Eastern Counties Rugby Union

The League game between Swaffham and Crusaders will have several extra spectators on Saturday as Eastern Counties officials come to the Norfolk club to hold a Q&A session with players and club members. This is part of an initiative for the body that administers rugby in East Anglia to get closer to its constituent members and understand the needs of grass roots clubs.

“We are sometimes accused of sitting in our ivory tower running the game in our area without really knowing our clubs,” said Eastern Counties Chairman John Phoenix, “but we have a number of people who are visiting clubs every Saturday and this is an extension of that programme.”

Phoenix, along with several other officials and RFU staff will meet players at 11:30am for an hour and then have a Q&A session over a buffet lunch with members of both clubs from 12:45pm.

Andrew Sarek, who represents Eastern Counties clubs at the RFU, said: “We did a similar exercise at Beccles Rugby Club last season and it was well received by players and members. We hope this session at Swaffham Rugby Club will be just as successful.”

It promises to be a cold afternoon in Norfolk on Saturday but if the game at North Pickenham Road, scheduled for a 2pm kick off, is cancelled, the Q&A session will still go ahead.