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Community

A year of Tigers in the community | 2019

Rugby values are a part of every rugby club around the world. From serving the community, to providing opportunities for all, rugby is much more than the 80 minutes at every level of the game. 

Leicester Tigers community department live and breathe by this ethos and year after year, continue to reach even more people through the opportunities made possible by rugby. 

Tigers team of qualified and experiences coaches and education officers travel across the UK and abroad delivering a wide spectrum of programmes.

We take a look back at some of the stand-out stories from our community department this 2019.

Keeping it cool in school

Healthy Schools

With programmes such as the Global Payments Healthy Schools, Nottingham Building Society Tag Rugby and Rugby Reading Champions, Leicester Tigers travel to primary, secondary and special schools across the county.

The Healthy Schools programme has helped more than 9,000 primary school pupils to learn about the importance of a healthy lifestyle, while Tag Rugby for many Leicestershire schools are their first steps into the game. 

Tigers also launched a mixed ability and special educational needs and disability (SEND) focus which sees different variations of the game to allow everyone to take part.

Tigers on tour

Greg Bateman Kuala Lumpur

Overseas, Tigers community coaches continue to travel around the world delivering rugby camps for a variety of age groups focusing on coaching the next generation. Kuala Lumpur, Italy, Belgium and Chile are just a few of the places visited. 

The club has also taken part in special events, such as the Dendermonde 10’s tournament in Belgium, a week-long takeover of the island of Guernsey as well as a summer of rugby camps across the UK. 

 

LTWR double winners

wheelchair

The growth of Leicester Tigers Wheelchair Rugby team continued to grow from strength to strength as the team went undefeated to retain their Super Series Div One championship

Now boasting a second team, as well as plans for a youth team, Leicester remains the hub for some of the sport’s best talent, with many of the team involved in international set-up for Team GB.

Supporting club rugby

Project Rugby donations

One aspect of the community department is the transition and pathway for young players of all abilities. Tigers hosted its first ever all-girls tournament at Welford Road and, in partnership with Premiership Rugby, Project Rugby has helped young boys and girls who were first introduce to rugby via Tigers visit to schools to find a local club. 

The rugby community came together in 2019 helping to donate any unwanted or un-used rugby boots, clothes and equipment to help provide opportunities and take away some of the barriers such as the cost of kit for young players wanting to play rugby. 

The club’s community team The Swifts, which aims to encourage black Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) groups to take up rugby, enjoyed a successful first year playing a number of exhibition games at Welford Road and on the nearby Nelson Mandela Park against other local age groups. 

Tigers grow Global Partner Clubs 

colorno

2019 saw Tigers’ five Global Partner Clubs continue to pave the way for rugby around the world. 

Holland’s RC DIOK saw the Leiden city club crowned as Erkelasse league title champions for the first time in 20 years. Flanders-based Dendermonde RC picked up the Belgian domestic cup. Rugby Colorno won promotion to the Italian Top 12, the top tier of Italian rugby union. Delhi Hurricanes and Kuala Lumpur Tigers are two of their countries best known rugby teams and boast a huge community of players from minis to senior to veteran teams. 

25 years of the Prima Tiger Cup

Prima Tiger Cup

The 2018/19 season also saw the club celebrate 25 years of the Prima Tiger Cup, an under-10s festival which gives teams from around the UK the chance to walk out and play at Welford Road. Here’s to another 25 years!

With the turn of the decade just around the corner, keep an eye out in the New Year for news of what the Tigers community department will be up to in 2020.

Find out more about the community team at the link below.