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For 2018-19 the RFU are extending electronic match cards (EMC) to level 8 in the men’s game. The level of detail required will mirror that of level 5 and 6 in the mens game i.e. team line-ups and confirmation of result. The following link will take you to the EMC section of the England Rugby website. Here you will find a range of support material for the desktop and mobile versions of EMC, including:

- Written step by step ‘how-to’ guides

- Video guides (if you view them on full screen they may appear slightly blurry. We are working to fix this ASAP, but for now it is advisable to view in the screen size that opens when you click on the link)

- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

- ‘How to get help’ document We have set up dummy fixtures on Desktop version of EMC for you to run through in preparation for the season.

Once logged into GMS click on the ‘Match Card’ tab to access EMC. To locate the dummy fixtures please follow these instructions:

1. Search for ‘EMC Inter Division Leagues’ in the ‘Competition’ drop down box.

2. Then click on the ‘Group’ drop down box and select your region. This will then present fixtures for your region (Southwest) **If you would like a comparable example on the Mobile version of EMC, login to mobile EMC through the link above and choose your first XV team. Select the appropriate fixture to complete. Note - this may appear in the ‘past’ tab if the dummy fixture was scheduled for a date in the past. You will be able to complete the EMC for the dummy games until the 28th August at which time we will delete the data ready for the start of the league season.

To access EMC you must have the correct permissions on GMS. It is your club's responsibility to ensure the appropriate people have the correct permissions to access EMC.

Two people within a club can do this:

1. Honorary Secretary

2. Data Officer

A final note to mention is for the curious amongst you who may have searched for ‘EMC’ on Google you will find YouTube videos that were posted last year. They will still provide useful tips as a guide but they do not present the most up to date version of EMC, again, please be aware of this.

12 Aug 18

MANAGING RUGBY PITCHES DURING HOT WEATHER AND DROUGHT

IF YOU HAVE ACCESS TO IRRIGATION

- Make sure your watering system is working efficiently. Check sprinkler arcs, hoses, nozzles

- Water only the essential areas.

- Do not water during the day.

- Reduce the frequency of watering and water more thoroughly each time, to get moisture well into the soil.

- Do not allow puddles to form or surface run-off to occur.

- Improve infiltration of water by spiking (not slitting) and use of wetting agents

- Raise the height of cut when mowing. If possible return clippings to help to act as mulch.

 IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO IRRIGATION

- Be prepared to close specific problem areas that have become dangerous.

- Do not apply pesticide or fertiliser.

- Continue to mow, but not as frequently and when possible increase the height of cut (approx. 75mm). The grass will survive better in the long term with careful mowing rather than none at all.

- Aeration is a must, this does not have to be deep (be careful if the ground is too hard which could damage the tines)

- Stop any verti-cutting or scarification as the surface area for the sun to dry will be increased

- If a Water Authority decides to impose a ban look through the precise terms of the ban and assess its application and relevance to the club.

AFTER THE DROUGHT

- Reinstate any severely damaged areas as soon as conditions and water availability allows.

- Wetting agents should still be used to help with rewetting of drought-damaged or waterrepellent turf.

- After the immediate problems have been dealt with it may be necessary to revise the management strategy to minimise future problems.

The following points should be considered:

            Alleviate compaction and eliminate excessive thatch to encourage deeper rooting.

•  If possible, manage turf to favour drought-tolerant species o Update the irrigation system to improve efficiency.
•  Investigate alternative water sources and increase the water storage capacity.

GENERAL ADVICE

Good maintenance practices will encourage the development of a vigorous healthy sward with a deep root system, which will be able to withstand the effects of drought better than a weak sward with shallow rooting long term.

08 Aug 18

Fixtures for the 2018-2019 season have been posted to the nominated league contact of every team taking part in the competition. They can also be viewed here. The newsletter which accompanied them is available here.

Clubs now have a number of tasks

• Confirm their nominated league contact - this should have been done by 1st July 2018. Go here.
• Decide if they want to move or reverse any fixtures. This must be done by mutual consent with your opponents. Both clubs need to complete the online form here. (Please note the instructions at the top of that page if you are reversing the venues of games.)
• If playing in leagues of 12 or less decide if you want to apply for a free weekend. The form (and details of what you can apply for) is here. Every weekend between the start of the season and the end of April (except the two weeks at Christmas) is available for re-arranged matches - it is only a free weekend if you have successfully applied for it.

30 May 2018 (updated 22 Jul 18)

Following Sunday's meeting of the SW Competitions Committee work has now started on producing the fixtures for next season.

There will be 34 leagues in the South West in 2018-19 playing nearly 6,000 fixtures.

We plan to release the fixtures by the end of the month. Updates will be posted here on the website.

Alongside that this site will be updated in preparation for the new campaign. Already the Structured Season, which most leagues will follow, is available here.

16 May 18