Warriors inspire Lancashire schools

Wigan Warriors Community Foundation led a successful Tag Rugby Festival for high schools in Lancashire’s Accrington and Hyndburn areas.

The festival, which was held at Accrington’s Heys Sports Complex, saw a group of more than 70 high school students come together to learn and enjoy the game of rugby league in a friendly and inclusive environment.

Serving as a first introduction to rugby for many in attendance, participants engaged in skills-building sessions led by our Community Foundation coaches who focused on developing students’ core rugby skills such as passing, catching, and teamwork.

After being taught the rules of rugby, students competed in friendly tag rugby matches to gain a first-hand experience of the game in a safe and accessible way for newcomers.

Speaking on the festival, Interim Head of Foundation Danny Fullerton said: “Our Community Foundation looks to support all schools and Community Clubs within Lancashire and this festival was a perfect way to showcase the sport to many students for the first time.

“Hopefully the festival will inspire students to join a local side such as Accrington Wildcats who are a fantastic Club and we encourage all local juniors to give rugby league a try.”

Praising the festival, Mr L Bedford, a PE teacher at The Hollins High School, Accrington, said: “Our students were delighted to experience a new sport and put into practice what we’ve been trying to do in our PE lessons.

“I’d like to say a massive thank you to Wigan Warriors Community Foundation for a fantastic afternoon. We’ve plenty of schools engaging in rugby in our district so now is the perfect time to drive the sport forward and keep the wheels in motion.”