Adult Male Future Competitions Structure from season 2022/23
The Rugby Football Union (RFU) Council has agreed changes to the adult male competitions structure in a bid to support participation in the community game at Level 3 and below.
Approved across two RFU Council meetings, on 27 November 2020 and 16 April 2021, the new measures come into effect from the 2022/23 season.
This follows an intensive 18-month review by the Future Competitions Structure (FCS) Group (a task group of the Community Game Board) to understand challenges within the existing competitions structure, current players’ needs and the format that will serve them best.
The working group considered data that showed increased first team numbers are required to fulfil a season, from approximately 25 two decades ago to 43 players on average currently. The number is increasing yearly as players choose to play fewer games. In some cases, this has led to pressure on Lower XVs in clubs and increased walkovers, alongside a reduction in the number of teams competing in the RFU leagues.
To address this trend, the new competitions structure for leagues at all levels will be organised according to four core principles:
- Putting player welfare/needs at the forefront of decisions
- Ensuring a high quality of player experience
- Supporting club sustainability
- Minimising travel
FCS Group Chair, Stephen Pearson said: “Following 18 months’ discussions, occasionally strong debate and ultimately fantastic collaboration to help shape proposals, we are delighted that the RFU Council has voted in favour of implementing these recommendations which are targeted at arresting the decline in participation numbers within the adult male game.
“We recognise that there is no golden solution that will suit everyone’s needs. In making these changes we have prioritised players interests and designed a structure with a purpose of preventing the loss of players from the whole of the game. We now move to a detailed implementation phase to focus on the specific local challenges drawing on local knowledge and experience.
“Since we started the review in September 2019, we have undertaken a thorough process including extensive research, data analysis and detailed discussions with all stakeholders in the game and listened intently to the diverse views.
“The result is what we believe to be the optimal playing offer and a structure that protects the future health of the game for adult men by meeting the needs of current and future players.”
Community Game Board (CGB) chair, David Roberts added: “The review was commissioned by the CGB because we recognised the need to evolve the competition structure to ensure the adult male game at community level is relevant, popular and thriving in 15 years’ time.
“Players today have more demands on their time than they did 20 years ago. Feedback has revealed that players’ motivations are sometimes at odds with the amount and type of rugby currently on offer. Through these new measures we aim to provide a competition structure that complements players’ lifestyles rather than challenges them.
“Clearly change generates disruption and sometimes resistance, but the broad objectives and the vision of the structure have been welcomed across the game and we now have some time to prepare for the adjustments.
“As chair of the Community Game Board I would like to thank Stephen Pearson, all the volunteers and the RFU staff who have contributed to the work that enabled the Council decision to be made.
“We now move on to the next stage of implementing the recommendations and bringing to life the core principles: putting players at the centre of everything we do to improve their playing experience, making sure travel requirements are appropriate and that our clubs are sustainable.”
RFU President HH Jeff Blackett added: “I would like to put on record my sincere thanks to Stephen Pearson, the FCS Working Group, David Roberts and the CGB for leading this work and making the final recommendations to Council.
“Over the past 18 months they have worked with tireless enthusiasm and determination to create a blueprint for the best competition structure for today’s players and players of the future. These new measures should lead to more people playing competitive rugby, and enjoying the experience more, which are key aims for everyone involved in the sport.”
Over the coming weeks members of the Community Game Board and Future Competitions Structure Group will hold Q&A sessions with clubs to provide clarity on what the changes will mean to them.
More detailed information regarding the implementation phase and regulation will be communicated throughout the rest of this season.
