Minutes of AGM 2025 on 01 July 2025
Minutes from the AGM Leigh Rugby Club 1st July 2025
Fred Swarbrick – Opened Meeting
Present
Tim Harper - Manchester RFC
Lindsay Kirby MADREF
Aaron Howorth RFU
Geoff Parkes - Warrington
Ian Mac - Bury
Bruce Henderson - Preston Grasshoppers
Andy Daniels - Broughton Park
Don Edmondson - Eccles
Gopal Malhotra North Manchester
Derek Leake - Leigh
and all of the committee apart from Ian Cosens and Peter Rhodes
Apologies (Ian Cosens) and Peter Rhodes
Chairman’s report – on the website. Referenced minutes from 2024 meeting with no action required
Greg King – finance report. Finances in a healthy place. Benevolent fund balance £9857, down slightly on last year. Spent c£2,000 and collected c£1,300.
Losing Halbro as a sponsor, every team getting a Halbro kitbag as their parting gift (sponsorship was in the form or kit rather than money).
John Powell – fixture secretary report. Completion rate of games 78%, exactly the same as season before. 520 changes to fixtures in the season due to weather, agreed postponements etc. One of the best completion rates in the country. Lower leagues (div 4 and 5) much improved. Completion rates much higher if dissolved games re-instated.Of 149 teams 20 teams left – 7 within the first month, 6 more before February and 7 towards the end. Of the 20 who have left, 12 are back for the new season, the rest are new teams. Cup competitions a huge success – 7 finals at Macclesfield and New Brighton. 10 applicants to host next rounds of Cup finals.
Question from the floor about how to handle the Caldy situation in the Premiership division to be discussed at AOB.
Question from the floor about what happens to dissolved games – Aaron Howorth said they can be re-added via GMS, addressing the issue.
Proposals – no proposal received that had been seconded from outside of the committee.
One Proposal received from John Powel, seconded by Fred Swarbrick regarding change to Cup Rule 14 – to add the word ‘lower’ to the paragraph re Concedes. Rule overwhelmingly voted in
Concedes to be discussed at AOB
Craig Hine – Sponsorship. Thanks to Halbro. 2 new sponsors in the pipeline TBC. Ask for other sponsors, for £200 per league benefits include invite to the dinner and 10000 hits on the website per month in the biggest league structure outside of the RFU. No animosity with Halbro, they wanted to sponsor a higher level of rugby. Mark Ashley suggested a letter of thanks.
John Powell – Electronic Match Cards. These are being trialled in the Premiership and Division 1. The following went up on screen:
‘In Season 2026-2027 the completion of Match Cards will become compulsory for ALL games.
As a TRIAL we are asking the Premier League and Division 1 Teams to compete Match Cards this coming season so that we can iron out any problems that occur.
This will not become a Rule yet and as such will not incur any consequences.
Both Home teams and Away teams will have to enter the names of the players involved.
Then the Home team would enter the Score and tries scored and Submit.
This will automatically send an email to the Home and Away teams and to Fred Swarbrick as League Manager. It will also add the score to GMS which then inputs the Norwirul website.
Teams are still required to text/Whatsapp/phone in the result to Fred as usual.
Fred will monitor this and will contact teams if necessary to input the Match Cards.
The RFU via Arron Howarth will organise two seminars one remote and one at Wigan to train people involved in how to complete these cards.
One of the outcomes of this will be the ability of Teams to gain evidence to support accusations of ‘LOADING’. Any suspicions of such will require accusing teams to demonstrate the evidence. This will be sent to the County Boards Disciplinary groups via Aaron Howorth. Decision will be made in the same way as Red Card offences and 5:12 offences.’
Andy Thompson – Colts leagues already doing it. Asked if red and yellow cards need reporting, No, just score and list of players. Craig Hine asked if teams need to register / declare all players at beginning of the season – Yes, but players can be added as the season goes on. Lancashire went to a vote on it, which was overwhelmingly in favour of not using them. Aaron Howorth gets the frustration, but RFU just piloting as keen to address the issue of teams loading. Paul Riordan asked if this was also perhaps the RFU looking to gather data.
Any Other Business;
Tim Harper from Manchester Rugby Club flagged the issues in the Premier division where there is an issue between Caldy and some teams who will not play them, hence the Premier Leage having one of lowest completion rates (78%, down from 94%). John Powell - the leagues have tried to find a solution, but there is nowhere else for them to go due to RFU rules about the highest level a ‘2nd’ team can be in.
Aaron Howorth talked about RFU initiative for social rugby – mainly for lower level teams and veterans to play semi regular non-league rugby. Perfect for clubs who may nt be able to get a team out every week. Keen to ensure it does not take away from teams in our leagues. The following was put on screen:
‘The Competitions Development Officer will explore social playing opportunities with clubs not able to take part in a structured league, to develop a suitable playing format for the 2025/26 season.
This would involve teams not in the Leagues because they cannot commit to every week.
Also teams who drop out in the early part of the season.
Also teams who have to leave the leagues due to too many concedes.
They will organise matches in mini leagues or mini tournaments.’
MadRef discussion – Lindsay Kirby opened up a discussion regarding Manchester and Liverpool referee societies putting in place sanctions. The follow went up on screen:
‘Meeting with Madref and Liverpool Society
Referee Association will no longer function. Societies will cover all games.
JP will E Mail Madref as soon as known about game off and GMS to be changed on a Sunday morning.
Deadline for informing game is off is FRIDAY NOON. Any games off after that the teams will be fined. Eg Concede £20 to offending team.
Agreed postponement £10 each team.
Weather or unexpected factors no sanction.’
Meeting Closed 9.15pm