5:02pm Thursday 2nd July 2009
By Matt Plummer
Rugby fever is set to hit Tendring.
Clacton Rugby Club are staging their fourth annual beach tournament on Saturday – but this year’s event has been given a major boost.
For the first time, it has been ‘upgraded’ by the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and is now part of their national ‘Scrum on the Beach’ series.
Clacton is one of only eight venues nationwide chosen to play hosts and Saturday’s tournament on the Martello Beach will be the first of 2009.
“It’s a huge coup for our town to be chosen by the RFU,” said Clacton Rugby Club fixture secretary and press officer Colin Garrod.
“It’s a real feather in our cap and should be a spectacular day.
“Our beach rugby competitions have always been successful and popular but this year will be even bigger and better, with a much higher profile.
“Thirty-five teams have already entered – the maximum we can manage – and five beach pitches will be used.
“The event is a family day, so the teams are a mixture of young and old and of both sexes, with the emphasis on fun rather than winning.
“And hopefully, if the weather’s good, we’ll get a really big crowd down there to watch.
“It’s completely free and should be very entertaining.”
The event – part of the RFU’s Play On campaign, sponsored by O2 – has been staged with assistance from Tendring District Council and Andrew Sarek, at the Eastern Counties RFU.
It will run from 11am, continuing throughout the afternoon, and, as well as the pitches on the beach, O2 are bringing along their inflatable ‘Play Zone’.
After Clacton, the other ‘Scrum on the Beach’ venues are Great Yarmouth (July 11), Southport (July 18), Bournemouth (July 25), Weymouth (August 1), Newcastle (August 8 and 9), Skegness (August 15) and Newquay (August 28 to 30).
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