The most significant increases are in the number of teams in the Under 8 and Under 9 age groups where the number of teams has risen by 13 and 12 percentage points respectively.
These findings are encouraging at a time when society is looking for ways of improving levels of physical activity amongst children and adults. The rise is partly due to WRU led initiatives over the past two years, with an emphasis on tag rugby in the younger age groups. This is one area of the WRU’s response to Health Challenge Wales which has received help from the Welsh Assembly Government.
There has also been a 12 percentage point rise in the number of Youth (Under 19) teams which is also encouraging as youth rugby is a vital bridge between junior and senior club rugby. Youth teams are a vital player resource for clubs’ first and second teams.
WRU Group Chief Executive Roger Lewis said, “We know that rugby holds a unique position within Welsh society and we are pleased that our clubs and our community rugby staff around Wales can help us become a fitter, healthier nation through increased physical activity.”
The WRU has chosen the publication of this audit to publicly recognise the contribution of the thousands of volunteers who give up their time week in, week out to nurture and develop our young talent and to give something back to our communities, ensuring rugby remains the heartbeat of our nation.
Rhodri Glyn Thomas, the Welsh Assembly Government Minister for sport said:Â “Grassroots rugby, like all grassroots sport, depends on volunteers who give of their own time and these volunteers are the foundation that sport in Wales is built upon.
“I am pleased that volunteers in rugby clubs across Wales are being acknowledged as their efforts have been vital in the increase in the number of age-group teams reported in this research. The increased opportunities to participate in physical activity that this has provided are to be applauded and welcomed.”
Roger Lewis added: “Our grassroots clubs and the coaches, team managers, first aiders, referees, administrators and other volunteers within those clubs are our lifeblood, and the lifeblood of our communities in Wales.
“They sustain club rugby by producing generation after generation of players, coaches, administrators and referees, a rugby family which does so much, not only for their clubs but also for their surrounding communities. In introducing rugby to so many children and young people, the clubs provide the tools for youngsters to go on and achieve their potential in the game, whatever their level.”
Sports Council for Wales Chair Philip Carling said: “These results are particularly encouraging and I want to commend the WRU on its dedication to increase the numbers of junior teams. Of course, the work that happens at the very grassroots level in our communities is down to the commitment of an army of volunteers.
“They are at the coalface of rugby in Wales, encouraging youngsters into the game, keeping them motivated and ensuring that they are able to take part in regular competitive activity.”
Newport HSOB, Waunarlwydd and Whitland are the first clubs to receive a WRU award. The 2007-2008 Sports Council of Wales analysis of WRU clubs shows that these three clubs currently run at least one club at every level – Under 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, Youth, First XV, Second XV and Women’s sides.
In recognition of this achievement, the WRU will invite volunteers from these clubs to a Millennium Stadium hospitality box at the Wales v South Africa match on November 24th. This will mark the start of a scheme which will enable volunteers throughout Wales to benefit from the privilege of hospitality at a Wales home game as a small reward for their immeasurable contribution to Welsh rugby.
The WRU will be writing to clubs in the coming weeks, asking for nominations of volunteers who they feel should be recipients of this recognition award for the forthcoming RBS 6 Nations matches.
WRU Group Chief Executive Lewis said:Â “It takes a tremendous amount of hard work and commitment to run one side, let alone 12 or 13. Each team requires coaches, a team manager, a first aider, a referee.
“However, I know these clubs see the benefit of their hard work when their first team takes to the field on a Saturday afternoon and when these players return to the club with their children and grandchildren. We wanted to recognise the achievements of these clubs and hope that they and future recipients have a day to remember at the Millennium Stadium.”
Wales internationals Alix Popham, Mike Phillips and Andy Williams learnt their trade at these three ‘champion’ clubs and paid tribute to their influence on their rugby careers.
Wales and Scarlets backrow Alix Popham said: “I spent twelve years at Newport HSOB, learning skills, team-work and basically getting hooked on playing the game. Newport HSOB really was like a big family to me, the true spirit of rugby lives on in clubs like these – and we professional players have a lot to thank them for.”
Mike Phillips, who played for Whitland from the age of 15 to 19 said, “My time at Whitland was a massive turning point for me. Before that, I was drifting but I enjoyed my rugby at Whitland so much that I began thinking seriously about making a career out of the game.
“Whitland is a great club, I sponsored a game last year and I like to give something back to the club when I can.”
Andy Williams, currently at the Dragons but who played his junior rugby at Waunarlwydd from Under 10 for Under 16 said, “Waunarlwydd were a tremendous club to be a part of. I developed many friendships during my time there which I still have today. I enjoyed my rugby at that time which was a big influence in taking my rugby further. It is vital to have a good foundation in the game, and to enjoy it, if you are going to go on to make a career out of rugby.”
Case study – Newport HSOB
Facts and figures
Club founded in 1923
Junior section founded in 1978
12 teams from Under 8s to the First XV (Division 2 East of WRU National Leagues), hoping to start another Under 8s team and a Third XV this season
42 coaches, all of whom have passed WRU coaching courses
17 team managers
27 first aiders
22 qualified referees
Many other active volunteers throughout the club
Over 250 junior players train and play at the club every weekend
2 girls sides
The Specials – a rugby group for children and adults with learning difficulties
Newport HSOB former players – Scarlets and Wales’s Alix Popham, Dragons and Wales Under 20 internationals Ashley Smith, Lewis Evans, Jamie Corsi, Jimmy Norris
The Specials was set up in April 2006 by Gareth Hale, a former player and parent at the club. He said: “After hearing about a similar club in Abertillery, I thought it was something we should be doing as a big, community club because people with special needs are part of our community.
“”I had tremendous support from within the club, with plenty of coaches offering to help out. We run the team purely for enjoyment and to give the kids a sense of team spirit. We do some skills, play some games then we have a game of tag rugby at the end. It is purely non contact. If the kids who come along can feel part of something special then we’ve won.”
Caroline Studley, club secretary and a founding member of the junior section at Newport HSOB said: “There is a strong community spirit at the club. Most people are Old Boys through and through. We have achieved League promotion two years running without paying players and we are proud of the fact that the vast majority of first team players have come right through the club from a young age.
“We linked up with Newport and the Dragons a few years ago and that works well all round because we are a huge player resource and the link means that we can provide players with a rugby pathway within the Region depending on how far they want to go with the sport, there are no restrictions.
“We haven’t got great facilities – we are working hard to find a way of building new changing rooms because we have outgrown the ones we have. We try to be inventive in finding ways of accommodating all newcomers and creating new teams and groups because we will never turn away a potential rugby player.”
Highlights from 2007-2008 analysis of WRU clubs by the Sports Council of Wales:
There has been an average increase across all junior age teams of 6 percentage points since 2005-2006.
The greatest increases are seen with the number of under 8 team provision, where there has been a 13 percentage point increase which equates to 29 additional teams.
There were also significant increases in the number of under 9 and under 19 teams; there are now an additional 27 teams in both age brackets (a 12 percentage point increase since 2005-2006).
Three teams in Wales offer a full complement of teams at junior level and Second XV and Women’s teams. These are Newport HSOB, Waunarlwydd and Whitland.
For the 2007-2008 season, fifty-four clubs catered for 10 or more teams across the various junior and senior categories.
For the 2007-2008 season, each club in Wales has an average of 6 teams across the various categories. This is up from 5 in 2006-2007.
Challenges and opportunities
While there has been significant increase in the number of teams, the WRU confirms it is committed to further developing grassroots rugby over the coming years.
Tim Burton, WRU Head of Operations said, “The increase in team numbers is a testament to the commitment of club volunteers and WRU community rugby staff. The challenge is now to ensure that this increase is sustained because it is at local clubs where the majority of matches are played, where the skills, fun and passion for the game are developed, where our international stars of the future are born and where anyone can participate, be it as players, volunteers or supporters.
“We are committed to ensuring that we have more children playing the game in clubs and schools, more adult players returning to the game as players or volunteers, and to providing better facilities for rugby throughout Wales.”
