WEYMOUTH & Portland Chairman Ian McMillan was one of four members of the club to have successfully completed this year's RFU Leadership Academy award.

Sarah Hughes (Mini & Youth Chairman), Steve Hunter (Mini & Youth Fixture Secretary) and Mike Murphy (O2 lead coach and Ambassador) were three others to have undergone the scheme and also passed.

The RFU Leadership Academy aims to raise awareness of the importance of leadership in rugby. The scheme identifies the next generation of club, constituent body, and referee society leaders.

The leadership academy aims to help people develop their rugby expertise and confidence, while facilitating networking opportunities to allow delegates to share experiences and solutions to handle similar issues.

Each leadership candidate attends the academy launch to network with other leadership candidates and mentors, identifies their current strengths and areas for development, creates their personal learning plan, completes formal and informal learning and development opportunities and reviews their progress and gives feedback on the academy.

Information on the RFU Leadership Academy can be found at englandrugby.com/my-rugby/volunteers/leadership-academy

n The Dorset & Wilts RFU will be holding a Volunteer of the Year awards evening at the Royal Chase Hotel, Salisbury Road, Shaftesbury, on Friday, starting at 7pm.

Four volunteers will be recognised in four disciplines – Administrator of the year, young volunteer of the year, volunteer of the year and groundsman of the year.

A Twin Counties spokesman said: “Volunteers are the life blood of local rugby clubs, without them the game would not prosper and it is only right that we recognise their efforts.”