Rugby opportunities in the north-west

The Rugby Football Union’s Return to Rugby programme is one of many initiatives currently helping sports enthusiasts in the north-west to kickstart a career in rugby. Thousands of 18-24-year-olds have been inspired to pick up a rugby ball and join their local teams for fun training sessions and competitive matches over the last 12 months, and leagues across the five major counties are now home to some of the finest talent in the country.
If you’re looking to get involved in rugby, you could begin by joining a touch rugby side; touch rugby is one the fastest-growing sports in major cities such as Manchester. For a small fee, it’s possible to take part in training sessions, represent a team in competitions and improve your fitness. For those looking for the real deal, joining a local rugby union or rugby league side could be the stepping stone towards competing at a higher level – the North West Mens League was accepting applications for the 2017 season just last month.
Rugby is also a great sport for children, who have the option of playing at school, joining local sides and even making the move to an academy if they train from an early age and impress scouts. According to the Rugby Football Union (RFU): “Rugby is a fantastic sport for children, bringing many physical and social benefits, including increased confidence, self-esteem and self-discipline, and enjoyable physical exercise as part of a team.”
Rugby league is played at schools in the heartlands of Cumberland, Lancashire, Yorkshire and other areas of the north-west, and youngsters can join clubs and compete in competitions such as the Conference Youth League, Hull Youth Rugby League and Bartletts Yorkshire Cup. Most professional and semi-professional teams in the region also have academies that develop young talent.
For older teenagers and players in their early 20s, university rugby is perhaps the best platform for building a career in the sport. World Cup winner Will Greenwood recently said it was a “great path” for players, as they can keep their options open while competing at a high standard week in, week out at institutions such as the University of Bolton.
“I had the best three years ever at Durham playing my university rugby,” Greenwood added. “I know it was in a different era and it was amateur, but I think the game at that level is critical.”
The RFU recently reaffirmed its commitment to rugby in higher education after pledging £220,000 to grow the game and bring together 15 universities from across the country in the new British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) Super Rugby competition.
There is a route into rugby for sports lovers of all ages; the Raging Bull North West Leagues is just one of the many amateur competitions in the region, and initiatives such as Return to Rugby are enabling fans to take up playing and even coaching roles within the local scene.