News from the SRF club conference
A few notes from the SRF club conference at Bosön in Stockholm this weekend from our chairman Hans Hallstadius:
- A new gents league system was discussed: The number of games, travel distances and avoiding 80-0 games were considered as important. The final proposal is “Super 4” with Exiles, Enköping, Trojan and Pingvin, home and away games twice. To participate there will be several requirements, including minimum number of senior players, financial stability, several youth teams and no “farmaravtal” with any other team. Allsvenskan syd/väst will include 6 or 7 teams, with home and away games once. Allsvenskan north/east will include 6 or 7 teams with home and away games once. Playoffs will take place with 1st and 2nd place from allsvenskorna. The final winner will be offered the opportunity to challenge the last team in “Super 4” if the requirements above are in place.
- For ladies a nation wide series was proposed: About 8 teams, single meetings i.e. 7 games. Possibly there may be a playoff at the end, however many at the meeting were against this. For 2023 the outcome from 2022 season should be evaluated. Did it work? Any adjustments required? A common pot of travel money was also discussed to support teams with many distant journeys. A clear wish is to make the teams in Skåne grow so that Lugi, Malmö and Pingvin can participate as individual teams. Can regional 10’s games be a way forward?
- 7’s was debated a lot. Several arguments against were brought up: According to conclusions from Rugby Europe it doesn’t make rugby grow, it is a very different game, hence only some players will be good at it and the investments on the national 7’s team last years have been embarrassingly large. 10’s could be a better investment for growth. The league proposals will be distributed for revision. Then the games schedules will be prepared and distributed asap to allow proper planning of other activities during 2022 – tournaments, Danish games, holidays, etc.