CINDERFORD Director of Rugby Andy Deacon's weekly column:

THIS Sunday is the County Cup with Cinderford hosting Dings Crusaders.

It is very disappointing only three teams have entered the competition, the third being Old Patesians.

They have run it as a round robin competition where you have home and away games and whoever comes out on top, wins.

We are at home this week and then we go away to Old Pats later in the season.

The County Cup has been very strong in the past, by that I mean well supported, but they have made it a different format as to what level you can come into it.

It is sad such a familiar highlight in the county calendar has come down to just three sides.

I read a piece about Tredworth Rugby Club in The Citizen this week, and their views on local rugby and its demise.

It is easy to say things are not good, but I always like to look on the bright side.

Rugby clubs like Cinderford, who perhaps have more resources than others locally I admit, must keep entering these competitions and keep pushing the organisers to keep them going.

It's all too easy for organisers to say 'we are not doing it', but it takes a visionary and somebody with enthusiasm and passion to step up and make things happen.

It's the same with Combination rugby – we have many rugby clubs in Gloucester and yet this is suffering too.

Combination rugby has been going for 100 years, we owe it to the guys who have made it happen in the past, to have the responsibility to keep it going.

There are different formats that we can do these competitions in and the organisers must have the foresight into how to do it.

It is too easy to say we don't have the players, so instead let's all get involved and be positive and find a way to make it work for all involved.

Yes it is difficult, it puts pressure on these governing bodies that are run by amateur people who don't get paid any money and work on a volunteer basis.

But we have all got a duty to ask the questions and not just accept the decline. Things have changed dramatically especially in professional rugby, but it's at the grassroots now where the guys have got to reinvent themselves.

A difficult task.

The competitions have got great tradition and we have to make sure they don't fall away. If you are Combination or County Cup winners it is a big honour for your club, held in high esteem, and we need to have that pride in such competitions as well as league rugby.

League rugby has come a long way and has put pressure on clubs to perform week in week out to get to where they want.

Longlevens have not won a league game all season, and you see Stroud and Gordon League at the bottom of their table, and the likes of Tredworth and Gloucester Civil Service struggling, so it's a question of resources maybe?

But there are success stories out there and there are quality guys out there, playing rugby.

At times Longlevens have played great rugby with a young side and these guys need to stick together and flourish as a group. It will come with time, but they need dedication to do this, it's tough.

But it does need a bit of a get together with these guys to say 'how are we going to go for another ten years?'

Ultimately the people who run it have done a fantastic job but there always needs to be an influx of new people and new ideas.

A lot of time and energy goes into youth rugby which is brilliant.

The RFU have a big task transitioning youth rugby up to senior rugby and it is a task that the Gloucestershire RFU will have to look at closely,

It seems to be failing at the moment but if we are to be successful it is going to have to be from the top down where the power base is, and Gloucester Rugby have to get involved.

This is where the community element of the rugby club kicks in, so I ask for them to get involved as so we can all help to ensure that the Combination and competitions survive and grow. In future columns I will look to offer some ideas and help out as to the solutions.

IT'S BEEN A GOOD MONTH

IT WAS a good end to the month for Cinderford on Saturday after beating Rosslyn Park 22-12.

We surpassed the points we wanted for January, in the difficult month that we had, and I think now the guys realise they can compete with the best in our division and have the ability and belief.

Like I said all along I had faith in them that they could do it, our task now is to maintain this great form we have shown in the last month and to maintain it with sides I know we should beat.

It's as much a mental thing as talent.

We like being the underdogs and being up against it and when our backs are against the wall we certainly perform.

Sometimes when you are favourites, when you are at home, to succeed you have to do that and you have to live up to that favourites tag.

With the young side that we have it can sometimes be a burden on their shoulders.

But each game brings experience and they are learning fast for sure!

That is why the next stepping stone for this young squad is to do that and if they do understand and realise what we can do then we can go on to achieve something special.

It is a bizarre turnaround that we now have two games this month against Wharfedale and Stourbridge, who are both below us, but we can't rest on our laurels and expect anything.

We have to keep up the pressure and form. This league is full of twists and turns.

Our task is to get maximum points out of these two sides and if we do, it will ease the burden of our position in the league.

Plus it will help us relax and play some good rugby and get the points that we need to finish as high as we can and deserve by the end of the season.