Photos: Ghana Rugby Clubs Meet With Board To Plot Local League

Ghana Rugby Club owners met with members of the Ghana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) in Accra to discuss the implications of the 2014 Ghana Rugby League. According to Mr. Abdul-Aziz Issah, a member of the GRFU Board, this was a historical meeting in the sense that it was the first time that Associations and Clubs were invited to have frank and open discussions about the well-being of the Game of Rugby from their perspective. The meeting was held to discuss issues pertaining to the draft blueprint for Ghana rugby, the upcoming Ghana Rugby Stakeholder Forum and preparation for development work and tournaments planned for the 2014-15 year. The President of the Board. Mr. Herbert Mensah, emphasised that running rugby under his watch will not be about big men with big titles. �We are all part of the Rugby Family of Ghana and we all work together as a team in line with our values to fulfil our mission and chase our vision. Myself and all the Board members will always follow a open door policy and it is the right of any stakeholder to knock on the doors of the President and the other Board members to discuss issues important to our passion for developing and playing the Game of Rugby,� Mr. Mensah said. The proposed Blueprint has build on the vision, mission and values of the International Rugby Board and is described as follows: Vision - Rugby - A Sport For All In Ghana - True to It�s Values. Mission - Growing the global Rugby Family in Ghana. The proposed values for Ghana Rugby is based on five pillars: INTEGRITY - Integrity (adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty) is central to the fabric of the Game and is generated through honesty and fair play PASSION - Rugby people have a passionate (powerful or compelling emotion or feeling) enthusiasm for the Game. Rugby generates excitement, emotional attachment and a sense of belonging to the global Rugby family TEAMWORK - The only way to succeed is by working together (coordinated effort acting together in the interests of a common cause - Rugby) DISCIPLINE - Discipline (training to act in accordance with rules) is an integral part of the Game, both on and off the field, and is reflected through adherence to the Laws, the Regulations and Rugby�s core values RESPECT - Respect (being esteemed or honoured) for teammates, opponents, match officials and those involved in the Game is paramount Herbert Mensah also added, �It looks as though policies of the past favoured quantity above quality. It does not serve the Game of Rugby to have a 1,000 schools trying to get into rugby without solid support from the Associations and Clubs and without properly qualified sports masters. In addition we must be able to create manageable tournaments within the resources of GRFU to allow our youth to derive the full benefits of being part of the Rugby family.� Associations and Clubs were subsequent to the meeting asked to prepare for the forum by critically evaluating the proposed draft Blueprint and to prepare a presentation for the Forum on what will be required to develop and manage the growth of the Rugby Family in a strategic, structured and manageable fashion. Clubs were also asked to start gathering critical information that will help their Associations to put their own Blueprints together based on the guidelines contained in the GRFU Blueprint.