Plaid Cymru Dwyfor Meirionnydd The Rt Hon. Liz Saville Roberts MP and Mabon ap Gwynfor MS

Plaid Cymru Senedd Member for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, Mabon ap Gwynfor has expressed his shock that the Welsh Labour government Cabinet Secretary for Education was unaware of plans by the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) to axe 100 rugby hub officer roles across Wales and the impact this will have on the development of junior rugby amongst school age children and community clubs.

Speaking in the Senedd, Mr ap Gwynfor said Welsh Rugby Union Hub Officers were instrumental in helping school pupils and young children understand rugby, improve physical health, and strengthen social and emotional wellbeing.

Around 30,000 children across Wales have benefited from the scheme which has been part-funded by the Welsh Rugby Union and schools since 2014.

Speaking in the Senedd, Mabon ap Gwynfor MS said:

May I start by highlighting the success of Gwylliaid Meirionnydd Girls Rugby Club? And to declare an interest: my daughters are members of that rugby club. The under-12s have reached the seven-a-side finals of the Urdd competition, won the north Wales cup, and have reached the Wales national final at Rodney Parade. None of that would have happened without the support of the Welsh Rugby Union Hub officer, Euros Jones, who did excellent work going into schools and helping pupils in the schools to understand rugby, not just in terms of playing the game, but the other skills involved in rugby too. Now, unfortunately, the WRU decided to withdraw funding and to cut the jobs of the 90 Hub officers that were working across Wales and going in to schools, helping with physical education in those schools, and that is going to have an impact on the physical education of children in those schools. Were you as a government aware of the WRU’s intention to make those cuts in terms of the Hub officers? And do you believe that the decision of the WRU to cut these jobs is a wise one?

Mabon ap Gwynfor MS added:

Rugby in Wales is in the doldrums currently, with the senior teams faltering and the fan base dwindling. To grow the game, you need to nurture the grassroots and the youth by a getting them enthused in the game. That's what the Hub officers did. They provided a pathway for young people of all backgrounds to take part in the game, and we're great assistance to the schools PE offer. That has now gone and as things stands there is nothing to replace them. This is a huge loss to community rugby and extremely shortsighted.

Chair of Bethesda Rugby Club Gareth Evans said:  

When I heard that the Union was planning to get rid of the Hub Officers throughout Wales, I was speechless. The fact that so much young talent is nurtured by the Hub Officers and volunteers across the clubs is one of the few rays of light in Welsh rugby at the moment. You cannot put a price on the influence of an effective Hub Officer, not only from a rugby point of view, but also in terms of the personal development of the children and young people under their care. There are so many negative influences everywhere and the work of the Hub Officers as they encourage the children to take part in sports and to keep fit makes a big difference. Bethesda Rugby Club has been very lucky with our Hub Officers throughout the years and, as a result, we have healthy and successful Mini and Junior sections. If we lose our Hub Officer I am very worried, not only for the future, but for the present. If this is the Union's solution to the serious problems of Welsh rugby, God help us.