Lions triumph–the benefits

How will the Lions’ victory payoff for British & Irish rugby down the line?

Will the Lions’ win in Australia inspire the younger generation?

It’s been a fantastic year for British & Irish sport, with dozens of medals being won in the Olympics, a British win at Wimbledon and a dazzling display down under by the Lions, while over in Ireland, Leinster had yet another successful season on the trophy front.

So…how will this inspire the younger generation?

With so many heroic headlines from such sports personalities in 2013, youngsters can’t help to be impressed and motivated by their success.

The Lions’ achieved their first series win in over a decade, bringing together rugby fans across Wales, England, Scotland and Ireland together to celebrate – with Lions’ rugby team wear everywhere. What’s more, the huge publicity has roped in people who normally aren’t interested in the sport – bringing extra supporters and helping to boost the numbers of grass level participants.

What are the other benefits of the win down under?

Awareness of any sport is likely to increase participation at the grassroots level, but a successful team tends to encourage longer engagement with the activity.

A rare win, such as the test series down under, will see people become much more involved – especially the young hopefuls who wish to one day represent their country on an international sporting level.

Many of the players in the winning side like Leigh Halfpenny, are still young which will make them more relatable and inspiring to the younger generation. It is easy to see the amount of dedication the younger players have put into earning their place on the squad, which shows the grassroots level players what they need to do in order to be successful.

How will the professionals respond?

As with any international competition, every player involved will have gained a vast amount of experience during the tournament. The British and Irish Lions always knew that they would be in the public eye, being role models for the next generation of rugby players.

They had to be on their best behaviour on and off the pitch and give their all at every game. While some of the players have been in this position previously, many younger players had to learn how to deal with the pressure very quickly. At a level like this, it’s make or break. These new skills will help to improve many other aspects of their game, allowing them to make better decisions and improving their teamwork.

How important was the rugby team wear?

Nowadays, nothing but the best quality equipment should be used for international matches. The rugby wear brings the players and the supporters together, uniting them all through a common element – the British and Irish Lions rugby shirts. Proudly worn by thousands in Australia and even more in Great Britain, a simple shirt can help bring people together, inspiring entire nations.

Rugby Clearance provide high level rugby teamwear and equipment at the biggest discount prices. With over 40 years of experience selling kit, equipment, and off field wear, Rugby Clearance have everything you need to make you look the part and bring you to the top of your game.

Written by

http://www.rugbyclearance.co.uk/

How international rugby is encouraging participation at grassroots

International rugby players aren’t just inspiring when they are on the pitch, doing what they do best, they also work at getting young people involved in the sport. Without the younger generation being influenced by the game or being encouraged to participate at grassroots level then the game would suffer at a professional level. The Welsh Rugby Union recognises this and has given a massive £27million in order to boost the grassroots projects in Wales. Therefore, the goal of international rugby off the pitch is to make the game available to everyone.

How international rugby helps

Many children watch the international rugby matches and dream of the day when they will get to pull on their country’s rugby shirt and join the field to the cheers of the audience. The flood of young, new, talented players coming to the game brings with it a renewed enthusiasm for children to dedicate their time to becoming a professional rugby player. In a move to increase participation, many local rugby clubs receive support from international rugby stars who come along and help coach and take drills on a semi-regular basis.

Improving the grassroots

When most people picture grassroots rugby they often think of a scraggly pitch with old wooden posts and barely visible line markings. International rugby sponsors such as HSBC, RugbyForce and SWALEC are working to change this image through corporate sponsorship of local rugby clubs. This sponsorship gives them more finances to purchase equipment, tend the pitches and even allow the club’s rugby kit to be sold at a discounted price. The WRU has directly employed over 50 people with the sole purpose of helping community rugby take place and recognise specific areas where more funding is needed. Many of the rugby sponsors see what they are doing as an investment in the future, as they know that without grassroots rugby there would be no professional sport.

Having the right tools for the future

Rugby shirts take a real battering; tough tackles, mud, grass stains, soaked with sweat, blood and tears. This typically means that there is a time span on how long these shirts will last, however some clubs are unable to replace or update their team’s rugby shirts to their detriment. Think about how much the kit has changed in the last 5 years, moving from loose-fitting cotton jerseys to skin-tight Lycra material. Without the vital funding from international rugby many clubs would still be sporting the older versions of the rugby jersey, which disadvantages them in games against more privileged clubs. Through sponsorship, local clubs have been able to boost grassroots participation by: improving the standards of their pitch, introducing floodlights, purchasing line marking machines, sprucing up or building clubhouses, purchasing training equipment and paying for coaches.

Transparent funding streams in Wales

The Welsh Rugby Union is at the forefront of the sport when it comes to potential sources of funding for grassroots programmes. In the last five years over 310 local rugby clubs in Wales have received £27 million in funding through the WRU, with amounts ranging from £100 to £250k. The funding is designed to help anybody access rugby, from helping clubs gain access to discounted equipment to purchasing land to be used as a community rugby pitch in areas where there are no nearby facilities.

Written by

http://www.rugbyclearance.co.uk/

photo by Murky1 via Flickr (creative commons license)