Channel Island costs ‘a problem’

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JERSEY RFC’s promotion to National League 2 East has only exacerbated an existing problem relating to travel costs and players’ welfare when playing Guernsey RFC.

The paltry £2,000 allowance from the RFU is nowhere close to the £6,000-£7,000 cost in airfares when travelling to Guernsey and clubs will face a similar burden to fulfil their fixtures against Jersey. When you add in the fact that players usually have to travel the same day which, if adverse weather intervenes, can reduce match preparation time to less than an hour.

Given these drawbacks you can appreciate why these are fixtures that no club anticipates with any degree of pleasure.

The RFU, in conjunction with the National League and clubs, needs to resolve this quickly, firstly by increasing the travel allowance this season to minimise clubs’ financial exposure and secondly by expediting the reorganisation of the National Leagues to remove anomalies like having to make two overseas trips.

Four divisions at League 2 and two divisions at League 1 would seem a practical starting point.

Chris Assender Chairman, Westcombe Park RFC