Leicester Tigers give Melton schools tag rugby taster at festival

More than 120 pupils and seven schools took part EMN-180310-161253002

More than 120 children from seven schools were given the chance to put their new skills into practice at Melton RFC following the Nottingham Building Society Tag Rugby programme.

Tigers coaches worked in schools in and around Melton during the free six-week initiative to give Year 3 and 4 pupils a taste of tag rugby.

Joanne Hodder, teacher at Harby Primary School, said: “It has been brilliant and opened the children’s eyes to other sports.

Melton schools tag rugby festival was the culmination of a six-week programme led by Leicester Tigers coaches EMN-180310-161304002

“Participating in a team game gives them that sense of working together.”

Katie Bakewell, a pupil at Stathern Primary School, added: “I’ve really enjoyed the teamwork. We have all worked together, which has been great.

“It has been really good fun.”

The Nottingham Building Society Tag Rugby Festival was attended by Buckminster Primary School, Harby Primary School, Swallowdale Primary School, Grove Primary School, Croxton Kerrial Primary School, Captain’s Close Primary School and Stathern Primary School.

Melton tag rugby festival action EMN-180310-161241002

Pete Talbot, Tigers rugby development officer, said: “A lot of the children will not have played rugby before and the festival is the first time they will have played in a game.

“They have really enjoyed it, the games have been played in a wonderful spirit.”