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Tribute Team of the Month - November 2024

Berkshire Hungerford
Buckinghamshire Slough
Cornwall Saltash
Devon Withycombe
Dorset & Wilts Chippenham
Gloucestershire Bishopston
Oxfordshire Banbury II
Somerset Castle Cary

Chippenham receiving their award on the 5th December

06 Dec 24

Clive Drake - 1946-2024

(Clive Drake (right) pictured on his retirement with SW Chair Dave McAteer.)

The South West has learned with great sadness of the death of long serving League Secretary Clive Drake.  He was 78.

He served on the South West Competitions Committee for more than 20 years until his retirement in 2022.

He represented a number of leagues in Dorset & Wilts over the years and will be remembered for all the work he did to introduce lower teams into the leagues for the first time.

He was also a stalwart of his constituent body and North Dorset, his club, and was rewarded with the Presidency of Dorset & Wilts from 2009 to 2011 and latterly as a Life Vice President.

The South West sends it condolences to his family and many friends.

21 Nov 24

Tribute Team of the Month - October 2024

Berkshire Tadley
Buckinghamshire Farnham Royal
Cornwall Camborne II
Devon Barnstaple
Dorset & Wilts Devizes II
Gloucestershire Yate
Oxfordshire Witney II
Somerset Wiveliscombe

 

Tribute Team of the Month - September 2024

Berkshire Bracknell III
Buckinghamshire Risborough
Cornwall Liskeard-Looe
Devon Plymstock Oaks
Dorset & Wilts Royal Wootton Bassett
Gloucestershire Ross on Wye
Oxfordshire Oxford
Somerset Midsomer Norton

Bracknell III being presented with their award.

Relegation from Counties 1 and below Leagues (Potential Cascade Effect)

21 Aug 24

South West Fixtures 2024-25 released

The fixtures for the new season have now been released and can be viewed here.

Please note the details in the latest newsletter and don't forget to confirm your NLC details as requested.

11 Jun 24

Long serving secretary retires

The 2024 annual meeting of the South West Competitions Committee marked the retirement of Mike Gee, the region's Co-ordinating Secretary for the last 29 years.  His colleagues met in Taunton to look back at his involvement with the competition.  He first joined the committee in 1987 when the Courage Clubs Championship began.  Eight years later he succeeded Jack Wooldridge as Co-Ordinating Secretary - putting him in charge of the day to day running of the South West.

As part of his role he has represented the region's interests at national level on RFU Committees and been on the phone to offer advice and encouragement to his fellow league secretaries.  At times of bad weather he has worked late into the evening on a Saturday to re-arrange up to 170 games so clubs were aware of the new date as soon as possible,

Colleagues spoke fondly of his time at the helm and recounted stories from the last 37 years.

His contribution to the game was also acknowledged by RFU CEO Bill Sweeney in a specially recorded video message.

Mike, who was awarded the BEM for services to rugby in 2015, has handed over the reigns to Adrian Siddorn from Gloucestershire but will remain available to advise when required.

26 May 24

SW honours long service officials

The South West has marked the retirement of three committee officials who between them have 99 years' service to rugby in the region.

Mike Gee has been on the committee since its inception in 1997 and spent 29 years as Co-ordinating Secretary - only the third in the history of the competition..

Bert Barber was Chairman from 2003 until 2018 having joined the committee in 1993.  He has also served as League Secretary for a number of leagues,

Brian Flanders also joined in 1993 and as well as being a League Secretary has acted as Treasurer and more recently has facilitated appeals from across the region.

All three were presented with mementoes at the recent annual meeting by current Chairman Dave McAteer.

26 May 24

Cornwall winners celebrated

Clubs across Cornwall met at St Austell Brewery on Friday night (12th April) to celebrate the successes of the 2023/24 season alongside sponsors Tribute. 

Despite the unhelpful weather the season was largely completed on time in the Duchy. 

In  Counties Tribute Cornwall Two, Redruth II won the league with a 100 percent win record and dropped only three try bonus points.

Redruth II receive their award from SW secretary Mike Gee

In Counties Tribute Cornwall Three, Hayle finished Champions in a close race with Wadebridge Camels II

Each year the brewery also sponsors a "You've Earned it" award - which this year went to Camborne School of Mines.   Despite only winning one of their 22 league games, they kept going and battled through adversity to complete the season.

The evening also provided an opportunity for one of a number of presentations to mark the retirement of long serving SW League Co-ordinating Secretary Mike Gee.  He is standing down at the end of the this season after doing the job since 1995.  He first joined the SW Committee in 1987 - the year the leagues were formed.   His contribution to rugby in the county and the wider South West was acknowledged by Cornwall RFU President Andy Reed.

A raffle on the night also raised over £100 for the St Austell Brewery charity

14 Apr 24 

End of season - 2023/24

Adverse weather conditions during the winter months have left some teams with games to play that may take them beyond the scheduled end of season date of the 6th April.

The RFU Adult Competitions Management Committee, in conjunction with organising committees for the Mens RFU Leagues, met earlier this this week to agree a process for managing the situation.

With the Men’s Papa Johns Community Cup starting after the league season the Committee are focussed on causing minimal impact for clubs competing in the Cup, whilst also trying not to negatively impact completion of the league season.

The following conditions will be applied for the remainder of the season:

1. Teams not competing in the Men’s Papa Johns Community Cup are able to play league matches after the league completion date of the 6th April. Your organising committee will schedule matches accordingly, which will appear in your fixture list on the RFU website.

2. Teams will be given the opportunity to play on Easter Weekend, which was previously a break weekend in the season. If the fixture is not played on this weekend organising committees reserve the right to allow fixtures to be played after the 6th April. If this isn’t possible any outstanding fixtures will be determined by an approved methodology.

3. If a team withdraws from the Papa Johns Community Cup, they can play league fixtures that may affect promotion/relegation after the deadline.

Understandably, these conditions will not suit all teams, but after exploring the potential the options, the Committee believe this is the most equitable process to conclude the season.

Terry Burwell – Chair of RFU Adult Competition Management Sub-Committee (ACMSC)

Paul O’Leary – RFU National Competitions Manager

12 Mar 24

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