PRESIDENTS UPDATE - SEASON CANCELLED

Hi all

I hope you and your family are keeping well during this unprecedented time.

Regrettably, I am writing to inform you that an announcement was made today by the NSW Government that all winter community sport in NSW will now officially cease for 2021, including the cancellation of the Sydney Rugby Union Premiership across all Grade, Colts, Women’s and Junior competitions.

For historical context it will be the first season since 1918 when the Shute Shield won’t be decided or completed. Please click here to see NSW Rugby Union's offical media release.

Some of our political leaders might have thought that COVID vaccination wasn’t a race, but like them, we were all likely lulled into a false sense of security prior to the Delta variant reaching our shores and ultimately toppling any hope we had to complete season 2021.

The competition itself and on field success are usually all that is required to reward and thank all of our many stakeholders. With the return of our Super Rugby players and a long list of injured players in late June we were looking forward to being ever more competitive in the run up to the finals series. Sadly, it was not to be.

So with our competition abandoned, I sincerely want to thank all our outstanding players, staff, coaches, medical team, volunteers and board members for your considerable efforts during the year and I know how disappointed they all are that it has ended in this way. I would especially like to publicly acknowledge the efforts of our outstanding GM Mark Harrison during what has been a very testing couple of years since he took on this position. We are indeed fortunate to have a Wicks man of his calibre in the saddle to guide us through this period.

To our sponsors and partner your loyalty and support is unsurpassed and as a community we are are indebted for your support and hope to repay your loyalty with interest over the next few years. I would ask all in our community to continue to support our sponsors products or services if they can in anyway.

Whilst obviously disappointed we couldn’t complete season 2021, as a board and management team we are moving with energy and focus to build on what was achieved this year to ensure success in 2022. Our priorities over the next few months are to:

• Review the year that was and move quickly to make adjustments and appointments for 2022.

• Continue contact and engagement with all existing players to ascertain commitment for next year. Initial indications are that player retention will be high with many suggesting there is lots of unfinished business.

• Design, prepare and support off-season development programs and implement them safely.

• Rollout our plans for player recruitment and retention in Grade and Colts.

• Appoint a resource to be our Women’s Rugby Co-ordinator for next year.

• Further engage with our sponsors to continue promotional plans in the off season and for 2022.

• Assist and encourage players and officials in receiving their COVID vaccinations.

We will also be contacting our loyal Sayle Season Ticket Holders shortly with further information and options to make up for the shortfall of home games delivered in 2021.

There is no doubt that across our society generally and for the sport of Rugby that the pandemic will have long term implications. The financial under pinnings of our competition have been rattled and with two years of COVID interruptions and there is a risk that players may be lost to the game.

Given our relative financial strength and the resolve of our board and management team, I am confident that we can turn the risk to our advantage and be in a very strong position to be a force across all grades in 2022.

Thanks once again for your support and goodwill in what turned out to be a very difficult and frustrating 2021.

Keep safe and Up the Wicks!

John Tuxworth

President

Randwick Rugby Club