When I first joined GBWR the summer months were relatively quiet apart from any
international tournaments that may have been taking place – how things have changed!
June has started with a packed programme of activity. Rugby in Wales featured first with the inaugural Ospreys Challenge Cup. The LC Swansea played host to a tournament between Ospreys Wheelchair Rugby, Solent Sharks, RGC and I Dogi (a representative side from the Venetian region in Italy). With a festival feel the event included fantastic community support through a whole series of taster sessions. The event clearly demonstrates how strong the rugby family can be and we look forward to working more closely with the Ospreys. A big thank you to all who worked hard to put on this event and to our many partners in Wales. Thanks also to GB athlete Jim Roberts, who presented the winning team with the cup. More details as the following web links:
//www.ospreysrugby.com/News/Article/45570
//www.ospreysrugby.com/News/Article/45442
A week later saw the first ever BT South West Regional Youth Wheelchair Rugby Tournament hosted by the University of Gloucestershire. An incredible event which demonstrated just how far the youth programme has come in a very short space of time. With teams from Gloucester, Bristol, Exeter (Hawks) and South Wales (Ospreys) the day saw two hard fought competitions – the cup and the shield. Despite the Ospreys putting up quite a contest they were narrowly beaten by the Hawks to to take the Cup with the newly established Gloucester and Bristol sharing the shield honours after drawing 8-8 in the final. Huge thanks to all those involved!
Our work to introduce the game into new areas continues and next week we start community taster sessions in Bristol, where we hope to attract players interested in forming a new club. The project is being run in partnership with Bristol Rugby Community foundation, which has also been working with Stuart McLindon on the youth programme. As Bristol Rugby Club has just been promoted to the premiership, we hope this development work will lead to another premiership club having a wheelchair rugby team.
As I write our GB athletes are packing their bags again and getting ready to fly out to Vancouver for the Canada Cup. This is the last opportunity to play the top teams in the world ahead of Rio and so Head Coach Paul Shaw will be looking to get as much as he can out of the opportunity. Most of you will now have seen the results of the group draw for Rio. It did not do us any favours and we are in the same group as current gold medallists Australia and current world leaders Canada. With the gauntlet thrown down we are up for the challenge and if you want to be up on that podium then you have to compete against the best in the world and beat them – our coaching staff and athletes are ready so bring it on!
Just to remind you all that the AGM is at Twickenham on 13 July at 5pm. Those of you who are Voting Members and unable to attend can now submit your votes in proxy by completing the proxy vote form. The formal AGM notification with proxy vote forms will be sent out on 22 June with associated papers and at the same time we will be uploading the 2015-16 Annual Report and Accounts to the website so you will be able to download these which give a very positive picture of the last year.
Tonight I will be with the Governance and Finance Committee where amongst other things on the agenda are the first applications for club affiliation to the NGB. This is another fantastic step forward towards strengthening the governance of our sport and demonstrating that we are up amongst the best NGBs. Well done and thank you to the clubs and RDOs who have worked hard to get to this point. Thank you also to those Trustees who serve on the GFC – it’s a very important Board committee which focuses on the often less glamorous business side of our sport.
and finally….. welcome to Sue Aldridge who has been appointed as Workforce Development Officer for Officiating following a competitive recruitment process and good luck to our ambassador Mike Brown who is down under with England taking on the Aussies!
David Pond
