Committees

ERFSU Committee

The ERFSU Committee is made up by the elected members from their County Schools Unions or Divisions. All members are expected to attend all the ERFSU Committee meetings of which there are three a year.

The AGM is usually held on the first Saturday in July, and the Financial AGM in the first two weeks of November.

ERFSU Sub Committees

ERFSU Talented Player and Coach Development Group
Chair: Keith Gee

• To promote awareness of the educational considerations attached to the progression of talented young players in the game.
• To monitor and comment on the effectiveness and appropriateness of the educational opportunities made available to talented young players involved in the England Regional Academies programmes.
• To advise talented players, their parents, schools and colleges and club managements in respect of education choice and possible professional careers in rugby.
• To facilitate the development and advancement of talented coaches from the schools’ game.

Competitions Sub-Committee
Chair: Brian Welford

• To support the RFU professional staff in the running and organisation of the National Competitions.
• To encourage all CSUs to run festivals and competitions at a wide range of age groups.
• To develop templates which can be adopted by CSUs in the running of their competitions. This to include tournaments, festivals and seven aside events.
• To monitor competition regulations in liaison with the RFU legal department and the ERFSU Governance.
• To work with the RFU staff in formulating competition risk assessment forms.
• To encourage liaison between festival and tournament organisers and seek to avoid date clashes.
• To advise the ERFSU Executive Committee on competition policy covering all levels of competition.
• To encourage all National Competition Organisers to have an ERFSU representative on their Committee.
• To support and encourage the development of new competitions covering gender and across the whole range of schools.

Rugby Development Committee
Chair: Andrew Wilesmith

• To work with the Head of Education Development, Schools Development Manager and Area Development teams.
• To encourage, support and develop the playing of rugby by boys and girls at all age groups and levels in all schools.
• To encourage schools to become affiliated to ERFSU.
• To promote and monitor the delivery of coaching, refereeing and volunteering programmes to all schools.
• To facilitate liaison between schools and clubs to make possible, where appropriate, the sharing of resources and to aid the transition of school players to senior club rugby.
• To encourage liaison between schools and universities to assist player retention.
• To make schools aware of resourcing opportunities.

ERFSU Governance Sub-Committee
Chair: David Turner
• To advise ERFSU Executive Committee and RFU Schools & Youth Governance Sub-Committee on matters relating to the governance of Schools Rugby.
• To consider matters relating to the governance of school rugby as directed by ERFSU Executive Committee.
• To review and evaluate the procedures, rules and regulations of ERFSU, including its competitions, and to propose amendments.
• In response to advice from the Discipline Officer, to monitor and make recommendations on disciplinary matters and procedures relating to school rugby.
• To review and make recommendations on the schools’ content of the Schools and Youth Directory, other Schools and Youth communication and web content.

CSU Working Group
Chair: Robin Websdale

• To conduct audits of CSU activities and initiate appropriate actions arising from such an audit.
• To ensure that CSUs are operating in accordance with ERFSU published guidelines in terms of composition, function and accountability.
• To promote best practice in respect of the operations and activities of CSUs as defined in ERFSU published guidelines.
• To ensure that each CSU has in place appropriate plans and strategies to ensure local delivery of ERFSU programmes and to advise on and assist the planning of appropriate local programmes

Nominations Panel
Chair: David Winter

• To consider succession planning, taking soundings with members of the Full Committee as necessary.
• To encourage competent candidates to apply for vacant officer positions and to make recommendations to ERFSU Executive Committee.
• To review membership of ERFSUs committees including working groups.
• To help develop the expertise and competences of Full Committee members.
• To consider nominations for awards and make recommendations to ERFSU Executive Committee.