Rugby Opportunities in Norwich?

Where else can a student play Rugby in Norwich and Norfolk?

Rugby is a sport that has enjoyed a rise in popularity in the last ten years largely due to England winning the 2003 Rugby World Cup. Since then, the sport has seen an increase in schools and local clubs all over Britain. Certainly in Norfolk, there are plenty of clubs around with all teams playing in county leagues but also some in national leagues.

Some students at UEA cannot play rugby due to course commitments or other reasons, however there are opportunities to play for local sides that require less of a commitment to their sporting schedules in comparison to university sports.

Touch Rugby President Lewis Prescott states, ‘I very much enjoy playing for a local team in Norwich…it was a good way to get back into the game after a long lay off through injury.’

Just outside Norwich, there are four clubs and in the surrounding 20 miles there are upwards of three more. Norwich (Lions) RFC, Lakenham Hewett RFC, Norwich Union RFC and Crusaders RFC are all in Norwich and provide a great opportunity to play local rugby and meet a wide range of new people.

Norwich RFC has upwards of three playing teams at any one time with the First XV playing in London 3 North East Division. The club has a large clubhouse just north of the city and numerous playing fields located next to Norwich School. It is Norwich’s premier team and one of the oldest clubs in the country.

Lakenham Hewett RFC is roughly a 5 minute drive from Newmarket Road and is a small club, turning out two sides, one of which is affiliated with the local enemy: NUCA. The club has a large bar and three pitches, with one floodlit. The clubhouse is shared with footballers and in the summer, a local cricket team so the atmosphere is loud but friendly. It is a county standard team with the First XV playing in a Norfolk Merit League.

Norwich Union is a small club located at Sprowston Cricket Club and plays in Eastern Counties Division 2 according to its website. The club is similar to Lakenham Hewett and is a smaller side than Norwich RFC, however nonetheless welcoming and sporting a variety of players, young to old.

Crusaders RFC is the second largest club in Norwich and is located in Little Melton. It has been affiliated with Norwich Medics RFC which according to its Pitchero website is for ‘…NHS and healthcare staff, Medical and other Healthcare Professional Students in Norfolk, and their families.’ Crusaders RFC run 3+ teams.

If you are willing to travel a bit further then North Walsham RFC enjoys a fine reputation in Norfolk and competes at a high level. Despite allegedly cutting down the amount of teams they run to 3 this year, the club still competes at a strong level and also at an adequate standard for those who simply fancy a bit of rugby on the weekend.

Sport for students is not restricted to UEA clubs and societies, if you are looking to play rugby or any other sport and cannot commit then there are numerous opportunities in the county to be taken.

Visit http://norfolkrfu.pitchero.com/ for more information.