Shipston RFC left in the dark over RFU's competitions restrcuture
WHERE Shipston RFC will play their rugby next season is the “burning question on everyone’s lips” at Mayo Road, says chairman Andrew Powell.
As part of the RFU’s competition restructure to boost participation at levels three and below, all teams at a given level will be grouped together geographically to reduce travel times and distance.
The season will be shortened to address concerns shared by players around the intensity of the current structure. The size of leagues at levels five and below will be capped at 12 teams, with levels three and four to be capped at 14 teams.
Data provided to the RFU’s working group showed the number of players needed to fulfil a season had gone up from 25 to 43 on average in the space of two decades.
The sport’s governing body recognised that number was increasingly yearly as “players choose to play fewer games”.
It added the increase in numbers needed to fulfil games “led to pressure on lower XVs in clubs and increased walkovers, alongside a reduction in the number of teams competing in the RFU leagues”.
The Rams currently reside in Southern Counties North – which sits at level seven – having been level transferred there following their promotion from Midlands Three West (South) at the end of the 2018-19 campaign.
After a successful 2021-22 season which has seen the Rams finish fourth, club chiefs now have no idea where they will be playing their rugby next season.
Powell told the Herald: “The process is we will be automatically moved back to the Midlands, but could be moved back to Southern Counties North.
"Potentially, as we understand, we could move between levels seven and six. Provisional league structure for level six and above is available, but not for seven and below, so things are really up in the air for us.
“The key areas are local derbies, travel time and keeping players in the game. There’s also the pressure on 2nd XVs to field a team, problems with walkovers and in particular the ability to field enough specialist front row players.
"We enjoy Southern Counties North and have made new friends. It’s a different style of rugby to the Midlands, which does suit us.
"However, the journey times are greater and with age group-based players, this can create problems at certain times, so as a club we need to have a big squad capable of stepping up.”
He added: “We also miss our local derbies in the Midlands. While travel times are less, travel distance is similar.
"Needless to say it is the burning question on everyone’s lips at the club. We want to know where we will be so we can plan pre-season, pre-match dinners, VPs lunches and more.”
The final league structure is expected to be released in May and fixtures mid-June.
