500 expected for welcome return of play
COMPETITIVE rugby starts up again at Macclesfield Rugby Club over the weekend of Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th September, when
Priory Park will host the senior teams on Saturday and the Mini and Junior sections on Sunday.
The format is that all teams will be split into four Houses: Lions, The Blues, Priory Pirates And Macc Wolf Pack, with each team scoring points for the House over the two days of the competition.
‘Pitch-Up For Rugby, Your Club Has Missed You’ is the ‘clarion call’ to the whole of the playing membership at MRUFC.
It’s expected that in the region of 500, boys, girls, men and women will pitch-up over the two days, which for some will be the first taste of team rugby for six months.
MRUFC President and life-long member Peter Harper had this to say: “I don’t think we have ever done anything at the Club quite like this before. It promises to be a great two day festival; and the outside bar and socially distanced beer garden, with catering from Maggie and Barry’s Barbecue, will all add to the occasion”.
The Club welcomes local players back down to get involved in England Rugby’s ‘Pitch Up’ celebrations, now that clubs have been green-lit by the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to play Ready4Rugby, an adapted non-contact game and O2 Touch.
The Pitch Up weekend will provide the perfect opportunity for players to return to the Club and learn the RFU’s adapted game-play Ready4Rugby and offers them a chance to catch up and train with teammates, following this extended break due to the pandemic.
Extra health and safety measures have been introduced at the Club and government updates will be monitored to provide a safe environment for all participants.
Bill Sweeney, CEO England Rugby commented: “I’m delighted to give clubs the green-light to play Ready4Rugby and get rugby back on the pitch. Pitch Up provides a great opportunity for grassroots clubs to welcome back players and begin playing rugby once more. More importantly, an opportunity to bring the rugby community back together and have some fun following a difficult few months. I hope you can make it down to support your local club and enjoy the weekend’s celebrations”.
Pip Gregory, Head Coach of the newly forming Girls rugby section will be hoping that her new crop of Under 13s will also be able to take part in the festival.
Local girls are currently getting involved via the England Rugby Inner Warrior Camps.
Warrior Camps offer girls a fun-packed commitment-free way to get outside, get muddy and experience the dynamic, exhilarating sport of rugby for the first time.