Last updated 19:57, Thursday, 16 October 2008

SENIOR officials from the Rugby Football Union will be in Cumbria this weekend and want to hear what fans in the county think about how the sport should develop.

The visit includes a question-and-answer session at Penrith’s Winters Park ground at 8pm this evening.

RFU’s chief executive Francis Baron heads the party which includes management board chairman Martyn Thomas, chairman of the community rugby committee Rob Udwin, and director of community rugby Andrew Scoular.

They will also meet representatives of schools and clubs during calls at Ullswater Community College and Wigton RUFC tomorrow (1.30pm at Wigton), and Kirkby Lonsdale RUFC tomorrow.

The visit has been set up by Cumbria’s John Owen, who is an RFU senior vice-president.

Owen said: “This is a great opportunity for Cumbrian rugby folk to air their views on a range of issues and find out from the people involved what the thinking is behind some of the decisions that have been made and are being contemplated.

“It is a chance for a frank and free discussion with the people who direct the game and a chance to put forward a view from the coal face about which way the game should be moving.”