The 2019-20 league campaign starts now for all four of Kesteven Rugby Club’s men’s and women’s senior teams. This weekend, Saturday 29th June, sees pre-season training kick off for Kesteven Senior Men’s and Colts squads. The Women’s pre-season sessions get underway on Wednesday.
New players aged 17 and over and of any fitness level interested in representing the Men’s teams’ black shirt, or just for training, are very welcome to attend a squad fitness session at FeelGood Fitness in Grantham’s The George Shopping Centre from 11am on Saturday morning.
It’s a great opportunity to meet Kesteven Rugby Club’s director of rugby, former Samoan international and Tigers’ Legend, Freddie Tuilagi, and the Kesteven coaching team, and embark on what an increasing number are finding to be the start of a very special journey with Kesteven Rugby Club.
Saturday’s session will be followed with a barbecue-and-beers social for all from 1pm-5pm at Kesteven’s Woodnook home ground. Men’s training will continue every Tuesday and Thursday evening over the summer and into the rugby season. Kesteven Men’s First XV Captain Gavin Purvis said: “There’s a big season ahead and training is where we get ready for it.”
Kesteven Ladies’ lead charge into league
Kesteven Ladies then take to the lush greenery of Woodnook’s freshly reinvigorated pitches on Wednesday 3rd July at 6.45pm for their pre-season preparations ahead of the squad’s first-ever assault on the NC 2 Midlands North league.
The 40-strong, RFU development squad’s successful first full year culminated with three of its players, Kerri Arlando, Emma Austen and Beth Toone, selected to head to Twickenham Stadium. The trio represented the North in an invitational grassroots North v South Natwest Barbarian match at the home of rugby earlier this month.
Kesteven Ladies Captain, Sarah-Jane Goss, said: “We spent last season working hard to build a foundation. We are under no illusions of the challenge ahead. It will definitely be a tougher game.
“We’re all about preparation; we have been working hard on fitness over the summer and we’re champing at the bit for pre-season training where we’ll be sharpening both our physical and mental skills. We will be as ready as we can be come September.
“As important for us, the Ladies’ squad continues to attract newcomers to the game, as well as those who may have played before. All are welcome to join and take part; you might not make it to Twickenham in your first season, but at the very least you’ll have some fun!”
All to play for in 2019-20
Each of Kesteven Rugby Club’s four senior squads goes into pre-season training with much to be proud of. Squad member or a supporter, it is all to play for in 2019-20 at Kesteven!
Kesteven Men’s Second XV came out league winners in 2018-19 and have the title to defend. Kesteven Men’s First XV turned their mixed early-season fortunes round to start their 2019-20 campaign in the top half of the table and are hunting their own league win.
Meanwhile, the Colts won the Lincolnshire Cup and the Kesteven’s Under-17s rounded out an impressive season as runners-up to Wolverhampton in the RFU Midland Regional Cup, highlighting the impressive pipeline of talent supporting Kesteven’s success at every level of the game.
Growing the game in Grantham
The RFU-affiliated club has also seen its membership grow over the past few years, thanks to its large and dedicated team of RFU-trained and DBS-checked coaches and passionate band of Black Army supporters.
Together, Kesteven Rugby Club is successfully bringing enjoyment of the game of rugby to a wider cross-section of the local community in line with its “One Club, One Family, One Fantastic Journey’ ethos.
Kesteven’s senior squads run alongside player-centred:
- age-graded Minis (age 6 to 12) on Sunday mornings
- Junior Girls (Under 13s, Under 15s and Under 18s) and Boys (Under 13s, 14s, 15s, 16s and 17s) training on Sunday mornings and mid-week
- mixed-age Touch Rugby (aged 11 upwards, non-contact) mid-week.
Touch Rugby runs over the summer months, while the Minis and Juniors have a few weeks left before their training starts again, meaning there’s still time to sign up.
Club president, Angus Shaw, said: ‘We are incredibly proud of Kesteven Rugby Club’s origins and every one of its successes over its 72-year history.
“Kesteven Rugby Club was set up in 1947 by local young men returning from the war. They quickly became a ‘band of brothers’ on the rugby pitch. The sport is increasingly open to all and our ever-increasing membership reflects that.
“The game runs all-year round now with the summer months dedicated to Touch Rugby (mixed sex and ages), so you don’t even need to be built like ‘an out-house’ to get involved.
“Whilst we are serious about rugby, and competing at the highest level, we never lose sight that rugby isn’t just about winning. Our focus is to spread the love of the game and encouraging men, women and children from in and around Grantham to get fit, make new friends and be part of our rugby family.
“We mean it when we say we open our arms to any new member of any age, size and fitness level. Not everyone wants to play in a league, which is absolutely fine. We are first and foremost a group of friends and a Club that collectively is making a positive difference to people’s lives.”
Interested in joining us? Please call 01476 564887, visit www.kestevenrugby.club, join our Kesteven Rugby Facebook page www.facebook.com/groups/KestevenRFC – or just rock up!
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