The excitement and thrill of open play resulting in tries was not at Twickenham this weekend, instead it started of with another startling display by Barking at Goresbrook as they maintained their unbeaten run with a 32 - 0 win over Westcombe Park and Southend, were also in try scoring mood as they beat their hosts Canterbury 29 - 44.  Barking head the table with 45 points having been docked 2 points for not having enough front row players at Bridgewater earlier on in the season.  Southend are a credible fifth on 27 points.  Both teams have difficult matches next weekend as Barking go to Clifton and Southen host Dings Crusaders.

London 1 North - Westcliff proove they are worthy promotion contenders as they beat fifth palced Ruslip 5-23 to remain in second place to Civil SErvice who justified their leadership of this league with a  58 - 7 win over Woodford who remain in seventh place.  Chingford consolidate their thrid place with 18 -6 win over Brentwood who slip down to tenth.  Eton Manor remain towards the foot of the table in twelsth after loosing to sisth paced Letchworth by 10 points to 5.  Rochford meanwhile are finding promotion to this league a bit harder to face as they were pounded by fourth place Staines ninty-two points to nil.

London 2 NE - The highlight of the day was the top of the table clash between Thurrock and Braintree.  Thurrock manaaged tomaintain their unbeaten run with a 5-18 victory which opens up a four point gap over Braintree.  Romford remain in third place with a 15-10 win over Norwich at Crow Lane.  Saffron Walden move up to sixth with a 27 -20 win over fifth palced Colchester.  Sudbury stay in fourth palce having beaten bottom club Mersea Island 64-0.  Harlow stay just above Chelmsford with a 31-10 win over Ipswich whilst Chelmsford loose out to Enfield Ignations by 19-17.

CRefC Role

One of the biggest moans we get in the County is about the standard of referees especially at mini midi and youth level.  This is mainly down to the fact that these referees do it becasue of the love of the game, to ensure that the kids get a game or just to help out.  Many do not have formal training, or have attended a course but now help is at hand through the role of the CRefC.  There are over 260 referees shown on Rugby First in Essex yet only 73 are members of the Essex Referees Society.  Non society referees also need support and help - even if its just to keep up to date with the current laws of the game.

Referees have a central role to play in the development of Rugby Union. The old cliché “without the referee, there would be no game” holds true and it is acknowledged that the better the quality of the refereeing, the more likely players are to enjoy their match experience. There are 38 Referee Societies in England, comprising in the region of 2700 referees. Society Referees are appointed to matches based on their ability and potential and are able to access a wide range of training and development opportunities through their Societies. However, there are many thousands of referees who are not Society members, but who referee at their clubs, some week in week out, others less frequently. They might be parents whose children are playing mini or youth rugby, coaches of junior teams or club members who referee their clubs’ 3rd or 4th XVs on a Saturday afternoon. It is these so-called “club referees” that the Club Referee Coordinator (CRefC) will help support.

For more informaiton contact our Essex County RFU Referees Society through its Chairman Alangold@essexrugby.com

More information about referees can be found on the referees web site at http://www.essexrugbyrefs.com

A 9 - 18 victory at Dings courtesy of the Book of Craig Ratford keeps Barking at the top of National Two South.  A 19 -6 win against Westcombe Park gives Southend their first victory of the seaon  and moves them up into eigth palce behind their opponents.

From Nic Scott - RFU Safeguarding. 

Our official statement following the items across the media over the last few days is shown below; please circulate to CB and club management committees etc in order to allay some of their fears.

RFU supports the Vetting & Barring Scheme (15/09/09)

The recent furore in the media regarding the ‘Vetting & Barring Scheme’ (administered by the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA)) which will see the new ISA-registration system introduced next year, has caused many ‘concerned’ calls and emails to the RFU about how it will affect people who work or volunteer with children (or vulnerable adults) in rugby union. This new system is a mandatory addition to the existing Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check process and the two will continue to operate alongside each other for the foreseeable future.

Some of the recent media reports have been poorly presented in that they do not contain all the facts, and many are based on incorrect or misleading information. The legislation went through the Government and House of Lords three years ago, and the start date was deferred for twelve months last October (2008). The general guidance on the Scheme from the Government is almost ready and the guidance specific to sporting organisations will soon follow.

The RFU has been liaising closely with the NSPCC, Home Office and other sports for the last two years to develop polices and procedures in line with the new legislation, and we will continue to do so. We have also been quietly keeping the sport informed of the progress through its network of volunteer CB Safeguarding Managers and Club Safeguarding Officers, and will continue to do so.

The roll-out of the scheme is, very sensibly, being phased in from its new launch date in October 2009. It will start primarily with a legal duty for organisations like the RFU to refer the details of any individuals it bans from working with children or vulnerable adults in the sport to the ISA for consideration to be added to their barred persons lists. It will also be an offence to ‘knowingly’ employ or deploy a barred individual for a role working with children or vulnerable adults.

There should be no direct effect on rugby clubs and volunteers until the summer of 2010.

In July 2010, a new joint ISA and CRB application form will be released and organisations like the RFU may start to submit applications on behalf of its Constituent Bodies and clubs for ISA-registration alongside the existing CRB process.

From November 2010 it will become a criminal offence to not hold an ISA-registration prior to being deployed into activities ‘working’ with children or vulnerable adults. However, to ease pressure on the system those people who hold a current CRB check will not be required to hold an ISA-registration until they have to renew their CRB clearance after its three year validity period - again a very sensible approach.

Contrary to some reports these checks will continue to be free for volunteers (if done through the RFU), however, checks for paid staff will cost £64 (the cost of a combined CRB and ISA check). Throughout the new application process the applicant themselves will notice little difference to the old system of CRB checks and clubs will only see a number of small, though significant, procedural changes.

The RFU, who currently process CRB application forms for over 12,000 individuals each season, already have plans in place to start a sport-wide training programme on the joint ISA and CRB process from March next year so that by July 2010 all rugby clubs should know how the new legislation will effect them and their workforce. The RFUs Safeguarding team have welcomed the new legislation as it will further bolster the RFUs Safeguarding Policy and procedures and will not only prevent known unsuitable individuals from working with vulnerable people but will also inform the team immediately if someone previously thought to be safe is found to pose a significant risk at any time in the future.

Teams from Old Brentwoods, Clacton, Ongar and Old Brentwoods got together for an Old Brnetwoods 10's with a difference.

Inspired by Essex County RFU Leisure and Volunteer coordinater the 10's competition is focussing on trying to get the ethos of fair play and sportsmandship back into Rugby.

Said Richard Austin - These 10's for level 10 clubs at the begining of the season have been designed to regain the good name ond commararderie that is accoisated with the game of Rugby. 

Ongar Tag Rugby Taster Course is fun for all 

Tag Rugby got off to great start in Ongar as 28 young boys and girls had an energetic time in the Ongar RFC Summer Taster course on Thursday, July 23.  Most were playing Tag Rugby for the first time as they were coached a mixture of ball, team and game skills, culminating in a series of head to head matches. “Ball in two hands” was the constant encouragement from the coaches through the morning and to test their new handling skills, the five, six and seven year olds had to complete an obstacle course with the ball including a tunnel, balance beam and slalom.  

Designing a name and kit for the new Ongar mini rugby team got them very creative although making a shirt with 14 different colours and 8 different animals may prove challenging. At the end of the course the children were each presented with a free size 3 trainer ball and certificate by Ongar RFC Secretary, Nigel Doubleday. 

Nikki Walker, mother of Jack aged 5 from Brentwood, said:“He loved it.  He's played with his "new ball" all afternoon in the garden & raved about this morning to my husband when he got in from work.” The Taster course is the part of the launch of the Ongar RFC mini rugby programme which will start on Sunday, September 13 at 10am. The club has  also been successful in getting funding from SportEssex to provide free coaching to six local primary schools during the Autumn 2009 term. Judith Handford, mother of Georgina, aged 6 from Epping said“Georgina thoroughly enjoyed it and is now very interested in continuing learning to play tag rugby.” 

Philip Cranwell, Ongar RFC mini rugby coordinator, commented:“We always said that the success for us would be measured by the smiles on the kids’ faces at the end of the session. Without the support of the club, volunteers, local schools, businesses, Brentwood Gazette and Essex RFU we couldn’t have achieved this. ” Interested parents of children aged between 5 and 8 years old should keep an eye on the Ongar RFC website at www.ongarrugbyclub.co.uk 24 July, 2009  

For further information please contact

Philip CranwellOngar RFC

Mini Rugby Coordinator

T: 07976 547493

Email: ongar.minirugby@btinternet.com

Dusty Hare of Basildon RFC recevied the RFU Presidents Award from Essex RFU President Gerry Mansfield at the Club's Annual Ball on Satruday.  Basildon recevied the award together with a cheque for £100 for their initiative and endeavour in promoting Club School links under the direction of "Dusty" .