Kingswood Rugby Club are holding a Walking Rugby Festival at their Grimsbury Road ground this month.
The club’s walking rugby section has gone from strength to strength since it launched in May 2017.
The club ran their first festival/tournament in 2018 and have continued to participate in festivals and tournaments across the South of England, the Midlands and South Wales, playing by invitation at some of Welsh Rugby Union sponsored events. They are also forging strong links with local clubs including Trowbridge RFC, Chippenham RFC, Broad Plain Pioneers RFC and North Bristol RFC, sharing in mixed training sessions.
KRFC now has a membership of more than 50 playing members with a strong training group of 30 or more participating at their regular Wednesday evening sessions and up to 20 taking part in their Thursday morning sessions.
The Walking Rugby Festival circuit for 2023 is now up and running and KRFC have already sent teams to play at Stourbridge, Salisbury, Crediton and Ivybridge. at Crickhowell, North Bristol and Gosport & Fareham. Later in the summer they will be attending more festivals in England and Wales.
KRFC event on Saturday July 15 could see more than 25 teams taking part . Anyone interested in coming to watch KRFC’s ‘home’ festival will be welcome.
There will be a full afternoon of walking rugby games, food, teas, coffees and iced cream will be available on site. The clubhouse and bar will be open from 11.30 a.m. serving a range of beers, wines and spirits plus a live band providing entertainment immediately following the end of the playing activities.
For more information email WalkingRugby@kingswoodrfc.co.uk
WHAT IS WALKING RUGBY?
Walking Rugby is a simplified form of Rugby Union and can include players of any age, gender, or mental ability. Basically, if you can walk you can play.
Teams are encouraged to adopt this ‘inclusive’ approach when attending Festivals and play according to the RFU’s adopted core values of Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline and Sportsmanship with the emphasis on fun and non-aggressive play.
The game is a form of ‘walking’ touch rugby that limits the levels of physical contact whilst allowing players to experience working as part of a team (usually seven players), score tries and get a good level of exercise.
Games are generally played over two halves of seven minutes each with a two minute interval.