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Tigers boost Premiership Rugby project in USA

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Leicester Tigers are joining a Premiership Rugby trip to the USA to help promote and develop rugby.

Each of the Premiership Rugby clubs is sending a coach to work in a week of rugby events in New York, starting today (Monday).

Christophe Ridley will represent the club on the project whid includes the Great Campaign Sports Festival, a touch rugby tournament in Central Park, and an end-of-season event in Harlem for young players and their families.

Ridley will mentor a school ahead of the Public School Athletics League High School Rugby 7s Final in New York and on the final day of the trip he will assist in running fitness testing sessions for fans at the USA Sevens Collegiate Rugby Championship in Philadelphia, where the Aviva Premiership Rugby trophy will be on display.

A Leicester Tigers Academy scrum-half and former pupil at Loughborough Grammar School, Ridley has been working closely with the Tigers community department this year.

“It sounds like a really interesting trip,” Ridley, 19, said. “The programme has packed a lot into a week, with projects in schools and other events.

“I think it should be a rewarding trip and a chance to see how rugby is growing in a different part of the world.

“It’ll be a great opportunity to spread the word about Leicester Tigers and Premiership Rugby.”

Premiership Rugby’s community department has developed a number of ground-breaking initiatives including the Aviva Premiership Rugby Schools Programme, the MBNA Tackling Numbers project and the social inclusion programme Hitz, as well as the Land Rover Premiership Rugby Cup, J P Morgan Asset Management Premiership Rugby Sevens Cup and ESPN Premiership Rugby Masterclasses.

Wayne Morris, head of community at Premiership Rugby, said: “Each season Premiership Rugby and its clubs invest more than £3million in community programmes which aim to grow grassroots participation and tackle core social issues.

“In the last year, Premiership Rugby clubs delivered 150,000 hours of community programmes to more than 240,000 participants. Premiership Rugby also provides 600 professional players, each a strong role model within their communities, who are involved in supporting the schemes.

“Our programmes prove that we are a world leader when it comes to community initiatives, and I’m delighted we have been given the chance to come to the USA to help promote and grow the game.”