The man who brought the Commonwealth Games to Manchester will next week launch a Community Toolkit to help all young people play rugby.
Just days before the best players in the world compete in the Sevens, Geoff Thompson MBE will attend a Rugby Football Union Social Inclusion Seminar at Sale Sharks on July 30.
The 1990 World Heavyweight Karate Champion, a participant in the government's 1988 Review of Sport in the Inner Cities and a key figure in Manchester's bid for the Commonwealth Games, will deliver the keynote address at the seminar.
The Toolkit will create a working practice for rugby in England that ensures young people are not discriminated against on the basis of social background, age, gender, disability, race, religion or sexuality.
This is the RFU's latest initiative aimed at promoting social inclusion in partnership with the Youth Charter for Sport which Thompson founded and includes good practice guidelines for working with young people, their parents and carers.
Available in filo-fax paper and CD Rom format, it has been created by the RFU's Community and Operations Department in conjunction with the 56 Rugby Development Officers who work across England in ethnically and culturally diverse areas.
Francis Baron, RFU Chief Executive, said: "The RFU is delighted to support this worthwhile and essential project. It's essential that as many children as possible have the opportunity to play rugby union, irrespective of their background and the facilities immediately on offer. We are committed to ensuring that children can enjoy the sport and provide the means by which they can pursue their interest."
Derek Morgan, President of the RFU, added: "The RFU has worked successfully with the Youth Charter for Sport for 10 years on joint social inclusion projects.  The projects have been driven by Government funding and matching sponsorship from Sportsmatch and the dedicated staff we employ at the RFU to help encourage participation in the game. The RFU Rugby Development Officers will form an essential part of the process of developing further projects and increasing the number of players who enjoy the sport."