Dear colleagues,

"Slaughter and May, not that again" could well be your reaction on receiving this letter. I would not blame you, but unlike most other aspects of the fairly, disastrous, 2011 experienced by the RFU, this Report remains upon the table.

Of all the issues coming out of, what could be fairly described as a debacle, the Slaughter and May Report is the one that most directly affects our clubs.

Briefly, its adoption would lead to a wholesale disenfranchisement of clubs to the ultimate benefit of a largely, self appointed Board of Directors.

Our clubs, the current "owners" of the RFU would no longer form the membership of the Union. In the interest of "diversity" membership would be handed over to any individual who chose to apply for whatever reason.

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The Midlands Under 18 selectors will name a revised squad for next month's Divisional Festival at Broadstreet RFC near Coventry after a training session at Bedford Modern School on Sunday January 29.

The Midlands drew 19-19 with Bedford Blues Academy Under 19s at Goldington Road last Sunday but the selectors decided to delay naming a trimmed down squad after three players, hooker Lewis Grinsell (Hartpury College and North Midlands), number eight Ed Taylor (Old Swinford Hospital School and North Midlands) and prop George Beale (Bromsgrove School and North Midlands) were selected to play for an England Under 18s development side in their defeat by Wales at Newport on Tuesday.

In addition Midlands wing Colin Dickson (Ellesmere College and North Midlands) has been called into the Midlands Under 18 squad for their match against Leicester Academy at Welford Road on January 29.

The revised Midlands Under 18 squad will play Northampton Saints Academy at Broadstreet on February 5 (1pm) before returning to Bedford Modern School for a final training session ahead of the Divisional Festival where they will play London & SE on February 17 (2pm) and the North on February 19 (11am).

BOURNVILLE player/coach Jason Allen is celebrating retaining his title at the Commonwealth Judo Championships in Cardiff earlier this week.

Allen, who represents Wales through parentage, won the gold medal in the Masters -100kg category at the championships in Singapore two years ago and successfully defended his title on home soil on Monday evening.

His exploits were followed with interest at Bournville where Allen is better known as their strength and conditioning coach and a play anywhere member of their squad.

Allen, 44, retired from first team rugby last summer and has played little rugby so far this season because he has been preparing to defend his judo title.

But Bournville have recently re-registered him for league rugby and Allen will be back in action for the south Birmingham club next week.

Eight North Midlands players will take part in the Midlands Under-16 Final Trial at Wilmslow HS in Cheshire on January 28 (2pm).

Full-back Jon Hughes (RGS Worcester, Droitwich and Worcestershire) and scrum-half Ben Williams (Bishop of Hereford's Bluecoat School, Cindeford and Herefordshire) will start for the Red team with prop Will Merryman (Kingstone HS, Hereford and Herefordshire) among the replacements.

The Blue team will feature scrum-half Harry Walbaum (King Edwards VI Five Ways and Greater Birmingham), lock Will Elt (King's Worcester, Worcester and Worcestershire) and flanker Josh Feek (Worcestershire) with flanker Joe Wrafter (Old Swinford Hospital School, Worcester and Worcestershire ) and centre Sam Westcott (Kingstone HS, Hereford and Herefordshire) on the bench.

After the trial the Midlands selectors will name a squad to compete in the annual Divisional Festival at Broadstreet RFC near Coventry between February 10 and 12.

North Midlands have included Oxford University scrum-half Sam Egerton in their squad for their opening match in this season's National Under-20 Championship against Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire at Moseley's Billesley Common ground on Monday January 30 (7.45pm).

Egerton, who plays his club rugby for Newport, won his first Blue at Twickenham last month when he helped Oxford defeat Cambridge in the Varsity Match and his performance helped him to win a trial with Championship club London Welsh.

Egerton played for North Midlands Under-20s last season and rejoins the county squad having been unavailable for their warm-up wins over Cheshire, Warwickshire and Oxford University.

The squad to face NLD includes Luctonians wing Alex Rumsey who marked his debut for the Under-20s with two tries at Oxford having stepped up from the North Midlands Under-18 side.

Dear Colleagues,

As you know this year's President's XV Awards supported by QBE close on February 1.

The last five years have shown the awards are a fantastic way to gather and share ideas that inspire our clubs to become stronger and reach out to their local communities.

This season's Awards, launched on November 2 by RFU President Willie Wildash, saw the introduction of some new look categories. The Awards headlined with the 'Choose Rugby-Player Recruitment Campaign' category, and introduced a new 'Playing Opportunities' category.

There are 45 awards are on offer with recipients getting a share of £10,000 to reinvest in rugby.

KEITH Kent, the RFU head groundsman at Twickenham Stadium, will be visiting clubs in North Midlands, Warwickshire, Staffordshire and Leicestershire next week.

Kent will be passing on advice on pitch maintenance to the volunteers or contractors responsible for club pitches during his three-day visit to the region.

Kent will visit Chaddesley Corbett (10am), Ludlow (12pm), Bishops Castle (2pm) and Cannock (4pm) on January 24, the first day of his visit.
On January 25 Kent will visit Wednesbury (9.30am), Dunlop (1pm), Pinley (2.30pm) and Stoke OB (4pm).

17/01/12 RFU President pays tribute to Peter Grace
17/01/12 Peter Grace statement
17/01/12 Paul Kaminski tribute to Peter Grace