Kendal Walking the Walk
Kendal, the gateway to the Lake District, is famous for its mint cake.
Known as the auld grey town thanks to the local grey limestone buildings, Kendal is now set to become famous for international rugby, walking rugby. They are to host what the club believes to be the first England v Scotland walking rugby international.
On the day that England play Scotland at Murrayfield for the Calcutta Cup, the visiting Uncoachables come to town to take on the Auld Greys.
It’s worth reflecting on the first ever international rugby match - Scotland v England 149 years earlier. England played in Edinburgh in front of 4,000 spectators and the hosts won, scoring two tries and a goal to England's single try.
Kendal’s Auld Greys will be set on settling the score and, with local media and BBC Radio Cumbria hopefully publicising the event, will be looking to attract a good crowd to cheer them on.
Walking rugby started as a four- week trial in January 2018 as an initiative between Kendal rugby club, Age UK and with help from the RFUs local coaching staff. Targeting the over 55s the hope was to give them a new sport and a way to stay active and meet new people. The sessions initially attracted a dozen or so men and women.
Now more than 25 men and women play on Wednesday afternoons, their ages from 60 to 78, and a third of them women who had ever played rugby before.
Says Paul Want: “We have players with knee and hip replacements, a pacemaker, a transplant and those with some challenging home situations. They all come along and use rugby as respite from those challenges. One of our ladies had three great uncles who played for the All Blacks- so, no pressure on us to teach her the game!
“We have grown and bonded as a group both on and off the field with our skills, understanding of our version of the game, fitness, and most importantly the fun level. After one of our founders died from a tragic accident at home, we introduced the Gina trophy awarded each week for exceptional tricks on the rugby field. This has encouraged us to look out for each other and award good play and sportsmanship and is given out over our customary after session tea and chat.
“We are now firmly part of the Kendal rugby set up as we are the most senior of senior teams and a squad to which others can move when their XV playing days are over.
“We have taken part in a couple of walking rugby festivals, one being an all age event of club v club round robin games the other w hosted by Sale Sharks where everyone was put into random teams to play round robin fixtures
“In September, the RFU came to make a video which was used during the 2019 RWC on the RFU’s Facebook pages and other social media platforms. This was a hit and saw us contacted by the Uncoachables from Midlothian in Scotland with the offer of an international
“They were formed in 2016 and say they are the oldest – or should we say, the longest-formed walking rugby team in Scotland. The international, will be another milestone for both the Auld Greys and the Uncoachables as we believe this may be the first international at walking rugby level between England and Scotland.
“This should be a shed load of fun and we look forward to hosting them in Kendal. We are planning on an all in warm up, all in skills and drills, finishing with games, one of which we hope will see the Auld Greys field an all female side. The day will end with food, drink and watching the Calcutta match televised from Murrayfield.”
With England dubbed the auld enemy by the Scots, this is more of a friendly international, with the Auld Greys wondering if other English walking rugby teams have played international opposition in the past. If so let us know.
See the Auld Greys video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAdPp6FS2q4
