Mersea Island RFC celebrate 200 years of rugby
Mersea Island RFC’s ground The Glebe is a busy facility, housing football teams, tennis clubs and cricketers as well as the rugby team. What better way for a community club to celebrate 200 years of rugby than recreating the act that led to the birth of the sport?
200 years ago, schoolboy William Webb Ellis picked up the ball during a game of football and rushed forwards into the oncoming defenders while at school in Rugby. From this, the game of rugby was born.
To celebrate this anniversary and the Rugby World Cup, Mersea Island RFC held a match between their rugby team and two football teams who they share their ground with, Mersea Island FC and Oyster FC. The first half was played as a game of football between players, volunteers and friends of the rugby and football clubs. Then during the second half, Matt White, Club Captain from Mersea Island RFC picked up the football, rushed forwards into the oncoming defenders and a half of touch rugby commenced!
“It was a really good laugh! Everyone was shouting ‘you can’t do that!’” said Matt.
He added: “It was a great day to bring the whole community together. Mersea is quite a small place, and the event was full of members from the different clubs, as well as friends and friends of friends. It was a great way to bond the different clubs together, it gave us an opportunity to chat and laugh and play together as well as celebrating rugby and the World Cup!”
The tournament can be a great way to recruit new players, retain existing members and boost revenue. Check out the RFU Activation guides for clubs or for schools for top tips, checklists and templates that can help maximise this opportunity.
