Their Chairman, Ravi Sibal, has for three years fought alongside club executive director, Jim McKenzie, to get the £2m development ready for launch next month (September). He played rugby at St Anselm’s College, which is associated with the rugby club. With his family having Indian origin, he knows rugby is not seen as a sport for some youngsters from ethnic minorities.

He cites Asian parents’ prioritisation of education as one reason more youngsters from his community are not playing rugby but also that rugby clubs are an unknown territory and that, in the past, an old boys’ county network could exclude young players like him. Anselmians RUFC has really broken the mould and become a family community club for all backgrounds.  

“Anselmians RUFC may be a small club but with a new state-of-the-art clubhouse and pitches, part of our development was local authority funded so that we provide a community hub to support the local council objectives and support local priorities. Having sold some land for housing development we are able to secure the future of the club. We are able to protect precious green spaces for community rugby and other sports, we now want to change perceptions, build a diverse club and that will be a big feature of our future,” says Ravi.

“We have a strong board and committee with Paul Kay leading the Minis and Juniors section with a great team of coaches and managers around him. We are building strong links with the Sale Sharks Academy and have plans for an international tour when summer travel restrictions permit. The energy around the club to make the most of what we have is electric.

“In the past we helped to develop players like Austin Healey, Simon Mason and others and in the future we want to go into schools, St Anselm’s College among them, to encourage youngsters to take up club rugby. We want to be a really inclusive club and to offer opportunities for all ages and abilities.”