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ulster
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15
ULSTER
RUGBY
TRY RUGBY
UlsterBranch
‘TRY RUGBY’ PROGRAMME IN
CREGGAN ESTATE A HUGE SUCCESS
Community Rugby Coaches, David Funston
and Nathan Deeney, along with Active
Communities coach Kevin Gallagher, have
been delivering tag rugby sessions in local
primary schools over the past few weeks.
The overall focus has been to provide
boys and girls from all backgrounds with
the opportunity to get involved in rugby
activity in a safe, controlled and familiar
environment.
Their hard work culminated in a ‘Rugby Fun
day’ on Monday at Bishops Field Sports
Centre, where approximately 360 boys and
girls took part in a mass participation event.
The pupils came from eight primary schools
from within the city and covered a wide
range of rugby related games and skills.
This event was designed to filter more
players into the ongoing satellite rugby club
that has been established in Creggan within
This season Ulster Rugby, in partnership with Derry City
Council Active Communities and City of Derry Rugby Club,
has embarked on a ground breaking rugby development
programme in the Creggan Estate and surrounding areas.
the last month. Ulster Rugby development
staff and City of Derry mini rugby coaches
have been delivering mini rugby sessions
at the Bishops Field venue to provide local
boys and girls with access to regular rugby
coaching.
It is hoped that these boys and girls will
seek to make rugby their main sport and
participate on a regular basis. Ulster star
Michael Allen attended last week’s session
to talk to the children about his experiences
in the sport and pass on some tips to help
develop their skills.
This project has been made possible due
to the generous support of the NI Executive
and the Department of Culture, Arts and
Leisure through the ‘Promoting Equality,
Tackling Poverty and Social Exclusion
through Sport’ programme.