Roles & Responsibilities of a Constituent Body

Constituent Bodies (CBs) are a valued and essential part of the Rugby Football Union. All have particular strengths and skills to support their clubs. There are 30 geographic CBs, including Oxford and Cambridge Universities, and seven national CBs, including the Army, the Navy, the Royal Air Force, Schools, Colleges, Students and Referees.

Role of a Constituent Body:

• Safeguarding 
• Discipline 
• Competition & match Approvals 
• Election of Council Representatives
• Accounts
• Tours

CBs gain funding from the RFU to support its members clubs and grow the game through Local Rugby Planning. 

Whilst working closely with RFU specialist staff using data insight, CBs are best place to deliver:

• Local Rugby Plan
• Promote Core Values 
• Club Meetings
• Club Assistance
• Local Volunteer reward & recognition 
• Representative teams 
• Development Squads
• Work with other organisations

Contact your CB

CB Support Resources

CB Role Descriptors

Please note all role descriptions are for guidance only. Please adapt/add to this basic information to ensure it is relevant to your CB requirements.

• CB Chairperson
• CB Data Officer
• CB Discipline Secretary
• CB Diversity & Inclusion Lead
• CB International Tickets Contact
• CB President
• CB RugbySafe Manager
• CB Safeguarding Manger
• CB Secretary
• CB Succession Manager
• CB Treasurer
• CB Volunteer Coordinator
• CB Women & Girls' Lead
• Succession Descriptions

You can let people know who is in the key roles at your CB by using the CB Roles Poster.

Digital Marketing Resources

• Setting your digital communications strategy
• Making great social content
• Making websites easy to use
• Introduction to email marketing
• Social Comms toolkit

Building Your Volunteer Team

Whether you have people queuing up to join your Executive Committee/Board or are struggling to find new members, it’s always worth considering how you recruit & welcome new people on board.

CB Recruitment

To fill vacant positions effectively and efficiently, it is important your CB has processes in place to ensure the right people are recruited in a structured, open and transparent way.

Our CB recruitment guide provides some things to consider.

CB Inductions

A well-planned induction will help new volunteer feel supported, welcomed, and have a positive experience from the off.

Our induction guidance provides ideas on what to include.

CB Succession Planning

Volunteers are your club’s greatest asset. You want to attract and retain the best and plan for the future, on the understanding that volunteers will come and go.

Succession planning allows you to be pro-active in identifying potential successors to key roles on your Executive Committee / Boards. Taking the time to identify skills or expertise needed can help you work with volunteers to develop their knowledge and understanding in advance of taking on a key role.

Our CB succession planning guide provides information and templates that you can use to help with this.

Council Election

Part of the role of the CBs is to manage the process for electing members of the RFU Council.  Please see our election guidance, which includes suggestions as to best practice.