BBC presenter questions RFU's 'no losers' childrens rugby policy

BBC Sports journalist Sonja McLaughlan has questioned a RFU policy in which there are no winners or losers in games played by children between the age of 6 and 11 years of age.

The move was first introduced in 2014 by Surrey Rugby in conjunction with the RFU but has been criticised by some that view it as overly politically correct.

McLaughlan tweeted: “Watching schools rugby tournament. RFU policy dictates no winners. What do you think of that? Sport for all or learn to win and lose?”

https://twitter.com/Sonjamclaughlan/status/973916090467340288

Former England flyhalf and now pundit Andy Goode was quick to give his take on the matter, branding the policy as ‘ludicrous’.

“Ludicrous policy from the RFU! Sport (and life) is about winning and losing and striving to be successful!”

https://twitter.com/AndyGoode10/status/973917990138863617

The RFU defended the policy in 2014, saying it removed the win at all costs mentality that was creeping into age grade rugby.

The RFU’s development director Steve Grainger told Reuters at the time that: “The tournaments will still have matches which are won or lost but this is about removing the ‘win-at-all-costs mentality’ which is creeping into the game.”

“That can lead to coaches not giving all players a game, just choosing their best players to try to win the tournament, and that will drive kids out of the sport.”

Parents of children were reported at the time to have queried if the new policy was, in fact, some sort of prank.

The vast bulk of people who responded to McLaughlan were highly critical of it, with many calling it ‘absurd’, ‘ridiculous’, ‘madness’ and ‘bonkers’.

In response to one comment defending the policy which suggested that ‘winning and losing’ can be a damaging concept for young people, Goode said: “So when these kids become young adults and they go for job interviews is it the taking part that counts?!”