James Haskell and Mike Tindall Rekindle Players’ Love for Rugby in a one-off match of a lifetime

James Haskell and Mike Tindall returned to the pitch alongside a star-studded squad of former England internationals and grassroots players in a celebration of rugby’s ability to create communities, forge lifelong friendships and keep players physically active.
 
The England stars were joined by Phil Vickery, Tom Wood, Matt Banahan, Lee Mears and Delon Armitage at the latest event in England Rugby’s ‘Play Together, Stay Together’ campaign. Aylesbury Rugby Club played host to the one-off match that saw this clash of titans end in a nail-biting 36-36 draw with Tindall scoring the final equalising try. The match also saw standout tries from Mike Durose, Mike Phillips, Ben Pope, Delon Armitage and Alex Ingles. However, it wasn’t the final score that was of ultimate importance to the teams. Instead, it was the camaraderie and simple act of returning to the pitch and reuniting with old friends that marked victory, whether at a grassroots or professional level. 
 
“It’s that feeling of belonging, and creating something together, and carrying the lessons and friendships built by rugby throughout the rest of your life that’s so important,” said Tindall. “Whether you played as a teenager at school or a club and transitioned into adult rugby, or got into the sport through friends, just getting involved and sharing the love for the game is what counts.”
 
“The ‘Play Together, Stay Together’ initiative is a great way for us to inspire people to play rugby, whether they’re coming back to the game or are fresh to it, looking to be more active and make some great mates along the way. It’s also a great way to escape from everyday stresses and unwind.”
 
For those looking to get back into the sport, whether it’s been a few months, or a couple of years due to the pandemic, the RFU has a wide range of resources to help players as part of the ‘Play Together, Stay Together’ campaign, supported by The National Lottery. Resources include a Return to Rugby guide, the Activate Injury Prevention exercise programme to improve functional and core strength, balance and agility to prepare bodies physically, access to exercise videos curated by England Rugby’s Strength & Conditioning coach Robin Eager, and nutrition advice and recipes for all ages to ensure players can perform safely and at their peak. The RFU hopes that this star-studded match, created with The Good, The Bad & The Rugby will encourage players to lace up their boots once more.
 
World Cup winner Phil Vickery added: “It was great to be back on a rugby pitch, playing alongside old friends and new ones, all of whom I have met through the sport. We had a lot of fun out there today playing for and against each other, always in good spirits, and then being able to enjoy a drink with everyone afterwards in the clubhouse is what rugby is all about.
 
“I’ve made some of my best friends through this sport and it’s offered me so much more than just a game on a weekend.”
 
In order to maximise game time for players, the RFU has enhanced its Game On initiative to allow greater flexibility for teams to complete matches. The emphasis is on making sure players can still play even if teams don’t have 15-a-side. As long as teams have between 10-15 players, games can go ahead and count as a full 15-a-side match in leagues where Game On applies. Matches can be anywhere between 40-80 minutes and there are flexible options at scrums and lineouts depending on what suits players. Clubs are also encouraged to consider flexibility of fixture timings, such as midweek or and Friday evening games if players aren’t able to commit to traditional weekend fixtures slots.
 
Steve Grainger, RFU Director of Rugby Development, commented:
“While many areas of the community game have responded well after the pandemic, there are areas of concern in the adult men’s game and around Colts transitioning into adult rugby. The national participation campaign ‘Play Together, Stay Together’ is one element of a package of measures we have introduced to help reboot participation at this level. While it’s still early days, there have been promising signs of progress over recent weeks and it is encouraging to see match completion rates moving in the right direction. We will continue to monitor these closely.

 “While the women’s game has stayed flat at a time when growth was planned, we are confident in our planned interventions through Allianz Inner Warrior player recruitment campaigns aligned to the Rugby World Cup in which the Red Roses continue to inspire a new generation of players.

“We hope the whole rugby community will get behind ‘Play Together, Stay Together’ as the game works together to encourage more players back to their local clubs, and we thank The National Lottery players for again supporting our national participation campaign.”