THE TIMES ARE CHANGING

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1 FLASH INFO FLASH INFO FLASH INFO DECEMBER 2002 Special Board Meeting and General Meeting Issue # 30 MESSAGE SAVOIR EVOLUER AVEC SON TEMPS THE TIMES ARE CHANGING We were sad for a long time during the General Meeting. The cold scalpel of the IRB had just cut our flesh and severed a 35-year-old, healthy, robust and well constituted child from the FIRA AER family: the U19 World Championship. It is a logical decision within the Board s Regionalisation policy. But it was painful for the European pioneers of the development of the Game. Then, reason took over sentiments and Jean-Claude BAQUE found the morale of the event: We need to adapt as times are changing. Wise and philosophical conclusion! Finally, the monumental Syd Millar, the IRB acting Chairman, with undisputable sincerity, was a solace to all of us: Thank you for this accord which we greatly need to conduct our global development policy. Thanks for the way FIRA AER, with France as a leader, contributed to the Development of the Game in the world, better and more than the other Unions. You are the leading Region. Your work is positive and an example. The Six Nations and the IRB can take some inspiration from your way of operating. Your volunteers are exceptional. We must never forget that rugby is philosophically an amateur sport managed by amateurs. And we must make sure traditions are safeguarded. The integrity and the core values of our Game must be preserved. Thanks for your experience, your wisdom, your action. Laudable, comforting words that if FIRA AER has lost the leadership of a world organisation, FIRA AER has acquired the highest consideration of the world of rugby forever! Jean-Claude BAQUE thanked everybody for their great collective effort for last season and expressed his wishes in a familial and very serene way for the New Year. Surely, we need to adapt with our times but also and especially preserve what is vital: friendship, esteem, respect in the most perfect ecumenism. Henri GATINEAU. 9, rue de Liège PARIS Tél.: / Fax: e mail: secrétariat@fira-aer-rugby.com / Internet: Président: e mail: president@fira-aer-rugby.com Officier du développement: e mail: developpement@fira-aer-rugby.com 1

2 U17COMPETITION Group 1: SWEDEN FINLAND DENMARK NORWAY in MALMO Group 2: POLAND LATVIA LITHUANIA in GDANSK (7-11 May) Group 3: BOSNIA SWITZERLAND AUSTRIA in ZENICA (29/4-3/5) Group 4: GERMANY CZECH REP BELGIUM in LEIPZIG (29/4-3/5) Group 5: SPAIN ANDORRA PORTUGAL Group 6: CROATIA NETHERLANDS MALTA (GREECE) Group 7: ROMANIA MOLDAVIA Group 8: HUNGARY- SLOVENIA YUGOSLAVIA in BUDAPEST (14-19/5) Group 9: UKRAINE - RUSSIA GEORGIA ARMENIA Players born in Same themes as in : «1st phase after Line out and Scrum» and «Attacking Play for Second Rows» Dates: 29 April 3 May U18COMPETITION Group 1: Group 2: Group 3: Group 4: NETHERLANDS DENMARK NORWAY - FINLAND CROATIA LUXEMBOURG ISRAEL - BOSNIA BULGARIE MOLDAVIA YUGOSLAVIA - LATVIA AUSTRIA SWITZERLAND POLAND - HUNGARY Players born in Dates: 30 April 4 May U19COMPETITION Fiji s withdrawal gives the opportunity to Czech Rep. to participate in the Championship in Paris (April 2003) thanks to their second place in the European Tournament. 18 European countries shall take part in this competition (9 in Group A and 9 in Group B) out of 32 nations. U20COMPETITION Group 1: SWEDEN NETHERLANDS DENMARK GEORGIA in VAXJO (8-10 May) Group 2: POLAND or LATVIA UKRAINE RUSSIA - LITHUANIA Group 3: ROMANIA MOLDAVIA TCHEQUIE YUGOSLAVIA (P.O) HUNGARY (P.O) SLOVENIA (P.O) Group 4: GERMANY PORTUGAL SPAIN SWITZERLAND in LEIPZIG Players born in Dates: 8, 9, 10, 11 May U21COMPETITION 6 European countries shall take part in the U21 World Cup (England, Scotland, France, Ireland, Wales and Italy). No U20 Final Tournament is to be organised this year as FIRA AER does not have any further qualifier for this season. 2

3 EUROPEAN REGIONS CUP The Final was played last 22 December in PEZENAS (France) and Roussillon defeated Provence (15-9). European Champion 2002: ROUSSILLON 28 Regions have enlisted for next season from 22 nations. - The first round is to be played between April 5 and May 19 (draw to be held during the GM). BELGIUM v NETHERLANDS, DENMARK v Poland, Czech Rep. v CROATIA, YUGOSLAVIA v HUNGARY, BOSNIA v SLOVENIA, Ukraine v SWITZERLAND and LATVIA v GERMANY. - The second round is to be played between May 25 and June 16 with entries from SPAIN 1 and 2, RUSSIA 1 and 2, Italy 2, Portugal and Georgia 1 and 2. - The third round is to be played on October 11 or 12 and June 16 with entries from Wales, Italy 1, Ireland and France 1 and 2 and the 2002 Winner (Roussillon). - The fourth round is to be played on November 1 or The fifth round is to be played on November 22 or Final to be held on December 20 or WOMENS European Nations Challenge 1-4 May 2003 in Malmö (Sweden) Friday 2 May Semi finals France v Sweden and Spain v Italy. Finals to be played on Sunday 4 May May 2003 in NETHERLANDS: Friday 9 May Semi finals NETHERLANDS v DENMARK and GERMANY v NORWAY Finals to be played on Sunday 11 May. Women s European Sevens Tournament To be played in Lunel (France) on May 24 and during the Men s European Sevens Tournament. Registrations to be sent to Secrétariat FIRA-A.E.R. by next February 15. For technical information, please contact RDM S. SEVENS The European Sevens Circuit has been planned and is to be submitted to the IRB within the next few days. The IRB has delegated the organisation of this circuit to FIRA-AER. There are 9 proposed Tournaments: Amsterdam (17 May), Lunel et Prague (24 May), Sopot (31 May) Makarska (7 June), Madrid (14 June), Lisbon (21 June), Budapest (28 June), Bilissi (28 June). The Final Tournament shall be held on August 16 and in Heidelberg with the 12 nations that qualified. REFEREEING - A Referee Card is to be created following René HOURQUET s request. - Training Workshops for assessors are to be held during the season. - The number of women referees is increasing and women s should referee women s matches as much as possible. 3

4 TRAINERS AND REFEREES WORKSHOPS Level 1 at unions initiative. Level 2 with 2 to 3 nations. For Levels 1 and 2, FIRA AER may provide a trainer, upon request, for the workshop. Level 3 in Palma de Majorca (Balearic Islands) February 2003 with the following theme : Regroupings in Modern Rugby. Applicants for this workshop must be Coaches for National Team (senior, U20, U19 ) Expert Stage (Coaches and Referees) in Naples 3-7 September 2003, with Coaches and Referees. For this season, the Workshop will have all the European nations in attendance with translations available in Russian, Spanish and English. Women s Coaches Workshop in the Centre National de Rugby, Marcoussis (France), March with the following theme: Which Game for Women s? Specially for nations with newly created Women s National Teams Seven s Coaches Workshop in Lunel (France) May for National Sevens Coaches. Theme: Elite Sevens Rugby, future Olympic sport? Stage Commissioners in September 2003 Various Workshops proposed at this date Coaches and Trainers Workshops Level 1 ITALY: 6-10 May Mai June LUXEMBOURG: 1 February (9am-5pm) - 1 March (9am-5pm) Please contact Francis Serres (National Technical Director). SWITZERLAND: April or May Dates to be confirmed following agreement with the Swiss RU and the RDM s. MALTA: Dates to be confirmed Level 1. Workshop for Primary School Teachers 17 December 2002 Workshop for Secondary School Teachers July 2003 POLAND: February 2003 (Dates to be confirmed). Referees Workshops - Level 1: ITALY: 7 courses in Tirrenia. MALTA: with the «Development Officer» M. Graham RICHARDS - Dates and venue to be confirmed Coaches Workshops - Level 2: ITALY: January July POLAND: Course planned for December LATVIA, LITHUANIA, ESTONIA: Level 2 Course, Dates to be confirmed with Flemming GADE, North European and Scandinavian Zone RDO. Referees Workshops - Level 2: BELGIUM: January 2003 with GERMANY, NETHERLANDS, CZECH REP, DENMARK, SWEDEN, SWITZERLAND, AUSTRIA, BELGIUM under Kees BLAAS and Bernd GABBEI supervision. 4

5 NEWS FROM THE BOARD MEETING AND THE GENERAL MEETING Jean-Claude BAQUÉ, on behalf of all participants wished Vernon PUGH a quick and full recovery and also paid tribute for how he has always conisdered FIRA-AER. Great thanks to Société Générale, Thierry DEHESDIN, Jean-Claude POIDEVIN and Marc YGONIN as well as to their collaborators for their warm welcome and providing their modern and comfortable installations. Congratulations to Robert ANTONIN and Michel ARPAILLANGE for their IT facilitation skills for the two days. The IRB / FIRA AER Accord was executed by Syd MILLAR and Jean-Claude BAQUÉ following unanimous approval by the Participating Unions. Organisation by the ISF (International School Sport Federation) of a «World School Sevens Championship» in October 2003 in Veneto. Please contact your school sports federations for a mutual co-operation with regards to participation. Jacques LAURANS, IRB Treasurer, made a presentation on the financial revenues (RWC), assistance to Unions, competitions finances and expected revenues for Bernard LAPASSET, (with the distribution of a folder) for France and Malcolm PHILLIPS for England (from the chair table) presented their application to host RWC The Legal Committee admitted Scotland as the 38th FIRA AER Member following unanimous vote. The GM unanimously elected Malcolm PHILLIPS as the 12th Executive Committee Member. José Maria EPALZA s mandate as FIRA-AER Representative to the Board was unanimously renewed. Presentation and distribution of 2 CD Rom made by Michel ARPAILLANGE and Robert ANTONIN relating to the Sofia and Lisbon workshops and the Match Commissioners workshop in Blagnac. Nations Information and stats as well as strategic plan were presented to the participants. The analysis (survey) from the 2002 U19 World Championship in Treviso showed 90% in terms of general satisfaction with only 76% for Liaison Officers. The Italian organisers were congratulated and the 2003 organisers in Paris may use this survey as a basis for their hosting. Doctor Mombet presented the accidents stats and requested that from now on, the nature and circumstances of injuries must be noted. The obligations in the U19 World Championships Host Union Agreement shall be expanded to all competitions and courses held by FIRA AER. A Doctor and an ambulance shall COMPULSORILY be in attendance at the venue. Matches or courses may only start after acknowledgement by the match commissioner or the course director of such attendance. In exceptional circumstances, should a doctor not be able to be in attendance, the organising party shall nominate a qualified person UNDER ITS RESPONSIBILITY. The FIRA AER Insurance Policy was sent to all Unions. A summary of the guarantees shall be sent following translation in English and if possible in Spanish. Finally, for safety purposes again, a checklist of Counter indications for playing rugby will be attached; temporary, counter indications will be classified as relative or important and definitive issues. The Communication Committee presented a very positive situation Falsh Infos Issues, including the last 3 in English and French and published on the Net - above 100,000 hits for the bilingual site from 30 nations - the 2003/2004 handbook to be produced on CD-ROM format. The Committee has requested all Unions to provide pictures, reports, press articles for the site to be even more attractive. Unfortunately the Legal Committee had to deal with a few matters relating to eligibility, discipline and refereeing. The committee also worked for a few months on the IRB / FIRA AER Accord. The Sponsorship Committee is currently being restructured for a better communication and search for sponsors. The decisions will be presented within the next few months. 5

6 Bulgaria is ready to host the Congress next 20 and 21 June. Each nation was provided with a full folder. Spain applied for hosting the 2004 Congress in Palma de Majorca (Balearic Islands). Portugal received the medals for winning the Sevens European Championship. The IRB was represented by - Syd MILLAR (representing Vernon Pugh) Bernard LAPASSET, Jacques LAURANS (IRB Treasurer), Giancarlo DONDI, José-Maria EPALZA (FIRA-A.E.R. ), Malcolm PHILLIPS, - But also David CARRIGY, Robert BROPHY, Gethin JENKINS and Gilles FABRE. ADMINISTRATION Execution of the Agreement Any correspondence relating to the Committees must COMPULSORILY be sent to the FIRA AER Secrétariat by fax, or post. FINANCES Please note that any receipt (plane tickets, train fares, taxi, motorway) for travel must COMPULSORILY be attached to any refund request. 6