“Sandbach’s thriving mini and junior rugby section celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.” – Rhys Fullerton writes for So Cheshire on behalf of Sandbach RUFC
Around 350 children, between the ages of 6 and 18, and more than 80 volunteers – as well as supporting families – turn up each week to represent and support Sandbach RUFC.
Some teams will be playing matches at home, some away and some will be training – but wherever they’re playing, the core rugby values are being taught through matches, skills sessions or fun games.
To mark its 50th anniversary, the club is planning a series of events throughout the season.
On Sunday 8th September, both the mini and juniors got together for a mixed touch rugby festival.
This provided the children with an opportunity to play with and against children from different age groups, which they wouldn’t normally do.
Paul Jackson, Sandbach Rugby’s chairman, said, “Congratulations to all the mini and junior players, coaches, first aiders, helpers, volunteers, organisers and parents.
“It would be my hope that when we get to 100 years there will be plenty of you around who can remember the 50-year celebration.”
‘Bach for life’
The ‘20:20 > B4L’ mission, launched a few years ago, aims to keep 20 people involved in the club when each mini and junior age group reach the age of 20, making them ‘Bach for life’.
The club also has one rugby shirt for all players, meaning that if you are playing for the 1st XV or playing for the Under 6s, you are part of the same club.
Current 1st XV player Archie Lea, who graduated to the senior team last season, epitomises the club’s mission and the spirit of the game.
When not playing and training, Lea can be seen coaching the mini and juniors, refereeing matches or taking on the hardest task of all, cajoling the smallest players at Didi Rugby.
Sandbach boast a large number of mini and junior graduates who still represent the club or have gone on to play their rugby further afield.
Mini and juniors
On the opening weekend of the season, Sandbach’s senior teams included an astonishing 44 out of 56 players who were products of the mini and juniors programme, with 17 of the players under 20 and two 1st XV debuts given to players who left the senior colts last summer.
Reflecting on the 50th anniversary, director of rugby Andrew Bird said, “To reach this milestone is superb and to do so in the way we conduct ourselves as a club on and off the pitch is true credit to those who worked so very hard many years ago to establish the mini and juniors section.
“You only have to see our weekly team sheets to understand the importance that the mini and junior section has on the whole club. Here’s to the next 50!”
The first ever mini and junior game took place in 1972 between Sandbach Colts and Broughton Park.
The mini and juniors officially started two years later, and by 1978 an average of 80 boys were playing each week with six mini teams and two junior teams.
Cut to 2024, and the numbers have grown substantially – but it is down to the determination of those who started it and those who continued it that account for its success.
Pad Davenport
Club stalwart Pad Davenport shared his thoughts.
“From its infancy – when Tony Brookes, Alan Cid Bell and Lionel Garrett proposed a mini rugby section at the club – I have seen it grow to become a model for other clubs, with most weeks the senior teams fielding around 75% of home-grown players.
“It has proved to be a vital component of the past, current and no doubt future success at senior level, making a major point of difference between Sandbach RUFC and most teams we play.
“I am proud to have captained the Colts XV, back in those inaugural years and subsequently gone on to captain and coach the club as well as several other administrative roles at Sandbach RUFC.
“Long may the mini and junior section continue to provide not just players, but supporters and volunteers and give hundreds of young people the chance to enjoy our great game.”
Paul Jackson
Paul Jackson observed: “Officially the mini and juniors section started 50 years ago but the whole club evolved as an old boys club from Sandbach School.
“It came from former school mates wanting to continue a sense of camaraderie, team spirit and friendship that they had from their school days.
“In that sense you could say the min and juniors section existed before the rest of the club and ‘Bach for life’ was an unwritten foundation of the club we all have the privileged to enjoy today.”
Volunteers
The club wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for its players, but the players wouldn’t be able to turn up every week if it weren’t for the tremendous support and dedication of the volunteers, who spend their free time teaching and promoting the game of rugby.
The mini and juniors, and the club as a whole, will continue to prosper whilst there are children wanting to play rugby and volunteers willing to make it happen.
As well as the mini and juniors, the club has four senior men’s teams, women’s rugby, touch rugby, walking rugby and a girls’ rugby section.
If you’re interested in playing rugby at any level, Sandbach Rugby Club has a team for you.
Visit www.sandbachrufc.co.uk for more information.
