A FEW weeks ago I had the great pleasure of attending the Durham County Rugby Referees Annual Dinner at Gateshead Rugby Club. It was a splendid evening with guest of honour Mr John Owen, President of The Rugby Football Union. Mr Owen is a Northerner associated with Penrith RFC and he lives at Shap, so he knows about Rugby in this area.

The dinner took place on a Thursday evening and the Gateshead players were out in force training under their floodlights. The excellent Mr Owen mentioned in his speech how good it was to see “the lads” out training under lights part funded by the RFU.

After the dinner Mr Owen mingled with various representatives from Durham clubs asking and answering questions on rugby.

I had to get my two penn’orth in with regard to a sculpture that is to be placed in Twickenham stadium at a cost of almost half a million pounds, of a line-out.

He almost apologised, saying it was commissioned two years ago, before the credit crunch. I also asked did he realise that the floodlights which the RFU so generously funded for various clubs are now too expensive to maintain or even switch on!

I also had to ask what the RFU were doing to redress the issue of clubs ‘going under’ at an alarming rate and the even worse problem of clubs now running fewer teams. It seems to be an ongoing problem, not helped by the RFU allowing Sky TV to show the upcoming internationals and therefore playing to a smaller audience, with less potential for new players starting the game.

The national press this week have said how much revenue the RFU have in their coffers but also said that the game at club level is struggling.

One last thing. Well done to Sedgefield Rugby Club who are now up and running again. That is good to see.

Malcolm Rolling, Durham