Changing Times - Review

 

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

Successful Clubs - Otliensians

In Chapter Eight of 'Changing Times - Grassroots rugby union in Yorkshire 1987-2022' we feature a number of clubs both large and small from different parts of the county.

Some of the clubs operate in the top Northern or Yorkshire divisions others much lower down the pyramid. Some of the clubs have impressive modern facilities others much more modest. If success is only judged on 1st XV results then a number of the clubs featured would not be included in the chapter.

We leave it to the reader to decide whether the clubs we decided to include are successful.

Otliensians

Otliensians really struggled during the 2021-22 season. Playing numbers had been in decline for a number of years. Only fifteen years earlier the club had been able to field four teams and that became two in 2019, just a year after Otliensians had won the RFU Junior Shield at Twickenham. By 2021 the club was only able to field one adult team. Many of the club’s problems in 2021-22 were caused by the Covid pandemic but with only one team the loss of two or three experienced players had a big impact on results and also the club’s ability to field a team every week. Otliensians facilities are not as impressive as some of the other clubs featured in the case studies. However, they do have a small welcoming clubhouse well maintained changing rooms, two full size pitches and three junior pitches. The club was relegated to Yorkshire Four at the end of 2021-22 season and is finding that the level of competition in that division means that they are able to field a team that can compete. Off field there is a group of former players, the majority of them well past state retirement age, who give their time willingly to ensure that the ground is well maintained, clubhouse and dressing rooms are clean and the pitch prepared for the weekend’s fixtures. The club is optimistic about the future, former players have returned to the club and a colts team shared with Otley, their professional neighbours, should ensure a supply of young players in the coming years.

If you would like to buy a copy of the book please email me using the address on the Home page of this website.

Lost Rugby Union Clubs - South Yorkshire

Between 1987 and 2022 fourteen South Yorkshire rugby union clubs went out of existence. Some of those clubs appeared to be well established and were able to organise multiple teams while others just managed to field one team and, as result, were often unable to cope with the loss of a few key players.

Rossington Hornets RUFC

Rossington Hornets were an unusual rugby union club in that they managed to become established in a village that had always been seen as a rugby league stronghold.

In 2005 the newly formed rugby union club took over the facilities at Rossington Miners Welfare that the amateur rugby league club also known as Rossington Hornets had previously used.

Rossington Hornets RUFC

The club played in the lower Yorkshire divisions and apart from the early years struggled to win many games. The team was made up initially of former rugby league players augmented by a number of young players brought to the club by their first coach. Unfortunately, Rossington’s lack of success meant that good players often moved to more established Doncaster clubs and for their last two seasons Rossington struggled both to raise a team and win games. The club folded in 2017 having finished bottom of Yorkshire Six.

What happened to the other thirteen South Yorkshire Clubs and rugby union in Yorkshire between 1987 and 2022?

'Changing Times - Grassroots rugby union in Yorkshire 1987 - 2022'

The book costs £9.99 plus post and packing. For further details please email me using the address on the Home page of this website.

 Lawrie Stirling XV

1971

In late 197 I was invited to play for a Lawrie Stirling XV at the Stairfoot ground against Barnsley. Lawrie had a long association with Barnsley Rugby Club and the majority of the players invited by Lawrie had some connection with Barnsley. I had played for Barnsley from  January 1970 until the beginning of December 1973 when I left the club to concentrate solely on rugby league.

Over the past few years I have attempted to find out why the game was played, but with no success. However, I managed to discover that the game took place on 29th December 1971. Surprisingly, the photograph below that confirmed who played was sent from San Diego by Martin Lodge, one of the players invited to play in the game. Martin had been in contact with Duncan Gawthorpe in order to buy a copy of Changing Times - Grassroots rugby in Yorkshire 1987-2022 the book that Duncan and I recently published.

The photograph gives the names of the players but no information on why it took place.

 NEW BOOK

NOW IN PRINT!

My latest book is a collaboration with Duncan Gawthorpe a former team mate from my days at Barnsley Rugby Union Football Club in the 1970s.

This book looks at the key elements that impact grassroots rugby union clubs in the county. It paints the background against which the game and the leagues have changed and considers the factors that are linked to those changes. The authors have gathered information about many grassroots clubs to illustrate their findings.

 The book costs £9.99 plus post and packing £12.50 in total

If you would like to buy a copy please email me at:

enquiries {at} dropkickbooks [dot] co (dot) uk

NEW BOOK: 50 YEARS OF YORKSHIRE RUGBY UNION 1930-1980

 

Available from ypdbooks.com

Follow the link below 

 https://www.ypdbooks.com/non-fiction/1982-50-years-of-yorkshire-rugby-union-1930-1980.html

Yorkshire Rugby Union in the 1940s

World War Two had a massive impact on all sport in the County and although a number of Yorkshire clubs did manage to play regular fixtures during the War many closed down as soon as War was declared. Some clubs that had initially closed down found, at the end of September that they still had sufficient players available and keen to play and so they organised fixtures for the first part of the 1939/40 season. However, the terrible winter weather of early 1940, the impact of petrol rationing and probably the loss of some of their leading players to the forces caused many of those clubs to close down for the duration of the War. The clubs that did play all the wartime seasons often depended on players from other local clubs. A Serviceman home on leave who wanted a game of rugby on a Saturday would be welcomed with open arms irrespective of which club he had played for pre-war.

  

Harrogate Old Boys 1940

There were only eleven Yorkshire clubs that played in all six wartime seasons. Those clubs were often kept going through the enthusiasm of one or two officials or because of a merger with neighbouring clubs. The merger usually meant they had a bigger pool of players to call upon and probably some additional officials. Organising regular fixtures in wartime wasn’t an easy task. In the case of the York club that task was made even more difficult when its ground was requisitioned and ploughed up to grow crops. York lost its ground in October 1939 but despite having no home ground York played in every wartime season by borrowing any pitch that was available in the City, including Clarence Street, the home of the local professional rugby league club. There were two clubs that only played during World War Two. Wakefield Old Boys and Hunslet Engine Company hadn’t existed pre-war but had full fixture lists right through to April 1945 when they both disbanded and the players returned to the clubs they had played for pre-war.

When the War in Europe ended in May 1945 it left insufficient time for many of the clubs that hadn’t played during the War to get ready to re-start in September. After six years of inactivity some grounds were in a terrible state and needed a great deal of work in order to get them ready. Many players were still in the forces and would not be returning home in time for the start of the new season. Finding playing kit was also a major problem as rationing meant that new rugby shirts were in very short supply.

Despite having all those hurdles to overcome twenty six clubs did manage to put together fixture lists and find enough players and sufficient kit and equipment in order to start their season in September or October 1945.This was a remarkable achievement given the short time since the end of the War in Europe and the fact that the War in the Pacific didn’t end until August 1945. The majority of clubs that did publish fixture lists for the 1945/46 season were those that had played right through the War or had played in some of the wartime seasons.

Huddersfield RUFC

1945/46

Surprisingly, Headingley who only played three games in late 1939 before closing down had organized a nearly full fixture list and planned to start their season on 15^th September with an away game at Waterloo. The majority of the clubs were planning to play their first fixture on either the 15^th or 22^nd of September 1945 and had gaps in their fixture list that they hoped to fill as the season got underway. There were also four additional clubs that had indicated to the Yorkshire R.F.U. that they were organizing fixtures and planned to play in the 1945/46 season.

1945/46

September 1946 saw a large increase in the number of clubs returning to action. In the County handbook for the 1946/47 season sixty nine clubs were listed as having managed to organise and publish a fixture list. Some of the sixty nine were Army or RAF bases that were still well staffed and able to play regular fixtures. Most of the clubs preparing to play in 1946/47 were only fielding one team but as the season got underway were probably hoping to raise a second team on occasions. There were twenty eight clubs listed in the handbook that hadn’t re-started or hadn’t submitted a fixture list in time for publication. Sadly a number of those clubs never returned to action after World War Two, Batley, Bohemians and Cross Gates are examples of clubs that weren’t able to re-start. The three clubs were listed again in the 1947/48 handbook but there were no fixture lists or club officials named. When the 1948/49 handbook was published all three club names had disappeared.

The 1949/50 season saw ninety one clubs publish fixture lists a figure that was nearly back to the numbers involved in the 1930s. Many of the clubs had established second and third fifteens and what Yorkshire Secretary Bob Oakes predicted in his message to clubs in the 1946/47 handbook had taken place.

‘So season 1945-46 saw the re-start of the game proper in Britain. Although play was not actually up to pre-war standard, it was clear to any observer that the old time keenness was still manifest, and today, all Clubs, Counties and Countries are looking keenly forward to next season and if perchance there is still hard spadework in plenty before all, it is felt that the game will quickly recover its old-time glory.

Bob Oakes August 1946