Give touch rugby a try at Basingstoke RFC (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Give touch rugby a try at Basingstoke RFC

8:00am Wednesday 13th March 2013 in Rugby

BASINGSTOKE RFC have teamed up with the Rugby Football Union and O2 to offer people the chance to get into the sport at a series of touch rugby sessions.

The club has been chosen as one of 65 across the country to run the sessions as part of a programme backed by the RFU and sponsored by mobile phone giant O2.

Touch rugby is a low contact version of the game, which gives beginners a great introduction to the sport without the fear of contact. It allows men, women and children to learn the basics of ball handling, passing and defence together, making for a fun family activity.

The sessions, which are free to attend, started last week and take place between 6.45pm and 7.45pm on Monday nights, under the floodlights on the club’s main pitch.

The current run of sessions is scheduled to go on until the last week in August, with more planned for November, to coincide with the Autumn Internationals.

Dean Crossley, who is organising the sessions, said: “The good thing is that there’s no impact in touch rugby. Ladies, children, anyone who wants to play can come along and learn the basics together.

“You do not have to be 6ft 5in and 17st to take part and the aim is to have fun. I know people who are coming along as a way of keeping fit but the key thing is that we want to introduce more people to the game.

“The idea is to attract people to rugby and hopefully the club can benefit if the people taking part choose to become members. It’s also good for the social side of things as the club will be open for people to use after sessions.”