A delegation from Czech Rugby enjoyed a successful three-day fact-finding visit to North Midlands and Staffordshire as part of the RFU’s Unity Project.
The seven-strong delegation watched adult Touch rugby played at Handsworth RFC, a women’s pitch-up-and-play session at Aston OE at which former England Women’s coach Gary Street was one of the coaches and a day of activities at Midlands Three West (South) club Woodrush.
The trip reciprocated one made by officials from North Midlands and Staffordshire to the Czech Republic last August and strengthened the links between the two Midlands Constituent Bodies and the European nation.
“We had a very informative and productive visit from a delegation of the Czech Republic Rugby Union,” said RFU Area Manager Dave Southern.
“The visitors were made welcome at a variety of clubs across Staffordshire and North Midlands, including an opportunity to watch a coaching demonstration from Gary Street at his home club Aston OE, an adult Touch display at the Handsworth RFC O2 Touch centre and a very enjoyable day at Woodrush RFC including some enjoyable post match hospitality.
“A mutual development programme is currently being drawn up which will see an ongoing knowledge exchange between the Czech Republic and the two counties to help accelerate the development of rugby within the Czech Republic and I am sure will enhance rugby here.”
The Unity Project is a ground-breaking initiative in partnership with the International Rugby Board (IRB), FIRA-AER and UK Sport aimed at growing rugby in 17 European nations ahead of this year’s Rugby World Cup.
The Unity Project forms part of the legacy plans being implemented by the RFU and falls under the wider work of the IRB’s RWC 2015 rugby legacy programme, ‘IMPACT beyond 2015.’
The IRB and FIRA-AER selected the 17 countries for the RFU and its Constituent Bodies to work with over the next three years, with the project formally due to finish in June 2016. North Midlands and Staffordshire have been twinned with the Czech Republic.
The Czech delegation which visited North Midlands and Staffordshire comprised: Hana Schlangerova (Head of the Women’s Committee), Antonin Brabec (Technical Director of the Union), Tomas Tuma (Head of Referees), Tomas Kohout (Head of Youth), Daniel Benes (Unity Project Co-operation Manager and, National Sevens manager and National Assistant Coach), Ondrej Surga (Head of Legislation Committee) and Pavel Mysak (General Secretary of the Union).