Chichester Observer

We’ll survive and revive, say Blues

- Steve Bone www.chichester.co.uk/sport Follow @stevebone1 for local sport updates

Bosses at Chichester Rugby Club say the hard work of many people means they should emerge from the lockdown as a strong unit on and off the pitch.

It’s nearly three months since the Oaklands Pavilion shut its doors and matches and training came to a halt, and it’s too early to say when rugby and other activies will resume.

But club chairman Paddy Mcapline says CRFC have moved from a ‘survive’ phase to a ‘sustain’ phase – and are working on the ‘revive’ period that will follow.

Plans are being laid for the new season, when Chi’s first XV will again play in London one south and will again be supported by a network of other teams, including youth and ladies’ XVS.

In a message to CRFC members and supporters, Mcalpine said it had been an ‘extraordin­arily challengin­g time’. He said: “CRFC has safely progressed from a ‘survive’ phase as a rugby club to one of ‘sustain’, in other words keeping the facilities available for our return without burdening ourselves with excessive debt.

“Paul Stanton (honorary treasurer) and Jo Pulleyblan­k (his designated relief) have worked wonders to agree with local authoritie­s, all our service suppliers and financial partners to minimise the monthly cost of owning, maintainin­g and

Rugby will return to Oaklands Park in due course – and club officials are working hard to keep the club going

running Oaklands Pavilion.

“Notwithsta­nding an unforeseen event, the work Paul and Jo have done means the income provided by our pre-lockdown business model and a government grant should see us through to the end of August.

“After that date we will approach the RFU and our club sponsors and use annual membership subscripti­ons to help re-establish our rugby life up at Oaklands again.

“We will continue to closely monitor our cashflow.

“Sustaining CRFC is not just about looking after Oaklands Pavilion, it’s also

about staying connected with all our members, young and old. It’s about retaining that sense of community and the strong bonds of friendship that lie at the very core of our values as a rugby club.”

Mcalpine said the senior players’ team support group (had held regular virtual meetings to assess last season, recruit and prepare for the 2020-21 campaign.

Paul Colley (director of rugby), Scott Ashley (head coach) and Mark Norton (senior coach) are hosting senior player webinars analysing performanc­es and discussing strategies.

Tim Cook and Ben Polhill, both now coach-players, are monitoring individual­s’ training and aim to make Chi RFC players become the fittest in their leagues.

Mcalpine said: “Iain Collyer is now colts manager and is starting to bring that hugely important and muchmissed part of our rugby club back after a two-year absence.

“Jules Boyce, who brought women’s rugby back to Oaklands last season, is recruiting players and looking for sponsorshi­p. Walter Womersley (mini and junior chairman) is working with a core planning team to make the co-ordination of the huge M&J section easier, more efficient and ultimately more enjoyable.

“And president Gareth Webb and Nigel Creasy (vicepresid­ents’ chairman) are working on plans for the introducti­on of the 1926 Club, with informal gatherings before home matches and other events.

“In summary, much is being done to ‘sustain’ CRFC such that we are as prepared as we can be for the new, ‘better normal’ post Covid-19 lockdown world.

“I expect CRFC to start the ‘revive’ phase later this summer that will set us up for the eventual return to playing community rugby in accordance with government and RFU guidelines.

“It is too early to speculate how this might look and whether safety and medical guidelines will allow the top floor of Oaklands Pavilion to be used in September.”

Outdoor provision of food and drink is being looked at, while thought is being given to the car park and pitch0view­ing areas for the time when people can watch rugby once more.

“We will all need to adapt to very changed circumstan­ces, improvise as best we can and overcome the challenges we will face as a rugby club. When it returns, rugby will not be like it was, at least in the early months.

“We are sustaining collective­ly as a club and we will revive rugby as soon as we are allowed to.”

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