RETURNING TO REAL RUGBY.
Covid-19 has been a major disruption to our game, but at Eccles RFC, we've never really stopped. From Crowdfunders to festivals, Zoom sessions to running challenges, we love our rugby at Eccles and now it's back, for real. Our Senior section have been in training for over a month and began their competitive fixtures at the weekend; our colts teams will commence thier campaigns next weekend and our Mini and Junior teams will officially return to training this Sunday 5 September.
We have a just few weeks of preparation before M&J fixtures commence. Please read the information below so we can hit the ground running and ensure a smooth start to the new season. See you on Sunday!
Ps. Our U16s have already begun thier pre-season training and will be playing Heaton Moor this Friday (KO 6.45pm) on the first team pitch so why not come down to the club to support them and start your weekend early with a social drink with your family. It's a chance for our younger players to get an idea of what they can aspire to.
SUNDAY TIMINGS AND PITCHES
After the success of staggered timings last season, teams have been grouped accordingly to help manage car parking, queuing, changing rooms and food logisitics.
U5/U6
Training - 10am-11am
Game Day - n/a
Location - 3G 'Astro' Pitch
U7/U8
Training - 10am-11am
Game Day - 10:15 meet, 10:30 kick off.
Location - School Pitches
U9s / U10s / U11s / U12s / U13s / U13 Girls
Training - 10:30 am-11:30am
Game Day - 10:30 meet, 11:00 kick off.
Location - School Pitches
U14s
Training - 10:30 am-11:30am
Game Day - 10:30 meet, 11:00 kick off.
Location - Under the tunnel pitch 4 (unless instructed otherwise)
U16s
Training - 10:20 am - 12pm
Game Day - 10am meet changing room, 10:20am warm up, 11:00 kick off.
Location - Under the tunnel pitch 3 (unless instructed otherwise)
Membership and Playing Kit
All players must renew their affiliation (registration) and purchase their Eccles RFC club membership ASAP using RFU GMS on this link https://gms.rfu.com/GMS/Account/Login
If you need assistance with this, contact your team manager or email membership@ecclesrfc.org.uk
All mini and Junior players will wear our new 2021/22 season kit. Please ensure you have paid your initial membership fee of £40 at least (£25 for U5s and U6s on the AstroTurf) before kits arrive mid-September onwards. The remaining balance will be collected via direct debit instalments.
Pre-Arrival Register
At the request of the RFU, all parents must continue to complete a Proactive declaration for their child before they attend. This will continue to safeguard all members whilst compiling a session register which is useful for team managers. Team coaches will continue to use the same app to record a safety check of the playing area before the session commences.
Training
Midweek training is on a Wednesday evening at 6:30pm, on the school pitches for U11s and above. Rugby is a full contact game and attendance at training is not only important to a player's fitness and physical readiness to play, but also for them to learn the new 'rules of play' that will begin January 2022.
The period from September 2021 until the new year will allow all age-grade players (U5-U18) to catch up on the lost months of rugby development due to COVID, gradually transitioning from the age-grade rules of last season. i.e for example, the new U8s will adopt U7s rules not play U8 tag rugby until 2022. For example u17s will not be permitted to play adult open age rugby until 2022.
Changing Facilities
We encourage players to arrive ready to train or play. Changing Rooms will be allocated weekly and team managers will provide direction for players. Showers will be available. After Rugby, if your child is muddy, please ensure you provide a change of clothes and all children remove their boots when entering the club house. Please do not leave boots in a pile in the porch - bring a boot bag!
Food
Food will be provided for all players, after training and after competitive fixtures. Our kitchen and cafe will be open for breakfasts, coffee and teas, for all visitors as usual. COVID restrictions have been relaxed but we encourage all visitors to be respectful of others by observing appropriate social distancing and hand hygiene.
Footpaths and gates
If you've not been to the club for a few weeks you'll notice on arrival that safety improvements to the over spill car park are underway. No more dodging puddles and moving vehicles as you cut through the car park get to your game in time! There are new pedestrian gates and a new footpath to make travelling between the clubhouse changing rooms, and the 3G astro pitch or the pitches under the tunnel safer and easier. Please ensure your child uses the path. Please do not park your vehicle in the middle of the car park thereby blocking ambulance access to the pitches.
