AS ENGLAND marched imperiously through the Rugby World Cup to yesterday’s triumph, evidence emerged of the Rugby Football Union’s determination to dominate the sport for the next two decades.
A new "Impact" strategy was launched quietly last month by the RFU. Everyone in Scottish rugby should read it and weep. Then prepare for playing years of catch-up rugby as a nation.
Unlike the SRU, who depend on clubs providing figures and "focus
groups" at communication meetings, the RFU has had the guts to commission an independent study by the polling firm MORI to find out the real state of the game at its grass roots. The findings made devastating reading for Twickenham - but to their credit, they published them anyway.
The pollsters found that less than one fifth of England’s 50 million population is interested in rugby union, down from a quarter in 1996. Only rugby league, boxing and snooker have suffered a greater decline in interest.
Just 4% of the population over the age of 15 have played rugby, either 15-a-side or modified versions, and the number of active rugby clubs has fallen from 1,537 to 1,480 over the past two seasons.
Over the past five seasons, the average number of sides fielded by each active club has fallen to an average of 2.7 per club, from 2.9 in the 1997-98 season.
Rugby ranks 15th among school sports and physical activities - just behind dance! Only volleyball has seen a greater decline in participation since 1994.
Since 1994, participation in rugby among primary school children has increased by 3% to 18%. But participation in rugby in secondary schools has declined a massive 11% to just 28%.
In England there are now fewer adult volunteers involved in rugby than in 1991, and those who are volunteering are now doing so for longer - an average of four hours a week, compared to less than three hours in 1991. In other words, fewer people doing more work.
The RFU has even tackled the thorny issue of rugby being a white-dominated sport. Their poll admits: "Few children from ethnic minorities have the opportunity to play rugby, due in part to the fact that areas with the highest concentrations of ethnic minorities are also poorly served by rugby facilities."
Anyone without SRU blinkers on would concede the position is much the same - perhaps worse - at the grass roots level in Scotland.
What is truly frightening for Scottish rugby is the strategy which the RFU has devised to tackle their problems. It is a fully-costed and fully-funded exercise, with support from the UK government, local authorities and sponsors. It will cost millions but will have immediate effect.
The RFU’s "Impact" strategy will be the focus of all activity to increase participation. By the end of the 2003/4 season there will be a 5% increase in the number of players involved in matches each week. Some 150 clubs will be targeted to ensure that they are able to run extra sides.
There will be 15% increase in the number of players involved in non-contact rugby, i.e. touch or tag, and a 20% increase in the number of youth and adult teams with a qualified coach.
To achieve that aim by next year, the RFU will have 2,000 people qualified as a mini/midi coach/referee, and some 4,000 people qualified as a Foundation referee.
Some 200 new secondary schools will be introduced to rugby and 227 coaching and refereeing courses will be delivered for 700 teachers.
A massive new Emerging Schools Festival for up to 40,000 young people will take place before the end of next year and the RFU aims to have 100 rugby weeks or festivals, including "rugby in the park" and "rugby on the beach" run in conjunction with councils.
An extra 28 social inclusion projects centring on rugby in disadvantaged communities to 73 currently running in the RFU’s constituent bodies.
They will also seek a 15% increase in the number of volunteers, while 20% of clubs will have a club volunteer co-ordinator
Meanwhile the SRU and its member clubs are lurching towards a new four-year strategy for the domestic game. The Edinburgh clubs met at Meggetland last week and were put into focus groups by the SRU’s representatives.
According to George Jack, chairman of the district: "The key concerns addressed were falling player numbers, recruitment of club members, spectators and volunteers, regional leagues, development strategy and revenue distributions by the SRU."
According to Jack, "possible solutions which have been taken on board by the district committee who will champion these locally and at SRU level."
In this newspaper on November 21, 1999, the chief executive of the SRU, Bill Watson, stated: "I would expect us to eliminate our current overdraft over the next three years."
At that time the SRU’s overdraft was stated to be £13m. Last week the same Bill Watson issued the following statement: "Our bank borrowings stand currently at £16 million, comfortably within our agreed bank facility."
Is it any wonder that Scotland’s clubs feel they cannot make any progress when the Union’s leaders appear comfortable with a £3m increase in borrowings mostly blown on their blessed professional teams?
England yesterday deserved to become world champions. The future looks bright for them with their new strategy. For Scotland, the storm clouds continue to gather.
The full article contains 933 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
