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Beyond 2015 DEVELOPING RUGBY ACROSS EUROPE The Story So Far July 2015 Unity Project – The Story So Far Unity Project – The Story So Far The Unity Project’s UNITY PROJECT BOARD Ground-breaking 1 Ben Calveley (RFU) First Year Chair DEVELOPING RUGBY ACROSS EUROPE 2 Ben Calveley Katie Dooling (RFU) Project Manager The Unity Project was plans included a scoping Country Twin officially launched a year visit to the country by a team Belgium Eastern Counties, NLD ago in partnership with made up of Constituent Body Croatia Leicestershire, Warwickshire 3 World Rugby, Rugby Europe representatives, RFU and and UK Sport. The project UK Sport staff, followed by a Czech Republic North Midlands, Staordshire Steve Grainger is an important part of the return visit by the country to (RFU) Georgia Kent, Essex RFU’s Lead Up & Legacy the Constituent Bodies. At programme and supports the the end of these two visits a Germany Hampshire, Hertfordshire development of rugby development plan was drafted Hungary East Midlands, Cambridge University across Europe. and sent to the Project Board Netherlands Cornwall, Devon 4 for approval. You often hear international Poland Surrey, Sussex Jonathan Dance and other sporting bodies Through this exchange of (RFU) Portugal Cheshire, Lancashire refer to the solidarity principle knowledge and information – the idea that nations should both the unions and Romania Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire work together to develop their Constituent Bodies involved Russia Berkshire, Middlesex sport on a global basis. The will have the opportunity to Serbia Buckinghamshire, Oxford University 5 RFU absolutely subscribes learn from each other and to this principle and sees the it is this valuable sharing of Spain Durham, Northumberland Robert Morini Rugby World Cup 2015 as experiences that will ensure Sweden, Denmark, Norway Cumbria, Yorkshire (UK Sport) an opportunity not only to the legacy of the Rugby World Switzerland Dorset & Wiltshire, Somerset develop the game in England Cup endures. but right across the continent. This first year has been one of challenge This report provides an update on The Unity Project has been 6 and achievement associated with setting project delivery, including details of designed to deliver that vision, Cath Sweet up and operating a truly ground- the scoping and inward study visits as working to ensure that many The first year of learned. The (UK Sport) breaking legacy project. A great deal well as progress of the development other European nations benefit the Unity Project delivery stage of has been learned which will help build planning process. The report also from the tournament too. We has been exciting the project is now success for the project’s remaining highlights emerging development hope the project will help “and challenging. well underway and time. What has been very apparent is themes and case studies of how the develop relationships which It has been a real we hope to see the an enthusiasm and appetite from all project is supporting the growth of will last long in to the future. 7 involved for growing rugby across rugby across Europe. honour for the impact grow over the continent. World Rugby and Rugby Rugby Football the coming months, Morgan Buckley Europe selected 17 countries Union and its resulting in a (World Rugby) for the project to work with Constituent Bodies lasting legacy and these were twinned with to work with 17 for rugby. the Rugby Football Union’s enthusiastic and Constituent Bodies. inspiring Unions. Over the lifetime of the project Throughout the the European nations and their scoping and allocated Constituent Bodies will work together to devise inward visit stage and deliver development of the project a plans to support the growth great amount of of the game, with all of the knowledge and work overseen by the Unity information has Bill Beaumont Project Board. The process been transferred Chairman for drafting the development with a lot being Rugby Football Union Unity Project – The Story So Far Unity Project – The Story So Far Emerging Themes retain volunteers. There is also interest in the mentoring system the RFU has in A wide spectrum of work continues to place with some countries looking to set be delivered through the Unity Project but up a similar system as part of the project. common themes and challenges have emerged: Upcoming activities in the area of refereeing include the Czech Republic, Coach development is one of the areas Poland and Hungary being involved in where most of the countries involved referee exchanges. These exchanges in the project have sought advice and will give referees the opportunity to guidance. Topics where there has been experience refereeing in a different interest across the board are coaching environment, as well as the opportunity to methods (how to coach), how to train receive further coaching. There will also coaches and the importance of continuous be an expectation that when the referees professional development of coaches at return to their respective countries they all levels. pass on their learning and use it to set up mentoring programmes. The Czech Republic, Sweden, Denmark and Norway are all interested in Club development is an issue which for understanding how to deliver continuous many countries is at the heart of driving players and how to take players from professional development (CPD) courses participation. The unions are interested non-contact forms of the game to full to their coaches. One example of how to learn more about club governance, club contact rugby. the Unity Project is supporting this is financing and recruiting and retaining in Russia where a Growing the Game volunteers into club administration. For a number of the Unity Project festival will be hosted at which the Unity countries including Romania, Croatia Project will provide CPD course tuition Upcoming activities in this area include and Switzerland the challenge is getting to a number of coaches. At the end of the working with (among others) Spain, into schools to promote rugby as a way project the aim is that Russian educators the Netherlands and Belgium to look of recruiting players. There is also the will be able to deliver some of these at how clubs recruit, retain and reward added task of getting students from taster As we reach the end of courses themselves. volunteers. For example, representatives sessions into clubs playing contact rugby. year 1, it is fantastic of the Spanish Union will be attending Through the project we are looking at “to see the range of As an extension of the desire to the Northumberland Value the Volunteers adapting the All Schools model and World activities starting deliver more training to their coaches event to discuss holding something Rugby’s Get into Rugby programme to to take place across some countries, including Portugal similar as part of a wider volunteering use in other countries, with a focus on the participating and Romania, have asked that their strategy that the project is helping put transitioning players into clubs and the training delivery is reviewed and together. Another interesting initiative contact game. countries as a result recommendations made on how it can be is between Hungary and East Midlands of the Unity Project. improved. Portugal and other countries Constituent Body where they are setting This programme have also been invited to attend various up a buddy system between volunteers in VOYAGES OF DISCOVERY demonstrates how a Constituent Body coaching conferences the two countries. With all of the major sporting event as a way of exchanging best practice. With all of the scoping and inward Inward visits like the Rugby World Player development is another area of scoping and study visits completed, it is clear Referee development is another topic interest that has come to the forefront that the rugby family across Europe There have been a number of highlights Cup 2015 can act as a which has made its way on to a number through the development planning inward is a growing one with dreams and during inward visits, including the powerful catalyst for of development plans, with countries process is player development, in aspirations for the future. Women’s Rugby World Cup making growing sport outside interested in how to recruit, train and then particular how to recruit and retain study visits an appearance for the Hungarian trip. the host country, Scoping visits The Spanish were also able to observe which will continue completed, it and discuss continuous professional to have a real global In each of the countries visited inspiring development coaching courses is clear that work is going on. In Portugal, parents delivered by the Newcastle Flacons benefit long after the and youngsters were being asked to sign Academy Manager. event itself. the rugby up to a code of conduct, a great initiative spreading the values of rugby. Hungary Development plans family across demonstrated the benefits of hosting a youth tournament in tandem with an With 14 of the 15 development plans Europe is international match. Georgia’s innovative signed off, the focus for the next phase use of new facilities, grouping clubs of the project will be on delivery. Plans a growing at state-of-the-art stadiums, is proving are full of interesting initiatives, from effective. And in the Netherlands they a Growing the Game festival in Russia one with are using the women’s sevens team as involving coach and referee development, the catalyst for rugby nationwide, an to co-ordinating the rules of mini and dreams and interesting model for other countries with youth rugby in Sweden, Denmark and sevens now on the Olympic programme. Norway to increase playing opportunities. aspirations The latter will see the Unity Project support the up-skilling of coaches to for the future.

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