THE Oxfordshire RFU has asked everyone involved with a club in the county to have their say on what is needed heading into an uncertain future.

All rugby in the county was stopped in March following the coronavirus outbreak.

At this stage it is unclear when the sport will be able to restart below the elite level, with the Premiership hoping to resume training next month.

Given the wide range of potential issues facing clubs, the county’s board are attempting to work out which are the most pressing.

As a result, they have launched a questionnaire which seeks to reveal the main challenges and areas where support is most needed.

About 50 replies have been submitted already and it is aimed at all those connected with clubs.

Gina Overton, chair of marketing and communications at the Oxfordshire RFU, said: “In our conversations with the clubs we felt we didn’t have total clarity over what they wanted from us.

“This was one way of us trying to gather that.

“We speak to committee members a lot, but don’t often hear from the players and other membership levels.

“We want as many as possible – parents, coaches, everyone.

“A player might have a very different view to a chairman about what support we should be giving.

“Some clubs will be in higher leagues and have more financial stability.

“Others will have less stability at a time when little is known about how and when rugby will be rebooted.

“We have different ways we can support them.”

Although it is early days, some patterns have started to emerge across the county.

Overton said: “They are coming out in a very similar area so far.

“They all want support in how they plan commercially for the future. That’s not a shock to find out.

“They don’t know if leagues will start in September. It’s an unknown at the moment, like everyone in sport.

“We might not get full contact until the end of the year. It might be leagues don’t start until the new year.

“You have to think about that.”