To All the Morris Rugby Family,

I hope this finds you well and healthy.

It has been a difficult few months for all of us and, although it was hoped we might get some rugby this spring, it has now been confirmed by Rugby NJ that the spring season will not be completed for High School and below. USA Rugby had already cancelled any sanctioned games and practices for all levels until at least the end of May, but that may be extended. We all miss our rugby, but this is particularly hard for our senior High School players who will not get to enjoy their final season — for them I feel particularly sad but wish them much success in their future careers, education and of course rugby careers. (Click here for a list of our graduating seniors.)

The trustees had our monthly meeting on Sunday May 1st and, with the ongoing concerns and based upon the information available to us at the present time regarding COVID-19, we made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 summer flag program. We felt that for the health of players, coaches and parents, plus the uncertainty of field availability, we had no choice at this stage but to cancel. Anyone who has already registered will receive a refund in the next few weeks. The plan is to be back better than ever in 2021.

We also decided that although golf courses have reopened recently, and upon discussion with the staff at Farmstead Golf and Country Club, that we would postpone the golf outing planned for June 18th until later in the year. The hope is we can then have a Morris Rugby Golf Outing in some format. Keep an eye out for more information.

Mennen Arena, May 2020

On a positive note, the pitch at Mennen Arena is looking great and will be in great condition when we return to play. A huge thank you to Tom Feury, Dave Ramage, and members of the men’s team for your help with maintenance of the field which has included seeding, fertilizing and aeration as outlined in the maintenance plan put together by Tom Feury.

Also, on May 9th USA Rugby announced that new bylaws have been ratified which will allow for the development of four National Councils to represent Youth & High School, Collegiate, Senior Clubs and International Athletes. Each council will have its own board and there will be representation from each council on the board of USA Rugby. This will hopefully allow for better community representation moving forward and allows USA Rugby to continue operations with a new leadership structure. Obviously, there is a lot more work to be done but hopefully this is a positive move for the game.

As we move into the warmer months, I look forward to seeing some of you, mindful of social distancing of course.

Stay Healthy,

Andrea Matthews
President
Morris Rugby Corporation
[email protected]

Posted in Coaching, Corporation, Events, Masters, Meetings, Men's, Newsletter, NJ Rugby, Teams, Teamwork, U12 U14 Boys, U14 Girls, U18 Boys, U18 Girls, Women's, Youth Teams