Stratford and Shipston youngsters impress at Land Rover Premiership Rugby Cup at Old Leamingtonians

RISING rugby stars from the Herald area laced their boots with the best sides in the Midlands to lock horns over the coveted Land Rover Premiership Rugby Cup trophy at the weekend.

Wasps hosted the junior festival after previous instalments from Saracens, Sale, Leicester Tigers and Newcastle Falcons, with first-team stalwarts watching on as Stratford and Shipston-on-Stour joined 30 fellow U11 and U12 clubs on the pitches of Old Leamingtonians.

Since 2008, more than 100,000 children have participated in Land Rover’s series of nationwide events, with alumni such as Harlequins’ Louis Lynagh and Newcastles’ Callum Chick using its platform to realise their dreams of playing in the Premiership and beyond.

Oliver Murphy, of Stratford’s U11s squad, was among the hundreds of talented youngsters showcasing their skills, and the 11-year-old said: “I enjoy the teamwork and playing together, we communicate really well as a team and it’s been exciting playing against so many different sides.

“All my family came to watch me play rugby, and I love seeing my mum, my dad and my brother on the sidelines. It’s always fun when there’s people to support you.”

Land Rover has been supporting grassroots rugby in the UK for nearly two decades, through the Land Rover Premiership Rugby Cup. Follow the latest Land Rover rugby activity on Twitter @LandRoverRugby.