In terms of numbers, we’re the smallest county in London and the South East, and one of the smallest in the country. Even so, there are 18 clubs with mini/junior sections and 83 schools playing rugby in Hertfordshire. So how are we organised?
The Herts Rugby Development Partnership (RDP) is responsible for rugby for everyone in Hertfordshire between the ages of 7 and 24. Rob Hardwick is the chairman of the RDP and he reports to the Herts RFU’s Executive Committee.
There are four committees responsible for specific areas of rugby development in the county:
Ø Coaching Committee – looking after coach recruitment and education, coach development and the appointment of coaches to the county’s teams. Chair: Colin Johnson.
Ø 19-24 Committee – organising development squads and representative teams for this age group, as well as looking at player recruitment and retention. Chair: John Drew.
Ø 13-18 Committee – managing representative rugby for all the county sides from Under 14 to Under 18, and overseeing county festivals and competitions. Chair: John Williams.
Ø 7-12 Committee – taking care of all aspects of tag and mini rugby in Hertfordshire. Chair: Sharon Mumford.
The Herts RDP includes representatives from schools, clubs, referees and women’s rugby. In practice, schools and clubs run their own affairs and they each have their own body for doing that:
Ø Mini and Junior Committee – a forum for clubs with mini and junior sections, this committee runs the county mini and 10s festivals, plus the Herts Junior Cup. Chair: Richard Randall.
Ø Herts Schools RFU – looking after rugby within Hertfordshire schools, including the running of the Herts Schools’ 7s. Chair: David Maughan.
That’s the formal bit! What else can you find here?
You can find out more about the county’s junior representative sides – who runs them, how they’re selected, when they’re training or playing, and how they’ve got on.
From the 2005/2006 season, Herts clubs will be taking part in the Herts & Middlesex Junior League. There are over 150 teams involved, at every age group from Under 13 through to Under 17. The League has its own website.
Whether you’re involved with a club, school or representative team, we think it’s important that you get involved with the right spirit. The RFU has a number of Fair Play Codes, which we support.