Hundreds of Northamptonshire schoolchildren take on tag rugby festival challenge

A total of 149 primary schools have registered their team to take part.

Over the next three weeks, more than 1,500 young people will represent their school in Primary School Games Competitions and Festivals at rugby club venues across the county.

The dates are as follows:

Thursday October 15 – Corby Festival of RugbyStewart & Lloyds Rugby Club, Corby with leaders from Corby Business Academy

Thursday October 15 – School Games Tag Rugby, East NorthantsRushden & Higham RFC with leaders from Rushden Academy and The Ferrers School

Friday October 16 – School Games Tag Rugby, WellingboroughWellingborough RFC with leaders from Hatton Academy and Weavers Academy

Friday October 16 – School Games Tag Rugby, Northampton Northampton Casuals RFC with leaders from The Duston School and Malcolm Arnold Academy

Wednesday October 21 – School Games Tag Rugby, Corby Stewart & Lloyds Rugby Club, Corby with leaders from Corby Business Academy.

Each competition is being organised by the local School Sport Manager employed by Northamptonshire Sport. Schools will be representing a competing nation of the 2015 Rugby World Cup, with competitions for Year 5 & 6, and in some cases Year 3 & 4.

Chris Holmes, director of Northamptonshire Sport, said: “We’ve had a brilliant response from Primary Schools across the County to take part in our School Games Competitions and Festivals to celebrate the Rugby World Cup.

“To reach a total of 149 Primary Schools taking part is a fantastic achievement and shows the progress that has been made engaging Primary Schools to deliver high quality School Sport and Competition across the county.”

South Northants and Daventry School Sport Partnership will also be hosting eight Cluster Festivals for 45 Primary Schools organised by School Sport Co-ordinators and PE departments from across South Northants.

Many Schools have organised Level 1 (intra-school) competitions and after-school clubs in preparation for the Competitions. Northampton Saints have also run a new Community programme called ‘On the Front Foot’ with Primary Schools across the County.

The culmination of the programme will be the County Level 3 School Games for the top two qualifying teams (Year 5 & 6), due to take place at Northampton Saints RFC for the first time in February.

Community Officer at Northampton Saints RFC, Connor Fleming said: “We are looking forward to supporting a great series of Primary Tag Rugby Competitions. Working in partnership with the School Sport Managers and wider NSport team, we hope to inspire a huge number of young people to take up the sport and join their local rugby club.”

To find out more about media opportunities at each competition, contact Hannah Hore, School Sport Manager at Northamptonshire Sport by emailing [email protected] or phone 07834 006316.

For further information about the School Games in Northamptonshire visit www.northamptonshiresport.org/school-games