The IRFU is strengthening the relationship between clubs and schools through the rolling out of a Rugby Faculty programme that was trialled in each of the four provinces over the past year.
Officers from each of Leinster, Munster, Ulster and Connacht will encourage club and school representatives to work together and make available a ‘toolkit’ of equipment and principles that will see the sport treated and developed in the manner of a curriculum subject.
It will enable young players and coaches to develop their involvement with the game in a structured and technically well prepared manner and will also strengthen the relationship between club and school.
The format of the relationship being between club and school as opposed to being centrally managed is one that works well throughout the country in Gaelic Games and the move is intended to stretch the number of rugby playing schools beyond the traditional heartland of those that compete in Senior Cups.
“Club rugby has grown larger and stronger and the Rugby Faculty provides a great opportunity for clubs and schools to benefit from a formal and organised rugby curriculum from top to bottom,” said Michael Cunningham, IRFU Chairman of Youth Rugby.
Clubs and schools are being encouraged to register an interest in the programme and then will be matched with each other if there is no existing relationship.
The provincial teams will outline how the programme works and deliver workshops to small groups of coaches and players to get things started.
The two sides then take on ownership of the programme with the availability of limited support from the centre if required at different times of the development.
As with any such programme it will depend to a great extent on the passion and commitment of individual teachers and it is hoped that running the scheme through clubs will provide a link between players who teach and teachers who play to bring the sport to their own schools.
One aspect of rugby that was always strong was the direct crossover between players who were able to bring the sport into other areas of their life but that has been diluted by the professional game at the highest level.
How Business can help and benefit from the development of sporting programmes in schools and colleges will be one of the key areas to be discussed at The Business of Youth Sport, a Sport for Business Seminar to be held in November.
Sports Tourism Seminar at Croke Park (September 19th)
Sport for Business 20/20 at Ulster Bank HQ (October 8th)
The Business of Youth Sport Seminar (November 28th)
