The Powergen National Rugby Community Programme has been a huge success in Lincolnshire, with 1,000 primary school children playing tag rugby in the first year and an increased number anticipated in the coming 12 months.

Half of the programme was delivered in schools from the Lincoln and North Hykeham areas of Lincolnshire. North Kesteven RUFC, heavily involved with the scheme and coaching in nine schools, now has an extra girls’ side to underpin the current U14s and will also start running an U12s boys team for the first time in a number of years.

Supported by North Hykeham Town Council, a festival at the club following the coaching sessions, attracted 16 teams and was covered on BBC Radio Lincolnshire. Leicester Tigers and England U19 fly half Ross Broadfoot was there to lend encouragement and see All Saints Primary School win.

The second half of the programme covered the Spalding and Stamford area of Lincolnshire, with coaching sessions from club coaches in these areas culminating in a festival held at Spalding RUFC. The winners of the event, which saw 14 teams competing, were St Norbert’s Primary School, who were congratulated by Luke Myring of Leicester Tigers. The two victorious schools earned a chance to compete at Welford Road - home of Leicester Tigers - with the winners then playing in the National Finals at Twickenham.