News Archive

As we move into the early stages of 2018-19 season we would like to make all clubs aware of funding opportunities to support growth and development.

Both the Club and Game Development groups have a number of funding support projects available to support your club.

For Game Development Funding Opportunities, including coach/ match official and medical training , click here.

For Facility Development Funding Opportunities, including pitch maintenance and clubhouse developments, click here.

To apply for funding please complete the Expression of Interest PFR 18-19 Document and submit it to the NLD RFU Office. 

The Facilities Group and the Game Development Committee next meet on the 3^rd December 2018. Therefore, prompt submission of your clubs expression of interest document is recommended.

In collaboration with the RFU Area Facilities Manager Pete Shaw, NLD RFU would like to gain a deeper understanding of your clubs development plans as part of their Rugby Club Facility Improvement Programme. On submission of your application for funding please include this short form, detailing what your facility development plans are for the future.

If you require any additional support with your application, please make contact with the NLD RFU Office or RFU Rugby Development Officers for NLD.

The Community Game Update, sent through on the first Friday of each month by the RFU, is a vital platform for providing clubs with important information regarding the community game. The update is in place to ensure information is published in one place and not sent out as a barrage of individual email notifications.

The update, in addition to its publication on the NLD RFU website, is sent directly by the RFU to all club Chairs, Secretaries and Treasurers. If you believe your club is not regularly receiving The Community Game Update, please confirm the contact details of the aforementioned positions at the club are correct on the GMS system. If you do receive the update, please ensure it is distributed to all relevant areas of your club.

The GMS email function is useful tool to utilise. It can ensure specific groups within your clubs, or the entire membership, can be sent information with ease. Click here to access guidance on how to send emails through GMS

The last four RFU Community Game Updates can be found here:

Sept 2018

Aug 2018

July 2018

June 2018

NLD RFU are now inviting tenders for clubs to host the 2018-19 NLD Knockout Finals Day on Saturday 27^th April 2019.  The opportunity to host rotates around, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire & Derbyshire on a 3-year cycle and for this season the venue will be in Nottinghamshire.

Clubs in Nottinghamshire interested in hosting the Finals should complete the Host Tender document by clicking here and return it to NLD RFU by 31st December 2018.

Reminder: GMS – Roles & Permissions Changes

As a reminder, we recently notified the community game of some upcoming changes to the Roles and Permissions in GMS. We have introduced a new model that has seen the creation of several permissions levels, available to be granted to individuals within GMS. All individuals will be defaulted to a Level 0 which will only grant access for that user to access and edit their own personal details. Each individual that has logged in to GMS with administrative privileges within the last 12 months has been contacted with instructions regarding next steps.

An exception to the above has been that individuals who held the role of either ‘Data Officer’ or ‘Honorary Secretary’ at their club or CB. These individuals have been granted the ‘Level 5’ permission. This level enables these users to access an area of GMS where they can assign any individuals within their organisation with a level of permission appropriate to their position of responsibility. Additionally, any individual that held a role of ‘Adult’, ‘Youth’ or ‘Women’s’ Registrar and had logged into GMS within the last 12 months, has been automatically given a ‘Level 3’ permission.

Within the ‘Organisation Admin’ module inside GMS, each ‘Level 5’ user has access to a description of each level and the modules contained for the permission type. Any individual can be assigned a permission level, providing they have a role at the club or CB.

We see this as an important change to empower clubs and CBs to efficiently manage access to their data and ensure that each organisation understands who has access to their data.

To keep up to date with latest information on the GMS, visit englandrugby.com/gms

Payment of Players – Roles & Permissions Changes

Closely linked to the above reminder around roles and permission changes, we would like to highlight that individuals completing and signing payment of player declarations, need to be allocated the correct permissions in GMS. This will ensure a valid declaration is completed. Individuals will require access to the ‘Organisation Profile’ module in order to access the declaration. If you have any questions, please contact the GMS Helpdesk ([email protected]).

Electronic Match Card Access – Roles & Permissions Changes

With the season now underway, as a reminder, to access Electronic Match Card (EMC), you must be allocated the role of ‘Matchcard Administrator’ on GMS. Clubs’ Honorary Secretaries and Data Officers can allocate these roles. Please also be aware you must have the correct permission level applied to your GMS profile. This needs to be is level 1 or 3. Without both of these features being applied you will not be able to access EMC.

Club Management Reference Guide – 2018/19 Season

The RFU has developed a guide to assist clubs in identifying the legal, regulatory, tax and other statutory requirements of which clubs need to be aware in order ensure good governance and financial management. The purpose of this, is to act as a checklist that will point clubs in the right direction of these key issues, upon which they need to focus. This in turn will enable clubs to better identify areas where they need to take action, and to seek further information and advice where necessary. To download the Club Management Reference Guide or to find out further information, please click here.

England Rugby Deals – Update and New Service

The existing England Rugby Deals portal that clubs have been utilising, has now closed. You will be unable to log in as you have in the past. However, we’ve got a new and improved deals portal coming in September that will give you all access to the latest offers available, thanks to England Rugby and our partners and suppliers. Further information will be provided in due course.

Reminder – International Ticket Allocations and their misuse

With those who have bought tickets for November’s Quilter Internationals receiving them in the next few weeks, we wanted to remind all of the communication around International Tickets and their misuse in June’s Community Game Update.

As you may be aware at least 50% of all tickets for England Internationals at Twickenham are allocated to the Game (clubs, CBs, schools, colleges, universities and referee societies). Profits from all ticket sales (including commercial sales) are reinvested into the game, both at grass roots and elite levels. We had to sanction more than 100 clubs (at all levels), CBs, colleges, schools, universities and referee societies last season by restricting access to their international match ticket allocation, for selling their tickets on the black market.

RFU CEO Steve Brown reminded all in June, of how they can utilise their International match tickets. Any questions about how such tickets can be used and their terms & conditions should be emailed to [email protected]

Watch the Red Roses in the 2018 Quilter Internationals

The Red Roses will play three tests in the 2018 Quilter Internationals, including a first game for the side at Castle Park, Doncaster. England Women will play USA, Canada and Ireland in the three-test November series at three different venues across the country. The fixtures are as follows:

England Women v USA Women Friday 9 November, Allianz Park (KO 7.45pm)

England Women v Canada Women Sunday 18 November, Castle Park (KO 2.00pm)

England Women v Ireland Women Saturday 24 November, Twickenham Stadium (KO 5.40pm)

Entry to England Women v Ireland Women will be free following the conclusion of the men’s game, whilst tickets for the games at Allianz Park and Castle Park are available via www.englandrugby.com/tickets at £10 per adult and £5 for U16s.

Motion Picture Licensing Company – MPLC

After a change in copyright law which means any premises not charging an entrance fee cannot now rely on the previous exception for showing ‘film’ in a broadcast and requires a licence. ‘Film’ covers a wide range of broadcast content, including TV shows). The Motion Picture Licensing Company (MPLC) is writing to sports clubs outlining the changes in copyright law and that rugby clubs may need a licence.

To explore whether your club needs the licence, please call the RFU Alcohol Licencing Helpline (run by Poppleston Allen Licencing Solicitors, on 0115 934 9177.

Keep Playing O2 Touch Once The Summer Is Over

With the summer season of O2 Touch ending, we wanted to help players find ways to play the game all year round. Playing on AGPs in the winter is a good choice, and to find your local Rugby365 facility, please click here. Alternatively, many of our O2 Touch centres have a local school or leisure centre that hire out their sports halls and provide a great alternative to staying at your rugby club all year round.

If you want to go even further, UV O2 Touch is also another option. This is a version of O2 Touch played in the dark, with UV lights, a glow in the dark ball, t-shirts and body paint. A number of O2 Touch parties have taken place in the last month that have been a great success. Clubs are able to purchase their own equipment at a discounted rate, and if it is something your club may be interested in, please contact our supplier via [email protected]

It is with deep regret that we have been advised that Derrick Smith, Past President of NLD and longstanding member of Kesteven RFC, passed away on Tuesday night aged 96. Derrick was a founding member, President, Chairman, captain and player for his club.

Our thoughts and sincere condolences go out to his family and friends at this sad time.

Details of funeral arrangements will be circulated once confirmed

The below list confirms all the RFU Training Courses that have been book within NLD thus far for the 2018-19 season.

The RFU Training Course Suite for 2018-19 can be found here. The Training Suite provides an in-depth description of each course.

To book onto a course please click here.

The round 1 draw for this seasons cup competition can be found by clicking here

We would like to wish the very best to all players, coaches and volunteers involved in teams representing NLD in this year’s competition.

It is with great sadness we have to announce the death of Dave Pearson on the 27th August 2018. Dave played a massive part in Matlock’s successes as a player, coach and official. His uncompromising approach to all he did in rugby will be remembered by all.

Dave’s funeral will take place at Chesterfield Crematorium on Tuesday 11^th of September at 15:30.

Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time.

The 2018-19 NLD RFU Junior Competitions rules can be found by clicking here.

Please take special note of Page 4, Point 19: The Half Game Rule. The point includes the following statement:

“Half Game Rule: Teams should ensure that all players within your match day squad get to play at least half the game time available. You can do this using rolling substitutions and/or at set periods within the game. For example, work on quarters and plan substitutions in advance for those points in the game. Both sets of coaches should talk with the referee prior to games, to agree how best they can implement the half-game rule and other game conditions to ensure it is player centred.”

From September 2018 England Rugby are asking all its Age Grade clubs, schools and colleges to make sure everyone in a match day squad gets to play at least half the game time available.

The half game rule is being introduced voluntarily in England and follows successful implementation in New Zealand and Wales and a trial in local club and school competitions in England last year. This voluntary year will help prepare for mandatory introduction from September 2019.

Further information about the Half Game Rule can be found by clicking here or by watching this informative video.

RFU Regulation Update

During the summer the RFU have made Age Grade regulation (Regulation 15) more user friendly and easier to understand. Access to all the updated RFU regulations, including Reg. 15 which now incorporates the Half Game Rule, can be found here.

The RFU recently notified the community game of some upcoming changes to the Roles and Permissions in the Game Management System (GMS). These changes are part of the RFU’s response to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and are intended to support the RFU, Clubs and CBs in their use of the system. The objective is for individual users of GMS to only have access to information that is appropriate for their given role. To support Clubs and CBs to manage this process within GMS, we have simplified the levels of permission available. The default permission setting (Zero) will enable an individual to login to GMS and edit their own personal details only. There will then be a further 5 levels of permission available to a Club, and 3 for a CB. This will need to be assigned by the appropriate person at the Club or CB. We have nominated the Data Officer and Honorary Secretary to be the initial individuals to hold this responsibility. It is important to note that it is the responsibility of the Club or CB to ensure that only appropriate individuals have a level of permission that enables access to more than their own personal details.

If you currently have a role of either ‘DATA OFFICER’ or ‘HONORARY SECRETARY’ at your Club or CB, you will be automatically assigned with the highest level of permission, for Clubs this is referred to as ‘Level 5’. This level will enable you to access an area of GMS where you can assign any individuals within your organisation with a level of permission appropriate to their position of responsibility. Additionally, the RFU appreciate that we are in a peak period of player registrations. Therefore, all individuals that currently have the role of ‘YOUTH REGISTRAR, ‘ADULT REGISTRAR’ or ‘WOMENS REGISTRAR’ and have logged in within the last 12 months or have been recently been provided with the role, will automatically be granted the permission level that will enable them to continue their role of registering players. This permission is called ‘Level 3’.

Within the ‘Organisation Admin’ module inside GMS, each ‘Level 5’ user will have access to a description of each level and the modules contained for that permission level. Any individual can be assigned a permission level, providing they have a role at the Club or CB.

A tidy up of roles in GMS has also been undertaken, this list has been refined and some roles have been archived that are deemed no longer applicable. A key element of the changes made to roles is the ability for Clubs and CBs to assign a ‘Job Title’ to a particular role. For example, you may like to assign somebody with a role of ‘Volunteer’ at your organisation, but then provide a more specific job title applicable to your Club or CB. This update will allow greater flexibility when managing the individuals and their positions of responsibility at your Club or CB.

By visiting www.englandrugby.com/gms you will be able to find guides on how to add/remove permissions to users in addition to adding a job title to a record. Documentation that contains the updated list of roles available in GMS and a breakdown of the levels of permissions that can be granted within the system can also be found here. We’ve also included some FAQs that may assist getting answers to immediate questions you may have.