Two grassroots teams from the North West are heading to Twickenham after winning this season’s Defender Rising Stars Cup, delivered by the Sale Sharks Foundation at Manchester Rugby Club.
The annual event, held nationwide by PREM Rugby clubs during the season, showcases the best in rugby’s values on-and-off the field, as Under-11 and Under-12 teams participate in one of the seasonal highlights of the grassroots rugby calendar.
Focusing on rugby’s core values of teamwork, respect, enjoyment, discipline, and sportsmanship, the winning Under-11 team was Chester RUFC, who will be joined by Under-12 side Didsbury Barbarians at the Gallagher PREM Rugby season finale in June.
The sides were among 32 participating teams, with 640 young players taking to the field in front of watching Sharks stars Gus Warr, Dan du Preez and brothers Sam and Joe Bedlow.
Phil Turnbull, Chester RUFC Under‑11s Head Coach, said:
“The Defender Rising Stars Cup is a hugely popular and in‑demand event, and it was great to see the quality of clubs and rugby on display. All the games were played in good spirit and in accordance with the true values of our sport.
“When Chester RUFC were announced as winners of the Under‑11 competition, I felt incredibly proud. It’s moments like that where you see all the effort from the players – and the coaches – truly paying off. A massive thank you to all the organisers and support staff who made the day run so smoothly. It’s a tournament the lads will remember for the rest of their rugby journeys.”
Since its launch in 2008, the Defender Rising Stars Cup has given more than 125,000 children the chance to discover rugby and experience competitive fixtures designed to support their development – with some even going on to play professionally in PREM Rugby.
