By JON NEWCOMBE

The participation crisis affecting local league rugby is showing no signs of abating despite a comprehensive league restructure with 88 matches across the four regions classed as ‘walkovers’ in the first month of the season.
While that figure represents only 5 per cent of overall fixtures, it is still more than a threefold increase compared to the last full season before COVID-19 (2018/19) when only 27 fixtures could not be fulfilled because of a shortage of players.
The South West, where the game’s roots are deep, has been hit the hardest with 49 matches this September – ...