Some of the best touch rugby we have seen to date
Friday 7th December saw some 180 primary 6 and 7 pupils descend on Kings Park to take part in the annual Newbattle cluster touch rugby festival.
On a very cold but bright morning, pupils from Newtongrange, Gorebridge, Stobhill, Goreglen and Moorfoot primary schools showed off their speed, evasive skills and team work playing some of the best touch rugby we have seen to date. Rugby Development Officer, James Sloggie commented;
“Every year we see the standard of rugby improve at these events which is testament to our coaching teams work and the support that we receive from the schools across the region. The P6’s playing today have had a total of 5 weeks of rugby with the P7’s having 5 weeks this school year and 5 weeks as P6’s. That’s not a lot of rugby in relation to the high standard we are seeing.”
Through primary curricular programmes and festivals like the one last week it is hoped that more school pupils will pick up rugby and head to the local rugby clubs, Dalkeith RFC in this case. There has been a steady increase in playing numbers at mini level (P4 to P7) and it is hoped that this increase will start to produce growth within the youth game. Sloggie further added;
“We are starting to see the results of time invested in the schools at mini level but attention now turns to how we can better support the transition to youth rugby and start to mirror the results across all age groups at our local clubs.”
For more information on rugby across Midlothian please contact James.Sloggie@midlothina.gov.uk
