Schoolchildren are enjoying an introduction to rugby and the benefits of the sport through the Leicester Tigers community programmes.

From healthy living and safety, to career options and lifestyle choices, Tigers coaches combine sport and learning to create a fun and diverse environment for pupils to learn in the classroom and on the pitch.

The programmes include Aggregate Industries Concrete Rugby and the Nottingham Building Society Tag Rugby, which are proving hugely popular with pupils and teachers across the Tigers region.

Aggregate Industries Concrete Rugby is a free programme for pupils in years 7, 8 and 9. Now in its second season, it integrates the skills of rugby and a focus on healthy lifestyle and safety.

In its first year Aggregate Industries Concrete Rugby reached more than 1,000 and Tigers coaches are already working with schools in the new academic year, including Rushey Mead Academy in Leicester.

Ritesh Bardiola, PE teacher at Rushey Mead Academy, said: “It’s been incredible for the kids to get engaged with a sport they may not have had the opportunity to play before.

“We now have around 50 pupils joining our after school teams and we now integrate Concrete Rugby into our PE curriculum.”

Now in its third year, Nottingham Building Society Tag Rugby helps introduce primary school children to rugby.

The tag programme takes pupils from the basics to competing in a mini festival at the end of the programme, and for many it is their first taste of rugby.

It has so far reached more than 2,000 pupils, with many going on to continue playing at local clubs and teams across Leicestershire.

More information on Aggregate Industries Concrete Rugby, including how to get involved, is available from email Blaine Bonnin-Ward on 07715 856901 or by emailing [email protected]

More information on the Nottingham Building Society Tag Rugby programme is available from Dominic Owen on 0116 217 1328 or by emailing [email protected]