In just a couple of weeks time, we will see the start of the first full season of grassroots club rugby in Wales since 2018-19.
For some 18 months, the community game went into hibernation due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Then, when it eventually returned towards the end of last year, it was via a truncated season with limited fixtures and no promotion or relegation.
Now it’s back to a full home and away league programme and a fresh competitive edge. So just what kind of shape is grassroots rugby in as it emerges from Covid? How are clubs looking in terms of playing number and finances?
Read next: WRU begin £23.5m payment to regions amid dispute but CVC money could now be on the table
What do they make of the newly reorganised structure that sees the return of Divisions 4, 5 and 6? And how about the uncertainty at the top of the club pyramid amid a potential reduction and ring-fencing of the Premiership?
Plus, what are the clubs' hopes and goals for the coming season and what are their thoughts on the much debated governance of the game in Wales?
Rugby correspondent Simon Thomas has spoken to a number of clubs from different divisions and different areas to assess the state of the grassroots game.
Ystalyfera RFC (Championship) - Covid has hit player numbers
Rugby manager Damian James: “The Championship is made up of very different sorts of teams. You’ve got the ones with the A licence who are up towards the top of the table and are looking to get into the Premiership. The likes of Pontypool, Bargoed, Neath want to get out of this division and I think what the WRU are doing to them is wrong. They should be giving them an indication before the season starts with regard to promotion. We are back in the same boat again where nobody knows what is going to happen at the end of the season. Are teams going to go up, are they going to go down?
“We always know we are going to be in the middle or bottom half, in relation to funding and our players. We wouldn’t be able to fund a Premiership team, so we have got no aspirations of going there. I think we are at our limit, but it would be nice to stay at this level and sustain it.
“What is bothering us is what is going to happen next year. At present, we get a £15,000 grant from the WRU for being in the Championship. By the time you go through your expenditure with your medical stuff, your buses and repairs around the ground, that grant has gone. It doesn’t last long. I think the grant goes down to about £4,000 next year. That will be a big loss and a lot of things might change with that. We may have to revisit where we are next year. It’s a bit worrying long-term.
“We are a small village club trying to hang on to our local boys. We don’t pay players, we don’t go down that road. We have looked to promote that we are decent club to come to and look after the boys with kit and a couple of beers after the game. We are quite sensible, we are still an amateur club.
“Covid has definitely had a big dramatic effect on player numbers. We had boys that were coming up to retirement in two or three years. Then Covid kicked in and they decided during that time off to go and do other things. So we lost about six or seven boys. But we are ok at the moment. We have made some decent signings and we have about 25 boys training regular. We are going to have a little crack at this season and we are hoping to finish mid-table if possible. We will try and get stuck in.”
Dinas Powys (Div One East Central) - Rising bills make it tough
Director of rugby and secretary John Dunleavey: “We are still suffering a bit from the Covid suspension. A lot of players haven’t returned to playing and that has an effect on a club like ours. Numbers haven’t been the greatest. We have had to take different steps to try and recruit more players.
“We’ve tried to invest in our coaching structure to encourage players to come back playing.
The former Cardiff prop Nathan Trevett has come in as player-coach. He is 37 now and last played when he was 34 due to injury and Covid!
“We can either sit on our hands and just let the grass grow under our feet or we can push ourselves and be ambitious. If we can put ourselves in a position to get in the Championship, then let’s do that. For a lot of clubs, it’s probably a last stand and I think that’s where we are. If we don’t push for success, we could quite easily just fall down the cracks.
“Our head coach Andrew Roberts is also chairman of the minis and juniors. He has had a big impact in terms of recruitment at that level, going round local schools and doing roadshows. We are getting better in terms of number of kids.
“On the financial side, you can’t hide the fact that it’s going to be tough with rising bills, with things like fuel costs for bus trips. That’s trebled in the space of a year. It’s going to be a bit of a crossroads this season to see where we are at grassroots level. If all clubs comes through and it goes well, I think we can kick on from there.”
Morriston RFC (Div Two West Central) - A lot took rugby for granted, we've missed it
Head coach Paul Thomas: “I think a lot of people in Wales took rugby for granted and that it was always going to be there. During lockdown, when it was taken away from us, I think it actually gave some players and children a kick up the backside. It was a bit of a wake-up call that it can go. What I find with the players in my senior squad now is they are trying to grasp it with both hands more than ever before because they really missed it over that period of time.
“We have about 70 active players. We will run at least two senior teams, but we are hoping to have a third as well. The average age of the squad is about 22. They are all Morriston boys who just live and breathe the club. We are excited about the future.
“We are in Division 2 at the minute, but with the player numbers and facilities we have got, we see ourselves in the Championship in the next three years. That’s where we want to be.
“In terms of the regional pathway, I think it’s ok. My only bugbear would be that when players get into the Ospreys Academy, they are not directed back to their original club. I have had personal experience of players who weren’t quite ready for ready for the regional set-up and were pushed from Ospreys U18s to Swansea and not back to their original clubs. They get cheesed off down there because they weren’t getting games and finished playing rugby altogether.
“If Morriston send a player to the Ospreys set-up and he doesn’t quite make the grade, I think he should be sent back to us first and foremost. Then you can push him on to the next level up the ladder.”
Llantwit Fardre (Div Two East Central) - It feels like a proper season is back
Treasurer Nigel Phillips: “It’s good to be back and to have a full home and away season. Last year, with a truncated programme where we only played teams once and there was no promotion or relegation, we had a couple of clubs cancel on us towards the end of the season. We will be back to a more competitive league now and it feels like a proper season is coming.
“Player numbers wise, we are looking really good, particularly at first, second and women’s level. Our junior section continues to grow as well. Our only concern would be around our Youth team because the change on age-grade means the 18 and 19-year-olds are going to seniors. So training numbers haven’t been great there.
“With finances, we have built up balances and savings over the past few years, so we are comfortable, although the issue of rising energy bills does concern me looking further ahead.
"Long-term, our ambition is possibly Division One, but no higher than that. Our strength is that we are a community club. We don’t pay anybody. It’s entirely amateur. If you go into the Championship, the financial considerations are a lot bigger and would we be comfortable at that level? Could we do it with the players we have got? We would not want to bring in players from outside because then you’ve got no loyalty and when things start to go wrong on or off the field, those people will just move on to other clubs.
“On the question of governance, I had toyed with the idea of standing for the WRU Council. Now that body is fine for the community game, but where it falls down is I think five of the Council members can then get elected to the WRU Board.
“I am a retired bank manager and I have run my own little company, so I know how a business runs and I have been club treasurer here for eight years. But would I be qualified to run a multi-million pound business? In effect, the community clubs reps on the WRU Board are in that position. They may well be fine rugby people, but would they necessarily have the business background and understand the bigger picture?
“I will be honest. I know how we work and I have our business model, but I couldn’t tell you what the regions’ model is. Maybe that WRU board needs to be narrower with more professional people involved and one or two people, no more, from the Council.”
Aberavon Green Stars (Div 3 West Central) - Genuine excitement again
Coach Foard Cooksley: “I have been a Green Stars boy through and through and I went to St Josephs’s Comprehensive in the middle of Port Talbot. But I have been working away at Millfield School in Somerset for two years on the rugby side of things.
It’s a pretty breathtaking set up there and it’s given me a different perspective of seeing Welsh rugby from the outside. It’s a totally different world. It’s been really eye-opening and it makes you realise there are a lot of challenges here. I’ve just come back and I’ve started a job as a WRU hub officer, working with local schools and clubs, as well as coaching the backs here.
“There is obviously a lot of doom and gloom about with the uncertainty surrounding the professional clubs and the funding. But I think there is a real genuine excitement at grassroots level about getting back to a normal year and playing regularly. Last season, there were a lot of broken up fixtures and teams not having the interest in playing. There is real excitement now of getting back to home and away games. We are quite fortunate that we have got three local clubs in our division, so there will be a lot of derbies which people will be chomping at the bit at. We have had a great uptake in terms of our minis and juniors, while we are getting about 26 boys training with the seniors, which is pretty good.
“I think one of the big things is that rugby steps up to the challenge when there will be so much focus on Wales being at the Football World Cup. It’s important we stay relevant for those couple of months in the autumn and don’t fall behind. It’s a case of getting our house in order across the board.
“The other big challenge at the minute is the issue of concussion. There are a lot of players who are fearing come back to the game. I have spoken to a lot of players who are thinking about their family and their work first. Do they really want to risk getting injured on a Saturday afternoon when they have got family and work to look after?”
Cardiff Harlequins (Div 3 East Central) - Smaller pool of players these days
Chairman Paul Driscoll: “I have been involved in the club since turning up to play in 1991 for the fourths. The drop in numbers means we are now down to two senior rugby teams and, if truth be told, the 2nd team is more a team of vets, rather than youngsters looking to progress to play first team rugby. Its been that way for a number of years and certainly looks like it will continue for the time being. There are too many clubs chasing a diminishing pool of players in Cardiff.
“Our first team had a strong influx of youth players at the start of last season, but injuries and availability means we have sometimes struggled to get a team. This year there is no youth team due to a gap in age groups coming through from our junior section, CRICC. And, of course, those ex-Youth players that have stepped up to senior level are also going to be going off to college shortly, so we may face a challenge of getting teams out then.
“The past couple of years have been tough in our league. The 2019-20 season cancellation probably saved us from relegation and even last year we ended up propping up a league without demotion. But if we can get a strong team out we will be as competitive as we possibly can.
“Facility-wise, the club is in good condition. We are blessed with three full size pitches and a large clubhouse alongside them, but consequently we have to cover all the costs to maintain the pitches and prepare them for rugby training and playing. Tractors, mowers and other pieces of equipment are expensive, as well as the fuel.
“The clubhouse is a large building but we keep on top of maintenance and look to reduce our costs where we can. We have done all we can with gas usage through a smart heating system and the next challenge will be seeing what we can do to modernise our training lights. The WRU help with grants and in the past two years have had a kitchen installed that was mainly funded through the Union.
“Alongside the Senior teams, we also have a thriving Youth girls team with two age groups and we are also home to CRICC who provide rugby through the medium of Welsh through their minis and juniors. We also are home to Cardiff Lions RFC who are a gay and inclusive team that just won the Inclusive and Gay Rugby championship this summer. Cardiff Harlequins RFC will continue to provide a great venue for players to come play and enjoy rugby.”
Caerau Ely (Div 4 East Central) The 'vibe' has returned
Player-coach James Greenfield: “With regards to our pre-season schedule so far, I’d say it’s been really promising. There’s a new coaching set up with myself newly appointed as head coach bringing playing experience from my past sides like Newport, Cardiff and Pontypool, plus new backs coach Lewis Johnson, formerly Glamorgan Wanderers, who has brought fresh ideas.
“I’d say ‘The Vibe’ has been brought back, as well as some exiting new signings from higher divisions. Numbers have been pleasing on whole, anything between 18-25 most sessions.
“We are looking forward to our trip for a friendly and team social this Saturday away at Chepstow RFC. We have good expectations for the season ahead and are quietly confident in doing well if we can keep the decent numbers attending regularly.”
Forgeside RFC (Div 6 East) - Amateur and pro games should be split
Chairman Geraint Reynolds: “We are now in Division 6 after they restructured it again, having putting us all into Division 3 (A, B, C & D) a few years ago. They have now put it back to normal, which makes a lot more sense. It’s just a better label. When you used to say to people we are in Division 3 D, they would be like ‘Well, what does that mean?’ When you say you in Division 6, that’s more understandable. People can work that out and understand it better.
“With player numbers, we are doing ok. We haven’t lost anyone, so we’ve still got a healthy squad and everyone seems quite keen for it, in terms of getting back to normal with regular home and away fixtures. We’ve also got a walking rugby team, which has gone from strength to strength and is going unbelievably well. We don’t have any minis and juniors. Blaenavon tend to take that up.
“On the financial side of things, there are obviously concerns about the energy prices going up. I can see now the heating won’t be on unless it’s desperate. We will probably having a few coats in the club to chuck over people! We are looking at grants for solar panels, wind power and different things like that. It’s going to be a case of playing it by ear because nobody really knows what’s happening with the energy prices and what cost it will be.
“As for governance, I think the amateur and professional games should run themselves really. The problems we have at our level are totally different to the ones David Buttress has down at the Dragons. They are two separate games and I think they should be run differently. Even for us watching, it’s a different game. I can’t see how the amateur clubs can run it how the professional clubs do it and vice versa. It’s a totally different structure. At the moment, I think they are trying to keep everybody happy and that pleases nobody.
“The professional sides obviously need more resources. To be honest, I think - at our end - more money is a bad thing. You know yourself a lot of clubs are throwing a lot of money around where they shouldn’t be and that’s a problem. Grassroots clubs would be better off not having the money, but having training courses for coaches and first-aiders instead.”
Read next:
