Please find attached the Fixture Schedules for 2012-2013 for all the Hertfordshire/Middlesex Merit Tables, 1 to 7 inc. These will appear on the website at www.hmmt.co.uk when all changes have been notified.

As last season, I have used the RFU matrices, which has enabled me to attempt to keep all Merit Table teams from the same club playing on a home and away basis throughout the season. However, because we will be operating with tables of different sizes, Tables 1,3 and 6 are operating on a 22 match schedule, while Tables 2, 4, 5, and 7 are on a 18 match schedule, it is not possible to ensure that all your teams are playing alternately home or away. In addition, League Fixtures will also create clashes, as leagues structures range from 8 to 14 teams and it is impossible to co-ordinate all the dates effectively. If you find that you have a clash of home matches and insufficient pitches, then please talk to your opposition fixture secretaries in the pre-season to reverse venues or re-arrange games (See Rules on the website that state that this process must be completed by 31st August and the organiser advised of all changes, but, in order to help your Referees Society with appointment planning, the earlier you can make these amendments the better.)

Table 7 is being played in a different format this season due to the large number of teams entering at the bottom of the Competition. Each side will play their 15 opponents once only, and then there will be a play-off in each group of four teams throughout the table. Your opponents in the final three matches in Table 7 will not become clear until after 2nd March, but the match structure is shown on Table 7 Fixture schedule.

Once again, I have left home international weekends as free as possible, as I know how many clubs suffer with availability problems during these periods. However, they are also free for re-arrangement of matches, where necessary. This year I have also left the 22nd December free, as many clubs struggled last year on the Saturday prior to Christmas.

The majority of matches fall on League Saturdays, so that the desire to move players into lower sides should be kept to a minimum.

The Knock-Out Competition dates are also detailed and because of the size of some tables, there will be two preliminary rounds. The finals have been arranged for Saturday 27th April and the venues will be advised shortly.

Please let me know if you are having any trouble opening the attached sheets and I will see how else I can get the data to you in a different format. If you are not your Club's Fixture Secretary or Merit Table Contact, please ensure that he/she gets copies of the fixture lists and please keep me posted where changes of contacts occur.

The next task will a revision of the Competition Rules for 2012-13, especially as I am considering a change and tightening to the replacements rules, as this continues to be an area which causes unnecessary problems each season.

Have a good summer, but please remember that I need all your variations in fixture dates advised by 31st August 2012, if not before.

Fred McCarthy
Merit Table Organiser
Hertfordshire Rugby Union
Tel 01767-221243 or
07802-462913