Harlequins Players Lead a Rugby Masterclass for Local Pupils

Published on: 24 Sep, 2018
Updated on: 25 Sep, 2018

Dave Ward making training fun.

Dave Ward and George Merrick join pupils from RGS Guildford, Howard of Effingham, St Peter’s and George Abbot.

Twenty-nine pupils from local schools came together last week for a one-off special masterclass and training session with Harlequin players, Dave Ward and George Merrick.

The event was a rare opportunity for these youngsters to experience the kind of training these premier level players take part in every week. The boys were put through their paces, playing a variety of conditioned games and looking in detail at aspects including tactical technique and offloading.

Pupils from RGS Guildford, Howard of Effingham, St Peter’s and George Abbot took part.

Head of Partnerships at RGS Guildford, Tom Shimell, said of the day: “Seeing the boys training and learning together in a cohesive unit regardless of their school affiliation was really heartening. We have all really enjoyed being part of this amazing opportunity and it exemplifies the type of local partnerships which can bring significant benefits to the young people of Guildford.”

Director of Rugby at Guildford Rugby Club, Chris Alder, who is also an old boy of RGS Guildford, helped to set up the event with the RGS Head of Rugby, Ben Dudley.

From left to right: George Merrick (Harlequins), Dave Ward (Harlequins), Ben Dudley (Head of Rugby, RGS Guildford), Chris Alder (Director of Rugby, Guildford Rugby Club).

Talking about the session, Chris said: “We are lucky enough to have Harlequins player, Dave Ward, coaching at Guildford Rugby Club and it is always great to see youngsters passionate about their sport, out on the pitch, learning from a pro. We are really grateful to the guys for coming down.”

You can find out more about Guildford Rugby Club at http://www.guildfordrugbyclub.co.uk/