Lancashire RFU

We attended a Zoom meeting this week where the RFU Competitions Department set out their plans for the end of season “Cups”. The league programme for most of the clubs in the country has been extended by at least 1 week due to the recent inclement weather with most of the re-arrangements being played Saturday 25th March. We (adm Counties Leagues) do have some games re-arranged for the 1st April due to further postponements.

The 25th March was planned to be the launch day for the new National Cup it will now be moved to the 1st April. At this moment in time all we can say is League games take precedent over Cup games and if one of our Clubs who have entered the Cup have a game arranged for the 1st April then that club will have to make a tough decision of conceding the League game and the subsequent point deductions which will be imposed or withdrawing from the cup. Hardly an ideal situation and casts further shade on the premise of an end of season “cup window”.

It was also confirmed that the new “Papa Johns National Cup” Draw will be a straight knockout competition at Level 7 and below. This means that 50% of the clubs who enter will finish their season on the 1st April. More information will be in the next RFU Community Game Update this week.

As for our League Cups we are stuck in a difficult predicament. Nine of the twelve Clubs in adm Counties 1 have entered the National Cup, three from adm Counties 2 and further 11 clubs from adm Counties 3 and 4. We are currently considering a Group Stage combined cup for adm Counties 1 & 2 (4 Groups of 3 Teams) giving each club 1 Home and 1 Away fixture in April with the Group Winners playing off for a final spot. Something similar will be arranged for the remaining 9 clubs in Counties 3 & 4. We will need confirmation that clubs want to compete in the League Cup asap and to that end League Secretaries will be contacting clubs not involved in the National Cups in the next few days.

adm League Management Committee