We’ve had thrills, spills (plenty of spills, actually) and the odd moment of brilliance, but it’s time to tot up the final scores after another fantastic season of the Ultimate Big Boot.
The competition, sponsored by De Montfort University (DMU), sees groups take to the Welford Road pitch during each Leicester Tigers home game and test their catching skills under 10 balls fired high into the air, in front of more than 300,000 supporters over the course of the season.
“Surely, someone has to beat our score next year, right?”
Any team that manages to catch all 10 and – crucially – keep hold of them, could also win a jackpot of £2,000 for their efforts.
And while no group managed a 100% record during the season, the top honours go to Tigers’ Group Sales team, who managed seven catches under the lights at half time of the Heineken Champions Cup match against Scarlets in October.
Second place is shared by members of the University of Lincoln’s men’s rugby team, and a group made up of players from Kesteven RFC, with both sides taking six catches on the Tigers turf.
Chris Anastasi is team leader of the club’s group sales team and took a pair of catches in their winning display.
“It was a lot more difficult than I thought, if I’m honest,” he said. “Being under the lights and the pressure of not wanting to make an idiot of yourself made it tough, but luckily as a department we did well.
“Surely, someone has to beat our Big Boot score next year, right?”
Other highlights of the season include a pair of groups taking on the challenge under the watchful glaze of Tigers’ John Player Cup-winning heroes, and even a ‘catch’ for The Mattioli Woods Stand roof in blustery conditions back in April.
You can find the full Ultimate Big Boot league table for 2018/19 below.
The Ultimate Big Boot 2018/19
- Tigers Group Sales – 7
- Kesteven RFC (II) – 6
- University of Lincoln – 6
- Harrogate Grammar School – 5
- Ilkeston RFC – 5
- Newark RFC – 5
- Tom Parfett Group – 5
- Royal Anglian Regiment – 5
- Five Ways Old Edwardians RFC – 4
- Front Row Sports – 4
- Oakham RFC – 4
- 2Excel Aviation – 3
- Newmarket RFC – 3
- DB Schenker – 3
- Veseyans RFC – 3
- Market Harborough RFC U16s – 3
- James Goodchilds Group – 2
- Kesteven RFC (I) – 2
- Long Eaton RFC – 2
- Loughborough RFC – 2
- March Bears RFC – 2
- Oadby Wyggestonians RFC U15s – 2
- Oakham RFC – 2
- Oadby Wyggestonians RFC – 1
- East Bergholt High School (I) – 1
- Flagwavers – 1
- The Mattioli Woods Stand – 1
- Coalville RFC – 0
- East Bergholt High School (II) – 0
- London Porter House – 0
- Milton Keynes RFC – 0
The Ultimate Big Boot is available for group bookings and all competitors receive a Big Boot T-shirt as a souvenir. All participants must be aged 14 or over. For more information, call 0116 2171 216 and learn more about our Group Days.
