Committees

Middlesex Rugby Officers

Management Committee

The Management Committee ensures that the activities required to support our clubs and players in the development of rugby across the County take place as planned. Its Terms of Reference are:

• Manage the affairs of the County
• Prepare, in conjunction with the RFU Area Manager, the Strategic Plan, the annual Action Plan and the annual Budget of the County to reflect the strategies necessary to implement the policies of the County and the RFU. Regularly monitor, review, amend and report to the member clubs and the Groups as necessary
• Make policy recommendations to the Annual General Meeting
• Receive, approve and act upon as necessary the recommendations of the Standing Committees
• Delegate as necessary the approval of any contracts, commitments and expenditure to the Hon Secretary, the Hon Treasurer or Standing Committee Chairmen
• Co-ordinate and monitor the work of the Standing Committees
• Ensure the County works to achieve the objectives of the RFU, to support its member clubs and to develop the playing of rugby in all forms within Middlesex

The Management Committee consists of the County Officers and the chairmen of the standing committees:

Chair: Eddie Keal
President: Nigel Orton 
Hon Secretary: Dr Tim Miller
Hon Treasurer: Charles Portsmouth
Vice Chair: Bob Lawless
Deputy President: Andrew Smart
Rugby Development: Fred Cracknell
Club Development: Andrew Walker
Representative Rugby: Marl Coles
Competitions: Andrew Smart
Finance: Charles Portsmouth
Governance: Tim Miller
Group Chair: Andrew Smart
Independent Non-Executive: TBA
Chair of Communications: Waheed Aslam
RFU Council Representatives: Eddie Keal, Andrew Smart
Assistant Hon Secretary: Simon Hardcastle (co-opted)

Competitions Committee

The Competitions Committee Terms of Reference are to:

• Manage and administer all Club Competitions and recommend appointments of officials to help administer league rugby
• Promote competitions that cater for the development and retention of players

The Competitions Committee is responsible for the management of the RFU league system for Middlesex clubs, the running of the Middlesex Cup, Bowl and Vase competitions, the Griffin Cup women’s cup competition, and the running of the Middlesex Merit Table.

Chairman: Andrew Smart
Vice Chairman: Jon Clapham
Secretary: Inigo Churchill
Middlesex Cup: Lyndon Walters
Middlesex Bowl: Lyndon Walters
Middlesex Vase: Andrew Smart
North West Floodlit Cup: Andrew Smart
Griffin Cup (Women): Jok Dunbar
Vets Cup: Steve Partridge
Chairman, London & SE Division Organising Committee: David Williams
Co-opted RFU Representative: Paul Astbury
Hertfordshire Competitions Chairman: Peter Brady
League Secretaries: Paul Astbury (London & SE Premier), Andrew Smart (London 1 North), Jon Clapham (London 2 North West), David Williams (London 3 North West), Simon Embleton (Herts/Middx 1), Vic Devers (Herts/Middx 2)
Merit Tables: Middlesex Merit Table: Andrew Smart
Middlesex Merit Table Cup: Steve Partridge
Herts/Middx Merit Table: Fred McCarthy
Vets Merit Table: Andrew Smart

Rugby Development Committee

The Community Rugby Committee looks after rugby at club level throughout the County. Its Terms of Reference are to:

• Develop and implement plans in conjunction with the RFU professional staff to support the County in achieving its Strategic Objectives in relation to:
  • More players, officials, volunteers and partnerships
  • Better club and community facilities
  • Greater social inclusion and ethnic diversity
  • Helping clubs become more sustainable
  • Enjoyment for ALL
• Ensure that the plans include the following:
  • Volunteers – Develop and strengthen volunteering within the County by working with the RFU volunteer executive and club volunteer coordinators
  • Women & Girls – Facilitate the growth in the women & girls game at club level
  • Students – Strengthen and grow all student rugby with an adult game outcome
  • Schools & the Wider Community – Develop a single reporting channel for non-club U6 – U18 rugby
  • Mini & Junior Rugby – Provide support, help and appropriate competitions for clubs who have mini or youth sections
  • Club Development – Provide support for all clubs to become more sustainable in terms of player base, facilities and RFU Accreditation
  • Club Referee & Coaching Development – Encourage the growth of club refereeing and coaching coordinators
  • Fixture Exchange and Player Exchange

Chair: Fred Cracknell
Integration and Partnership Manager: Bob Lawless 
Volunteer and Club Development: Andy Brooks, Kasey Allen, Graham Lee
Middlesex Schools’ Union: Davey Jones
Representative Rugby: Mark Coles, Hari McCormack, Richard Wilmot 

Finance Committee

The responsibilities of the Finance Committee are to:

• Assist the Treasurer in carrying out his role (as required)
• Review and make policy recommendations on all financial aspects for funding the game in the County
• Monitor the distribution of international tickets allocated to the County and make any required policy recommendations
• Monitor and review the financial stability of member clubs
• Make recommendations on grant and lottery applications to member clubs
• Implement, monitor and review systems and procedures of budgetary control for County expenditure
• Monitor, review and control all County expenditure
• Monitor and manage the performance of the County’s Investment Portfolio.

Chairman: Charles Portsmouth
Secretary: Clive Roberts
Committee members: Mark Coles, Steve Maltby, Brian Martin
Auditors: Sproull & Co, 31-33 College Road, Harrow, Middlesex HA1 1EJ

Governance Committee

The Governance Committee Terms of Reference are to:

• Advise the County, and its member clubs, on regulations rules and procedures
• Conduct periodic risk audits and advise the Officers on compliance
• Advise and monitor aspects of player safety and safeguarding.
• Act as the Disciplinary committee for the County, oversee disciplinary procedures; appoint & retire Disciplinary Panel members and chairmen; provide training opportunities and support for panel members
• Advise on refereeing matters and liaise with the London Society of RFU Referees and with all of the County’s other stakeholders, as necessary
• Monitor and advise on smooth running of the County including aspects of PR/County communications, arrangements for administration, archives and support of clubs with club development and support a fixture exchange.
• Liaise with other stakeholders
• Support and advise other County Standing and Sub-committees as required.
• Promote the ethos and core values of rugby football

Head Of Governance is the County Secretary: Tim Miller
Head of Discipline: Andy Brooks
Welfare Officer: Andrew Smart
Safeguarding Officer: Neil Horchover
Archivist: Brian Martin
Disciplinary Secretary: John Orr
Referee Liaison: Simon Hardcastle

Disciplinary Panel

Disciplinary Panels meet as necessary weekly on Mondays throughout the season. They deal with discipline matters at level five and below. Disciplinary Panel Members are:-
Andy Brooks, Nick Alway, Debbie Crossan, Gary Fielder, Bill Johnston, Roger King, Brian Martin, Piers Skinner

John Orr is the secretary of this group and it is to him that incidents of ‘ordering off’ should be reported within 48 hours of the event by email: discipline@middlesexrugby.com.  Schools discipline is dealt with by the Head Teacher and youth discipline by the club, with both instances reviewed by the Schools’ and Youth Disciplinary Secretary, Caron Evans-Evans, email: youthdiscipline@middlesexrugby.com

Group Officers Committee

The Group Officers Committee comprises the four Chairmen and Secretaries of each regional Group, as elected by the Group clubs. Its Terms of Reference are to:

• Elect its own Chairman and Secretary from those elected by Group Clubs or from County volunteers
• Ensure that the Groups meet on a regular basis
• Serve as a link between the Management Committee and member Clubs by providing a conduit for feedback and for communication
• Select focus topics for Group meetings of relevance to member Clubs
• Meet after each cycle of Group meetings is complete, receiving minutes of each meeting and determining appropriate action

Chairman: Andrew Smart
Secretary: Simon Hardcastle (LSRFUR/OMT)
North Chairman: Jon Boyle (Hampstead)
North Secretary: Debbie Stockman Rose (Harringey)
North West Chairman: Andrew Smart (Harrow)
North West Secretary: Mark Foster (OMT)
South Chairman: Jerry Rogers (London Cornish)
South Secretary: Lyndon Walters (Hammersmith & Fulham)
West Chairman: Andy Brooks (Old Isleworthians)
West Secretary: Nick Dance (Grasshoppers)

Player & Coach Development Committee

The Player & Coach Development Committee manages all representative rugby within the county, under the Team Middlesex umbrella. Its Terms of Reference cover two areas: PLAYER DEVELOPMENT:

• Ensure that there is a quality and fully transparent identification, playing, training and skill development programme supported by the very best coaching for all players representing the County
• Engage fully with all clubs, schools and universities to maintain and develop the player pathway to enable players to perform to their fullest possible potential and to the highest level of their aspirations, skill and experience
• Meet regularly to discuss on-going playing development issues and evaluate progress with the RFU Coach & Player Development Officer (CPDO), directors, managers and coaches of all the playing sides
• Ensure that the Playing Budget is adequate and controlled
• Liaise with the appointed Academy in relation to the Developing Player Programme

Chair of Representative Rugby: Mark Coles
Deputy Chair of Representative Rugby: Hari McCormack
Team Middlesex Admin: Nicky Fielder
Senior Player Development
Senior Rugby Manager: Jack Bairstow
Youth & Boys Player Development
U20 Team Manager: Jerry Hedigan
U18 Team Manager: Mark Gardiner
U17 Team Manager: Chris Hitchcock
Women & Girls’ Development
Senior Women Team Manager: Gerald Dolan
Girls U18 Manager: Chris Mason
Girls U16 Manager: Charlotte Soper

Middlesex Coaching Association

Chairman: Bob Lawless
RCD Irish Representative: Richard Hicks
Academy Manager: Patrick O’Grady
Secretary: Camilla Hulf
RFU Coaching Development Officer: Grant Hathaway
Coach Development: Sinan Rabi & Hari McCormack

Middlesex Schools RFU

Hon President: Bob Lawless
Chairman: Davey Jones
Hon Treasurer: John Wilson
Disciplinary Secretary: Caron Evan-Evans
Committee Members: Kevin Moran

Middlesex 7s Committee

The Sevens committee is responsible for organising and managing the annual Middlesex 7s Festival at the conclusion of the playing season. The Terms of Reference of the 7s Committee are to:

• Organise, promote and manage an annual adult Sevens competition at a suitable venue for Middlesex Affiliated and Associate member clubs and universities and invitation teams, excluding clubs from the professional leagues (RFU levels 1 and 2) but including other clubs in temporary membership, student and university bodies, women’s rugby clubs and women’s sections of any member club
• Ensure the competition is organised so that participating teams play at their appropriate league, merit, Bucs or designated level
• To manage the competition on a minimum break-even financial basis

Chairman: Mark Coles
Secretary: Steve Partridge
Treasurer: TBC

Middlesex Representatives on other Committees

RFU Council: Andrew Smart, Eddie Keal
London & South East Division: Bob Lawless