|
Remarkably, this small club also hosted
an international rugby game in June, 2008. In a bold choice made by
Rugby Canada, the club was asked to host a match between England
Counties, a high-level touring side that included English first,
second and third division players, and Canada Selects, a reserve
national side.
Anticipation
After the rain delay, spectators enjoyed a spirited international
match. Although trailing at the half, England Counties came back for
a convincing 31-6 win.
The England Counties team with a local admirer after a dinner at
Boston Pizza in Chatham.
The club and the community rallied together to host a highly
successful game, a number of social events and a very successful
community outreach program. The club took several international
players into elementary schools in Chatham, Wallaceburg and
Ridgetown, introducing rugby to five and six grade students in
laughter-filled clinics. The players couldn’t get enough of the
students’ enthusiastic response and the kids couldn’t get enough of
the players’ riveting presentation of this unfamiliar game.
Canada Selects players are gang tackled by students during a rugby
clinic held at Holy Family Catholic School in Wallaceburg, Ontario.
The club, aggressively marketing the game on radio, posters,
banners, billboards and over the web, sold over 1,500 advanced
tickets. Though the game was cut short by a massive summer
thunderstorm that swept through the area, the game was enjoyed by
over 1,200 spectators who stuck around for the rain-shortened won by
England Counties. The Rugby Football Union described the match in
this
RFU game story.England Counties team manager Danny Hodgson
summed up the abbreviated game by saying
“I was also relieved for the people from the community, who deserved
to see their effort, enthusiasm and wonderful hospitality rewarded.”
The club looks forward to hosting major games and events in the
future.
 |
 |
|
Billboards, radio ads and banners were used to market the game.
|
|
