Widening sports participation through Rugby’s Autumn Nations Series
With thanks to the Rugby Football Union, the national governing body for rugby union in England, The Pythian Club received 22 tickets, complimentary coach travel and lunch food vouchers to take young people and their families/guardians to watch the England v Japan rugby match at Allianz Stadium Twickenham.
Arriving at the Allianz Stadium, attendees were excited to witness the arrival of the England Rugby team as they stepped off their coach before warming up for their final game of the Autumn Nations Series 2024.
Benjamin Rosser, CEO, The Pythian Club said: “We feel so fortunate that Rugby Football Union extended this incredible opportunity to our organisation to support the community we engage with. Providing young people, parents and guardians with an opportunity to watch elite sports of this nature, provides an often one-in-a-lifetime memorable experience for some individuals who may otherwise never get to experience something like this. It was truly an extraordinary day, equally enjoyed by young people and their parents“
A few highlights from those who attended include:
Of the 14 young people attending, 10 had never been to a rugby game and a few commented it was a ‘dream come true’.
One young family, experiencing tough times of late, saw this magical experience as a moment of pure joy and happiness.
For two Japanese nationals currently living in the UK, the match was particularly poignant - as a child, the parent recalled how their father had taken them to watch rugby and now they could share in this tradition with their child watching their first match together as parent and child.
Another parent who attended with her family said one of their children had been struggling with their mental health over the last couple of years and explained that this experience meant that they saw a smile on their child’s face the entire day, a precious moment to savour.
Should you be wondering about the score, England beat Japan 59/14, ensuring that most attendees were particularly jubilant on the coach journey returning home to Nottingham! What a match, what an experience!
