Mark Saltmarsh, RFU Head of Education Development, said “Focus Colleges are a key pillar of the future of our work in the education sector. We will work in partnership and even greater depth with these institutions with the aim of ensuring that more of those in the key 16 to 19 year old age band want to continue playing rugby into their adult years. The prospect of achieving our joint goal of keeping more young players on their rugby journey is a really exciting one.”
The selected colleges, including Tresham College will partner with the RFU at an appropriate level for the institution, from participation to performance, with emphasis on increasing the player base and developing rugby in three main areas:
Strength – Consolidating and continuing to develop rugby opportunities for college students
Transition– Improving the pipeline of players into clubs from colleges
Sustain – Improving player welfare, building capacity and improving the quality of coaches, referees and leaders in colleges
