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RFU CEO Bill Sweeney's thoughts
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Dad View Drop Down
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strangely that isnt growing in Berks - it has sat pretty level for all the time i have noticed it and is a 50/50 mix of corporate teams (deloitte etc) and club contact players using it for training purposes

I actually find reasonable level women's rugby pretty good to watch, better handling and faster recycling than mens game, more of a movement of ball game than a gruntfest - only real area of noticable weakness is the kicking game
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Points: 2167 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tulip Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jul 2020 at 11:29
Originally posted by Camp Freddie Camp Freddie wrote:

Looks like I need to mention the elephant in the room here. "The Womens game remains a major priority for us."

90% of players are male, the Womens Premiership doesn't attract great crowds across all games and they are now stuggling to find a major new sponsor, obviously the old one perhaps didn't see a return on the investment.

The women's game is very popular  I go to watch a lot of boys Colts games at Sandal on Sunday  lunch. But the icar park and on field parking is absolutely full for the Girls games on Sunday afternoon .
Unfortunately they don't seem to attract the same amount of people in the bar.Probably the timing of the games
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Also the distances the parents may need to drive.
It is getting better, but I was facing two to three hour drives home every time my daughter played.
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Points: 4434 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Raider999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jul 2020 at 13:28
Originally posted by Dad Dad wrote:

strangely that isnt growing in Berks - it has sat pretty level for all the time i have noticed it and is a 50/50 mix of corporate teams (deloitte etc) and club contact players using it for training purposes

I actually find reasonable level women's rugby pretty good to watch, better handling and faster recycling than mens game, more of a movement of ball game than a gruntfest


You obviously watch the wrong men's sides
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Wasnt another big reason for the growth of the woman's game, that Sport England funding is based on growing participation rates. Considering the growth in Mens Rugby is pretty static or even declining then they saw the women's game as a way to increase participation  
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Originally posted by Count Ford Count Ford wrote:

Wasnt another big reason for the growth of the woman's game, that Sport England funding is based on growing participation rates. Considering the growth in Mens Rugby is pretty static or even declining then they saw the women's game as a way to increase participation  

which, cynical money grab notwithstanding is a good thing IMO.

Mrs billesleyexile is currently pregnant and we're not finding out the gender until the birth. I'm absolutely not going to force my future child/ren to play rugby, but it's a big part of my life so they're going to be around it. If it's a daughter and she wants to play then I'd rather there was something on the doorstep than not. 

Perhaps I'm biased though, the only England international I know is a Red Rose, and the first person from my cohort at university and in the forces to make it to a national position with the RFU is also female. 

I'm not for a minute arguing with you by the way, I'm just amplifying the point. If it comes down to making the men's game a bit better, or diverting the money to put rocket boosters under the women's game then we should do the latter. It's (IMO) just the right thing to do. Even if the men's game stood still for a bit. 

We might *never* make the money from the women's game that we do from the men's, and it *might* never be the same spectacle (although, as someone who prefers national 1 to the prem I actually like watching the women's game at international level - because it's proper running rugby), but I'd rather the opportunities were there for anyone who wanted to play than not, and it should be as easy for a daughter to get into it as a son.
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Points: 1855 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote billesleyexile Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jul 2020 at 18:30
as an addendum, I was talking about this with my wife the other day, and if it was a son and they wanted to play rugby would I let them? Yes, it was that way round...

She was onboard with M&Js. 

She was less on board with the 140 mile round trip for *Moseley* M&Js.

Work needed I feel.
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Originally posted by Raider999 Raider999 wrote:

Originally posted by Dad Dad wrote:

strangely that isnt growing in Berks - it has sat pretty level for all the time i have noticed it and is a 50/50 mix of corporate teams (deloitte etc) and club contact players using it for training purposes

I actually find reasonable level women's rugby pretty good to watch, better handling and faster recycling than mens game, more of a movement of ball game than a gruntfest


You obviously watch the wrong men's sides

2 seasons ago i watched the final Worthing game of the season as it was on the saturday immediately preceding the Worthing 10's girls festival - it was ok, more interesting than watching Rams (I am a fwd but i prefer watching fast flowing rugby) still say watching the u18 girls semi's and final's in the blazing sun with a beer in hand was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon
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Originally posted by billesleyexile billesleyexile wrote:

Originally posted by Count Ford Count Ford wrote:

Wasnt another big reason for the growth of the woman's game, that Sport England funding is based on growing participation rates. Considering the growth in Mens Rugby is pretty static or even declining then they saw the women's game as a way to increase participation  

which, cynical money grab notwithstanding is a good thing IMO.

Mrs billesleyexile is currently pregnant and we're not finding out the gender until the birth. I'm absolutely not going to force my future child/ren to play rugby, but it's a big part of my life so they're going to be around it. If it's a daughter and she wants to play then I'd rather there was something on the doorstep than not. 

Perhaps I'm biased though, the only England international I know is a Red Rose, and the first person from my cohort at university and in the forces to make it to a national position with the RFU is also female. 

I'm not for a minute arguing with you by the way, I'm just amplifying the point. If it comes down to making the men's game a bit better, or diverting the money to put rocket boosters under the women's game then we should do the latter. It's (IMO) just the right thing to do. Even if the men's game stood still for a bit. 

We might *never* make the money from the women's game that we do from the men's, and it *might* never be the same spectacle (although, as someone who prefers national 1 to the prem I actually like watching the women's game at international level - because it's proper running rugby), but I'd rather the opportunities were there for anyone who wanted to play than not, and it should be as easy for a daughter to get into it as a son.



I totally agree. Somewhat cynical reasoning in relation to the Sport England funding, but it's great to see the growth of the Women's game. It adds new vibrancy to rugby clubs and clubhouses across the country.

My original point wasn't meant to come across as negative. It's fantastic that girls have more and more options to play the game


Edited by Count Ford - 03 Jul 2020 at 18:38
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Apparently he has been talking to the NCA


"In the past decade alone England internationals Kyle Sinckler, Maro Itoje and Tom Curry have spent their time developing in the National Leagues with Richmond, Old Albanian and Sale FC respectively."

Of the current England Squad I think he has missed one or two:

Benjamin Earl Ampthill
Ellis Genge Clifton / Hartpury
Jamie George Southend (OK just over the decade)
George Kruis Barking (ditto)
Joe Launchberry Rosslyn Park
Lewis Ludham Coventry
Joe Marler Barking (ditto)
Alex Moon Cambridge
Will Stuart Blackheath/ Moseley
Sam Underhill Cinderford
Mako Vinupola Clifton (ditto)
Harry Williams Loughborough
Mark Wilson Blaydon
Fraser Dingwall Coventry (Cambridge M&Y)
George Furbank Cambridge
Josh Hodge Darlington MP
Jonathon Joseph Barnes
Alex Mitchell Amthill
Jacob Umaga Hinckley Broadstreet
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Points: 489 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dad Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jul 2020 at 19:15
Originally posted by Camquin Camquin wrote:

Also the distances the parents may need to drive.
It is getting better, but I was facing two to three hour drives home every time my daughter played.

Def improving at a rate of knots - but this season still saw a SW Area of the U15 & U18 cup that contained teams from Devonport to Cinderford to Trojans (Eastleigh) to Cobham - and all played on Sunday afternoons - yet we see Adult men apparently won't travel !!
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Originally posted by Camquin Camquin wrote:

Apparently he has been talking to the NCA


"In the past decade alone England internationals Kyle Sinckler, Maro Itoje and Tom Curry have spent their time developing in the National Leagues with Richmond, Old Albanian and Sale FC respectively."

Of the current England Squad I think he has missed one or two:

Benjamin Earl Ampthill
Ellis Genge Clifton / Hartpury
Jamie George Southend (OK just over the decade)
George Kruis Barking (ditto)
Joe Launchberry Rosslyn Park
Lewis Ludham Coventry
Joe Marler Barking (ditto)
Alex Moon Cambridge
Will Stuart Blackheath/ Moseley
Sam Underhill Cinderford
Mako Vinupola Clifton (ditto)
Harry Williams Loughborough
Mark Wilson Blaydon
Fraser Dingwall Coventry (Cambridge M&Y)
George Furbank Cambridge
Josh Hodge Darlington MP
Jonathon Joseph Barnes
Alex Mitchell Amthill
Jacob Umaga Hinckley Broadstreet


Umaga did a bit of time at Cov too. (Albeit not too memorably).
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Points: 11161 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Camquin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jul 2020 at 19:51
I knew Mike did  this is his son. 
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Points: 6225 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kimbo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Jul 2020 at 08:01
Originally posted by Camquin Camquin wrote:

I knew Mike did  this is his son. 
Mike did quite a bit. Jacob was on loan/DR for a short spell.


Edited by Kimbo - 05 Jul 2020 at 08:19
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