Witney News - Touch-down for Touch Rugby in West Oxfordshire

Touch-down for Touch Rugby in West Oxfordshire

Teams wanted for new Touch Rugby League

West Oxfordshire businesses and organisations are being invited to learn the sport and pit their skills against teams from other local firms and groups for the first Witney Touch Rugby League this summer.

West Oxfordshire GO Active (Get Oxfordshire Active) has teamed up with Witney Rugby Football Club (RFC), the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and In2Touch Rugby, to give local people the chance to learn Touch Rugby and then put their skills to the test in friendly, competitive League games.

Led by Gary Morris, the RFU’s qualified Community Coach for North-West Oxfordshire, the Touch Rugby taster sessions will run each week from Wednesday 11 May to 29 June, 6.45 - 8.45pm, at Witney RFC, Hailey Road, Witney, at a cost of £3 per session.

The sessions are open to adults of all ages and will be followed by the six-week Witney Touch Rugby League from 6 July to 10 August, 6.45pm – 8.45pm. GO Active and the RFU are looking for mixed teams of up to 14 people, for six-a-side games, to take part in the league.

Lisa Booth, of GO Active in West Oxfordshire, which is supported by the District Council, said: “We’re really pleased to be launching this new Touch Rugby initiative in West Oxfordshire and are very grateful for the support from the local Rugby Club, the RFC and In2Touch for making this possible. This is a great opportunity for people to come along, perhaps with some work colleagues or friends, and learn the sport with coaching from a professional.

“We hope it creates an opportunity for everyone to try something new and keep fit, but also to meet some new people and take part in some friendly competition – that’s why we think it will be good for local businesses.”

GO Active is a countywide project, supported in West Oxfordshire by the District Council, to encourage more people over the age of 16 to lead more active, healthier lifestyles. The local GO Active team has been working over the past two years to set up a variety of new activities, including Nordic Walking, jogging and cycling sessions, to give residents in West Oxfordshire more opportunities to take part in exercise and Touch Rugby is the latest initiative.

Jason Bowers, RFU Rugby Development Officer for Oxfordshire, said: “We’re really excited to be involved with these sessions in West Oxfordshire as we’ve never done anything like this here before. Touch Rugby is becoming more and more popular and is suitable for anyone. These sessions are ideal for beginners and suitable for both men and women, no matter what their fitness level or ability, so we really hope we’ll have a lot of interest and that people will come along and find out what Touch Rugby has to offer.”

Pat Hall, President of Witney RFC, said: “We have hundreds of members of all ages and we’re always keen to promote rugby and get new people involved. We like to think we play an important role in the local community in Witney and further afield, and are very happy to be hosting these sessions. Everyone who comes along will be made to feel very welcome.”

Both individual and groups can attend the taster sessions and teams for the League will be formed at a later stage.

West Oxfordshire GO Active will be contacting local businesses with more information, but if you are an individual, business, group or organisation interested in taking part in either the taster sessions or League, please register at www.In2touch.com/uk/venues and select Witney, or email Paul Farringdon from In2Touch at [email protected]

Alternatively, contact West Oxfordshire GO Active Co-ordinator Sean Christie on 01993 861564 or email [email protected]