The latest news and updates from across the Wales Rugby Union, collected for October 2020.

The Welsh Rugby Union joined forces with Minecraft: Education Edition and Hwb, the Welsh Government’s digital platform for learning and teaching to successfully launch ‘The Club of the Future Challenge’ on Monday 5th October.  This unique competition is part of an exciting, first of its kind partnership to use rugby and the digital gaming platform – Minecraft: Education Edition to enhance learning and engagement within the classroom in line with the curriculum for Wales.

The temporary suspension of community rugby in the Swansea and Cardiff areas has been lifted with immediate effect after reviewing of the situation in conjunction with the clubs within the respective Local Authorities and more than two weeks after a local lockdown was imposed…

Head Coach Wayne Pivac announced his 38-man Autumn campaign squad last week featuring seven uncapped players.

As Members will be aware, this year’s Annual General Meeting (“AGM”) of the WRU will be hosted virtually on Wednesday 28 October 2020 commencing at 7:00pm and Member representatives will regrettably not be able to attend this meeting in person.

The new Macron Wales kit, to be worn for the first time against France in Paris in ten days’ time, has been unveiled simultaneously in the private changing rooms of the national team headquarters in Hensol and the Wales Women squad’s current base in Swansea University.

The WRU Group turned over £79.9m during the year ending 30 June 2020 and was able to limit retained losses to £5.3m despite the Covid-19 pandemic. The Group’s Annual Report, published last week reveals the full impact of cancelling the final round 2020 Six Nations clash with Scotland – due to the health crisis – and describes how some 78% of income is derived from staging international matches featuring the Welsh team and the commercial activities associated with it.

The latest news and updates from across the Wales Rugby Union, collected for September 2020.

The Welsh Rugby Union has announced measures to further progress the phased return of community rugby in Wales - while still taking a safety-first approach to the resumption of the grassroots game.

Clubs will be aware that valid nominations have been received for Gareth Davies, Nigel Davies and Ieuan Evans as candidates for the available National Council Member role. We would like to remind clubs that the deadline to vote in this election is 3pm on Friday 11th September and would encourage all clubs to submit their votes as soon as possible.

Group finance director, Steve Phillips, will become interim chief executive officer of the Welsh Rugby Union when incumbent Martyn Phillips leaves the role after the next Annual General Meeting in October. Phillips will assume responsibility for the day to day running of the Union from 14th September, with the transition and hand over period between the two colleagues set to reach its conclusion in advance of the AGM, scheduled for Sunday 18th October…

At the risk of sounding like Bob Dylan, these are changing times.I was extremely proud to announce Steve Phillips as our new interim chief executive this week after a series of rigorous interviews and a range of excellent candidates for the position Martyn Phillips will vacate after our AGM in October…

Read on for more updates from WRU Chairman Gareth Davies.