There will almost certainly be a completely new look to competitive rugby in Essex next season with the county RFU set to make its long-awaited breakaway from the Eastern Counties.

The move should soon be rubber-stamped and should be given the green light on July 13 at the RFU's annual meeting following the RFU Council's recent approval of the move for Essex to go it alone.

In a statement, the county board said: "After a long campaign Essex County RFU are now within sight of having their dreams of becoming a constituent body of the RFU realised.

"Just over two years ago the Essex clubs tasked its committee to seek separation from Eastern Counties Rugby Union and apply to the RFU to become a Constituent Body.

"A working party, led by the Essex President Dai Davies and former president Alan Stobbs was set up to oversee the application and its implementation. Despite having the application referred back to the ECRU clubs on two occasions, Essex persistence has finally paid off."

Davies said: "For many years it has been the aspiration of our clubs to separate from Eastern Counties and be a constituent body.

"The ECRU covered the four counties in Eastern England of Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex.

"Essex is a large county both geographically and in member clubs and easily meets the criteria of becoming a CB.

"Our separation from the Eastern Counties will allow us to pursue the development the game of rugby union at a local level within a county structure which will enable us to address our specific needs without having to refer matters to a distant parent body."

One of the main benefits of Essex standing alone will be the development of both the senior and junior county sides, who will now be able to tackle other stand-alone counties in RFU competitions.

Published Tuesday, June 17, 2003

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