THOUSANDS of spectators and players descended on a popular rugby club for one of the largest festivals of youth sport in the North.
Darlington Rugby Club hosted a two-day competition, involving 117 teams, with around 1,600 boys and girls vying for honours at the 47th annual extravaganza of sport.
As well as the silverware and individual medals, players were also assessed by coaches from all the teams for the coveted fair play award, as they competed at Blackwell Meadows, home to Darlington Rugby Club.
This prize is based on the RFU’s ethos of teamwork, respect, enjoyment, discipline and sportsmanship. The accolade was awarded in each age group in recognition of their commitment to the core values.
Former captain, president and county representative Bill Robson presented every player with a medal, including the U13, U14 girls and boys’ U7, U8, U9, U10, U11, U12 and U15 teams.
A variety of activities kept the crowds entertained while they were waiting for their matches, including bouncy castles, cake and sweet stalls, two barbecues, a children’s boot camp, rugby ball stalls, face painting, an archery demonstration and an American Football display.
Mysportswear, the main festival sponsor, attended all weekend to meet any sports clothing or equipment needs. All the money raised will go to Darlington RFC Mini and Junior teams.
DRFC was founded in 1863 and is one of the country’s oldest clubs. It launched the rugby festival in 1974 and has only missed a couple of years because of the COVID pandemic.
One of the club’s directors Adam Walker said: “Players enjoyed plenty of rugby and loved the wet, muddy conditions on the Sunday. All the teams turned up, some from as far away as the Wirral, Huddersfield and Penrith. Everyone had a great time and the atmosphere was amazing.”
The medical cover was provided by TD Med which supported the event with an ambulance and a quad bike for fast response.
Adam said: “Fair play is pivotal to our sport and we witnessed some incredible examples over the two days, as well as fantastic team spirit and camaraderie.
“Our U14 girls were unbelievable, winning all the matches they played and showcasing the level of skill being developed by our club, at a time when the women’s game is soaring on the back of the success of the Red Roses in the Women’s Six Nations.
“The level of interest in the event was phenomenal not only among the many people who attended but also on our website which was ranked 23rd in the country for hits, which is the highest ever recorded and compares with the normal figure of around 500th.”