By JON NEWCOMBE

THE RFU has surveyed its community rugby referees for a second time to gauge whether an early season shortfall of numbers is a temporary blip or part of a longer-term problem.
The results of the first survey showed around a third of the 3,682 Referee Society referees in England, who take charge of grassroots fixtures, had yet to return to the game coming out of lockdown.
Nervousness around Covid, a lack of fitness, concern about the new global law trials and starting up other interests were all cited by respondents as reasons for their inactivity once community rugby re...