Changing Times
Grassroots rugby union in Yorkshire
1987-2022
In partnership
with Duncan Gawthorpe, Stuart Sheard has made an important contribution to an
ongoing debate regarding the changing face of the game in the county with their
book – ‘Changing Times: Grassroots rugby union in Yorkshire 1987-2022’.
Following on from Stuart’s previous volume, which reviewed the game’s solid
growth between 1930 and 1980, the latest one focuses on the challenging period
since the introduction of adult male leagues at all levels into the county in
1987. It takes for itself a wide remit covering schools, universities and
colleges, women, the impact of COVID as well as the adult male game. The new
opportunities for growth are explored, as are the prospects for the winners and
losers in a fast changing world.
As
the title makes clear this is a history of the impact of those leagues
primarily at grassroots level, which the authors take to mean the lowest four
divisions of the Yorkshire league structure. From a historically high-point in
1987, playing numbers in the male adult game have fallen significantly and
while this is offset to some extent by the rise in other areas it is still a
major concern and the authors examine the possible causes in some detail. All
this is well documented and incorporates contributions from many who were
involved in the grassroots game at key points over the last 40 years.
While
noting there is still a good degree of loyalty at all levels of the game in the
county, it is clear that the authors think it has changed and weakened particularly
in the longer established male world. As the numbers playing the game change so
does its character and it is interesting to read that private school products
are once again playing an increasing role at all levels but not as members of
traditional old boy clubs.
There
is no doubt that a league structure was both wanted and needed at the top-level
of the club game in the north of England. Some way had to be provided for an
ambitious junior club to rise to the top tier and provide some older senior
clubs with the jolt they needed to up their game. Lower down the proposed structure
the need was less clear cut. Some clubs that had operated for many years with
quite localised opposition wanted new horizons to open up. Others didn’t and
the end result is patchy. Whether leagues needed to be brought in at all levels
where in many cases the realities of week in week out competitive rugby were
little understood having been shunned for 80 years is perhaps doubtful in
retrospect.
The
authors present the evidence well. League rugby inevitably played an ever
greater emphasis on results and with them came a greater reliance on coaching
and discipline. Players had to make more time available and that was not without
issue. The ways that some grassroots clubs are now attempting to work outside
the league structure are examined but the idea that there might be a way back
to a viable more flexible, perhaps more haphazard existence which allowed for
greater freedom for the players and their social life is not pursued. Who
knows, that’s maybe something the authors are already considering.
Graham Williams
.jpg)
.jpg)