Chipping Norton Rugby Club launches annual junior rugby festival next month

The rugby club has decided to build on the success of last year’s tournament and turn the under-10 and under-11 boys and girls rugby festival into an annual showcase of the junior game.

Up to 60 teams of eight and nine players from as far away as Reading and Yorkshire are expected to compete at the club’s ground on Sunday, April 23.

The club is predicting that more than 600 players and around 2,000 parents and supporters are expected to attend the event between the first kickoff at 9.30am and the awarding of the final prize at around 4.30pm.

Chairman of the Chipping Norton mini team, Duncan Midwood, said: "As a club, we have been sending teams to junior rugby festivals throughout Oxfordshire and beyond for many years now, so we decided this would be a great opportunity to promote the game closer to home in Chipping Norton.

"Funds raised from this year’s festival will be used to develop the club’s infrastructure and facilities, as well as funding equipment and training and development courses to improve coaching for all age groups at the club."

The club will go above and beyond to provide a diverse range of entertainment and food and beverage options, including bars, ice cream stands, bbqs, and pizza. There will also be a coconut shy and a bungee run where players and spectators can take on a super-elastic challenge.

Players from Gloucester Rugby Club will be hosting workshops on the main pitch during lunchtime, and medals and awards will be presented to the winning teams by a local celebrity and star of the Gloucester team.

Duncan said: "Our festival is a great opportunity for us not only to celebrate junior rugby in Chipping Norton but to showcase it to a whole new audience within the town and surrounding villages.

"As such, we can promise a friendly welcome to anyone who would like to come and watch, enjoy the food, drink, and entertainment on offer, or simply find out a little more about what junior rugby can offer young people in the area."

To find out more about participation or sponsorship opportunities available at this year’s festival, email [email protected]