Tag Tournament creates a buzz
ShropshireHUNDREDS of young rugby players converged on the West Midlands to play their part in a thrilling tag rugby tournament made possible by Wooden Spoon Shropshire.
Representatives of 15 clubs from four countries traveled to the home of the Telford Hornets for an all day international tag festival for children with learning disabilities.
The event, which was jointly organised by Wooden Spoon and disability rugby team Shropshire Rebels, gave boys and girls the chance to compete in age-group matches across three pitches.
The players were joined by a host of famous faces, including Wooden Spoon ambassadors Tim Stimpson, England Women’s World Cup winner Tamara Taylor and top-class referee Wayne Barnes.
The Shropshire Rebels, who receive funding from Wooden Spoon, worked tirelessly with the Shropshire committee and Telford Hornets to ensure the smooth running of the tournament, which was played out in sunny conditions at Telford’s recently-renovated grounds.
As well as a series of exciting matches, visitors to the event were able to enjoy stalls and mascot and duck races before proceedings were brought to a close with a meal and disco.
Jai Purewal, Wooden Spoon Director of Rugby and Community Investment, said that the tournament demonstrated the Shropshire Rebels’ excellent work in allowing more disabled young people to get a hands-on experience with the game of rugby.
He continued: “A number of years ago, Wooden Spoon Shropshire was approached to consider supporting the Rebels.
“It’s a club run by mums and dads on a shoestring [and] really what they were about was creating an opportunity for their children and their friends and siblings with similar disabilities to involve themselves in a game that is readily available for many people across the country”.
