May 2013 Issue 157 The Official Newspaper of The RFU SEIZING THE OPPORTUNITY THE RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION STRATEGIC PLAN 2012/13 – 2016/17 The publication this month (May) of the RFU’s Strategic Plan will guide the preparing this five-year Strategic Plan. If we successfully deliver game in England to beyond Rugby World Cup 2015. Its five strategic priorities the strategic priorities and are operationally efficient in all aspects aim to help the Union achieve major goals and to operate as a world class of governing our sport, we can achieve our aspirations, create a business and governing body. foundation for the future and truly become a Union at the top of The strategic priorities include: building the RFU’s brand, reputation and relationships; its game.” establishing rugby union as a sport for everyone; optimising the Union’s revenue for RFU Board Chairman Bill Beaumont, added, “Our Board reinvesting in the game; securing success for representative teams and delivering the most now reflects wide-ranging experience and expertise and inspiring Rugby World Cup ever. includes Independent Directors from outside our sport. The new Strategic Plan’s ambition, in terms of significant revenue and corresponding With our Council members, support staff and volunteers, we 1 investment in the game, includes a clear intention of investing over £/3 billion into rugby at will work to deliver this Plan, which will guide our able and all levels and a 32% increase in grass roots spending compared to the previous five years. enthusiastic workforce through the most exciting period for the Said Chief Executive, Ian Ritchie, “A great deal of consultation and hard work has gone into game in our lifetime.” Continued on page 3… Ian Ritchie NEW SCRUM LAWS TRIAL FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS JOIN THE FRONT ROW AT www.rugbyworldcup.com/frontrow From the start of next season there will be a global trial of the “crouch, bind, set” scrum engagement sequence, aimed at enhancing player welfare by reducing impact on engagement. RUGBY WORLD CUP 2015 The International Rugby Board Council’s approval of the sequence, on player welfare grounds, comes with a call for game-wide commitment from law-makers, match officials, VENUES AND SCHEDULE coaches and players, to ensure a fair and positive attitude in dealing with scrum issues. England Rugby 2015 (ER 2015) and Rugby World Cup Limited (RWCL) recently announced the full list of match venues and published the Implementation follows extensive evaluation of the sequence Rugby World Cup 2015 match schedule. during the recent IRB Pacific Rugby Cup, which showed the The 13 venues and host cities are: Twickenham Stadium (London), Wembley Stadium (London), Olympic Stadium (London), Millennium potential for a more stable platform leading to fewer resets and Stadium (Cardiff), Manchester City Stadium (Manchester), St James’ Park (Newcastle), Elland Road (Leeds), Leicester City Stadium (Leicester), more successful scrums. Villa Park (Birmingham), Kingsholm Stadium (Gloucester), Stadiummk (Milton Keynes), Brighton Community Stadium (Brighton) and Sandy Props will now be expected to crouch on the referee’s call, Park (Exeter). bind using their outside arm after the referee has called “bind”. Taking the game to ten cities across the country enables England Rugby 2015 to showcase the game to a large audience countrywide. The The front rows will maintain the bind until the referee calls match schedule will see 25 matches played in dedicated rugby venues, seven in multi-event stadia and 16 in football venues, with over two “set”. At that point, the two packs will engage. million opportunities for fans to engage with one of the world’s most recognisable major sports events. The specialist IRB Scrum Steering Group, which includes The tournament will open at Twickenham Stadium on Friday September 18, 2015, where England will face Oceania 1, confirmed at the Unions’ scrum experts, recommended the new sequence to the close of the qualification process in 2014. In addition to a selection of pool games, Twickenham Stadium will also host two quarter-finals, the IRB Council after extensive testing and analysis at all levels of semi-finals and the final on October 31. Two quarter finals will also be played in Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium and the bronze final will be the game within the IRB-funded Scrum Forces Project run by the hosted at the Olympic Stadium. University of Bath in conjunction with the RFU. The venue selection took into account geographical spread, sporting and facilities criteria, support from host cities, and capacity IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: “The scrum is a requirements to deliver the best possible platform for a fully engaging world class tournament for fans and teams. fundamental and dynamic part of our game. It is important that England Rugby 2015 also launched the vision for Rugby World Cup 2015 outlining the tournament as a celebration of rugby and its unique Continued on top right page 2… values, exciting and inspiring our nation and the world to play and support the game. Continued top left of page 2… 1 Continued from page 1… England Rugby 2015 Chief Executive, Debbie Jevans, said: “The world can now start planning for Rugby World Cup 2015. We have Continued from page 1… brought the tournament to life, announcing the match venues and we continue to promote the best possible player welfare the full match schedule. In less than two and a half years’ time, standards and this trial process is about putting players first we will be welcoming the world to England and to a celebration and delivering a reduction of the forces on engagement , of rugby, played in a range of atmospheric stadiums right across which could have significant positive effects on long-term the country. Rugby has so much to offer and, over the next two player welfare.” and a half years, we will be working hard with RWCL to deliver a The IRB will also instruct referees to ensure that the ball tournament which celebrates the unique values of rugby and excites does not enter the tunnel unless the scrum is square and and inspires the nation and the world to play and support the game. stationary and that a straight throw-in is strictly policed. The countdown to 2015 has begun in earnest and we look forward Lapasset added: “The implementation of the revised to welcoming the world to England in 2015. sequence alone is not about overcoming all the challenges “We are very grateful to all the cities and venues who have been of the scrum but it is a forward step. There is a collective part of the selection process for Rugby World Cup 2015. The support responsibility for coaches, players and administrators to make and interest shown by Coventry, Bristol, Derby, Southampton and the scrum a positive, fair and, above all, safe contest. Match Sunderland has been excellent and, whilst they have not been officials will be stricter when refereeing the existing law.” selected to host, we will continue to build upon the relationships The RFU will be providing a game-wide educational forged throughout this process to ensure that these cities will still process, featuring coach and match official workshops, from play a part in this truly nationwide tournament.” July so that everyone is fully informed for the new season. RWCL Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: “Rugby World Cup 2015 is The five Law changes currently being trialled and the the opportunity to engage new fans and to grow rugby around the trial change to television match official protocols will be world in order that more men, women and children may experience considered by IRB Council at its annual meeting in 2014. This the sport and its character-building values. It is set to be an new scrum engagement trial will be before Council at its exceptional event for the teams, the fans, the host nation, and the interim meeting the same year. Any amendments approved continued development of rugby worldwide.” will be in place a year ahead of Rugby World Cup 2015. Minister for Sport and Tourism, Hugh Robertson commented, The Scrum Steering Group includes RFU Community Rugby “Rugby World Cup in 2015 is another great global sports event Medical Director Dr Mike England; RFU Area Manager, coming to the UK. It has the full backing of Government and will be Gavin Williams and Dr Keith Stokes, of the University of Bath fantastic for rugby in this country, encouraging more people to get Malcolm Wharton research team, with technical input from England scrum involved. There is also a great tourism opportunity to make the most expert Graham Rowntree of, with matches being played across the country.” RFU BOARD Said Dr England: “The RFU puts a high priority on the RFU Chief Executive Ian Ritchie and England Head Coach Stuart welfare of our players at all levels of the game. As with our Lancaster welcomed the venue selections and the accompanying APPOINTMENTS recent Headcase education programme about concussion opportunities to grow the game across the country. injuries; this announcement today is an excellent example of Said Ritchie: “This is a very exciting next phase in the lead up The RFU Council recently approved how our scientific research into injury prevention can help to hosting the tournament in 2015, which we hope will have a the Nominations Standing Committee’s inform developments in the laws of the game in a sensible huge impact on the game in England. Not only is there a wide recommendations for Board positions with effect way – without affecting the spirit in which rugby is played. geographical spread of venues, enabling more people to watch from the Annual General Meeting on 14th July The RFU is proud to be a key part of this work on the scrum rugby than ever before, but it is truly a national event that the game engagement technique as part of its wider programme of 2013 until the 2014 AGM.