywell­ known for his long service as Hon. Secretary of the Barbarian Football Club. Just before his death he had been appointed President of that Club. Mr. C. J. Wray who died in November represented New Zealand on the Committee for twenty-seven years, prior to the time when New Zealand and the other Dominions received direct representation on the International Board.

Membership j 1 The number of Clubs in membership continues tb increase. 83 new Clubs joined the Union during the 1955/56 Season, making the present membership 1,678. l!Twenty-two ' Clubs have discontinued membership. , International Matches The England team disappointed us in the matchl against Wales when we had endless opportunities but failed to take advantage ofthem, whilst Wales had three or four chances and scored twice. The team was success­ fuI against lreland and Scotland and played attractivelY. Against France it was perhaps unfortunate that the match had to be postponed from the 25th February until: 14th April as it was felt by sorne that the England tearn had played too much football and was tired after a long;season, and some of its members had also toured South Africa during the summer. On the day, however, France were a much better team in aIl departments and thoroughly deserved their win. l' ! Twickenham The Union was honouredby the presence at Twickenham of Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester at the v. The Army match; also Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent at the University match. Your Committee has again decided to make the International games at Twickenham " AlI Ticket" matches, and that again remittances shaH accornpany the original applications for tickets. Your Committee has also decided that, owing to the great increase in the rating assessment, and the heavy increasing cost of maintaining the ground and Stands together with the continuous and growing requests to assist clubs with loans for the purchase of grounds and the erection of pavilions, the prices of admittance tickets must be raised from next season as follows :- .: (a) Approximately Il,000 centrally p]aced covered Stand tickets from 15/-, to fi per ticket. (b) Ring seats from 5/-, to 6/- per ticket. '\ (c) Enclosures from 3/6d. to 5/- per ticket: (d) Field tickets from 2f6d. to 4/- per ticket. Your Committee has also decided that the price qf Season tickets shall be increased to fi per match, and that each Constituent Body in the County Championship Competition shaH receive eight Season tickets plus two Season tickets for every ten of their Clubs affiliateq to the R.F.U., excluding Schools. Oxford University, Cambridge University, the Royal Navy and the will receive eight Season tickets, and the Army Rugby Union will receive twelve Season ticket~. These Season ,tickets are for annualdistribution by the Constituent Bodies and Unions to their Officers and'iMembers. .

. '\._------~=~=='===--~- Attention is drawn to last Season's Annual Report ,when the fear of substantial increases in the maintenance costs at Twickenham was expressed. This fear has alreaüy materialised and a large sum of approximately f9,000 has already been spent on the South Terrace. During thi~ work opportunity was taken to extend and refurnish the bars under the Terrace, and a new Tea Room was built, ~nd further almost equally heavy expenditure is necessary during the coming year merely to prevent further deterioration ..

The County Championship Middlesex again won.the County Championship 1}eating Devon in the Final at Twickenham by 13 points to 9. Lancashire and Leicestershire were the other Semi-finalists. Again your Committee wishes to thank OfficiaIs, Referees and Players for the excellent spirit al d great keenness shown throughout the Competition. Devon must be very proud of the large number of suppor ers who travelled the long way from Devon to Twicken-. harn to ~upport them.

Referees A Referees' Conference was held in September' at Twickenham when 115 Referees and County Union adrninistr.ators a~tended.. . 1.'. Wüh the mcrease m the number of Clubs and Scnools playmg Rugby Football, more Referees have been needed. Your Committee wishes to thank all those who have taken up refereeing and wish them many years enjoyment in this most selfless part of our game. Also ~o congratulate those Referees from England selected for the International games. Of the ten International matc/les played, our Referees were chosen for no fewer than four out of a possible six. AIso, Dr. Peter Cooper was dhosen to referee Italy v. France, and Mr. L. M. Boundy for the France v. Germany match.

Publications Before the beginning of next Season we shall pU1'ish a " Manual for Rugby Union Referees ", edited by Humphrey Ellis who handled " Why the Whistle Went ,,' nd the" Manual of Rugby Union Football for Coaches and Players ". It will be illustrated by our old friend" ougasse" and will probably sell at about 2/6d. That will make nine official publications by the Rugby Union. Your Committee has agreed that " R.F.U. publications failed in their purpose unless they were re* by those people for whom they were intended." To achieve this, further publicity efforts are necessary. AC90rdingly they have decided to invite the co-operation of Constituent Bodies. AlI such Bodies have now been sent a letter for distribution to those clubs and schools able to help, inviting their co-operation. This letter sets out the lines along which assistance can most readily be given and invites suggestions to develop this new side of our activities. The world has greatly changed since our game wasloriginated at Rugby School, and in sports education the written word has increased in importance. We have, of c~urse, a good film to teach our game-which, by the way is being edited to make it more acceptable-but much dn be done by the entertaining text book which is always available on itsshelf when knotty points arise. \ Your Committee hopes that all clubs will co-operate in getting these publications known among those for whom they were written.

Tours More and more Clubs toured the Continent, and fixitures were arranged in France, Italy, Denmark, Germany Belgium, Spain and Holland. From reports received all[were enjoyed. The Harlequin F.C. was given permission to visit Roumania, winning one of the two matches played.

Insurance, Grants and Loans The players' Insurance Scheme has again proved ·of value. 628 Clubs (1,717 teams) have taken up the cover. The Rugby Football Union coptinues to pay 25 per cent. of the premium. The advances by way of Loans to Clubs, for the p~rposes of purchasing grounds or building pavilions and dressing rooms, show a substantial increase over recent years, and the sum loaned during the year amounted to f23,182, briugiug the total to fil 1,584 now on loao to 98I'Ub'. Thi, poliey of a"istiug Clu b, to ",CU" the;" own

. \ playing pitches provides tremendous strength to the U.nion and the benefits will be increasingly apparent as the years pass by.

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" ln conclusion, it is the opinion of your President and those closely associated with him that the game of Rugby Football today is as good as at any.time in the past.

TRIAL AND INTERNATIONAL MATCHES Season' 1956/57 1956 lst December. Whites ~. Colours in Gloucestershire. 15th December. Probables v. Possibles, at Sunderland. 1957 5th January. Englancl. v. The Rest, at Twickenham. 19th January. Wales v. England, at Cardiff. 9th F.ebruary. Ireland v. England, atDublin. 23rd February. England v. France, at Twickenham. 16th March. England v. Scotland, at Twickenham.

Meetings of Committees were as follows:­ Full Executive Ground 1 23rd September, 1955 9th September, 1955 15th July, 1955 5th December, 1955 23rdSeptember, 1955 4th November, 1955 20th January, 1956 5th December, 1955 19th January, 1956 lOth February, 1956 20th January, 1956 5th April, 1956 6th April, 1956 10thFebruary, 1956 18th May, 1956 13th July, 1956 6th April, 1956 22nd June, 1956 13th July, 1956

Laws Referees' Appointments Overseas Liaison 9th September, 1955 23rd September, 1955 19th December, 1955 6th December, 1955 6th December, 1955 20th January, 1956 9th February, 1956 9th March, 1956

Publications Dinner and Entertainments Northem Counties 6th April, 1956 4th November, "1955 20th January, 1956

. County Championship 4th :November, 1955 Y_ /J \. ~~. • • SeC1'etary.