Netherdale hosts touch rugby festival

Gala Rugby hosted it’s annual Primary Schools Touch Rugby Festival for primary six and seven pupils.The festival took place at Netherdale on Thursday 19 March with over 300 girls and boys from 11 local primary schools, including Langlee, St Peter’s and Tweedbank taking part.It had a ‘Rugby World Cup’ theme, with the different teams being allocated a country from the world’s biggest rugby nations taking part in this year’s Rugby World Cup.The teams were a mix of pupils from different schools to get them playing with other pupils, Ian Millar, Gala Rugby’s Youth Development Officer, said that:”We’ve mixed the teams up for years because we feel that it gives the Primary seven pupils the chance to integrate with other schools, and meet people with the similar interest of rugby, before they move on to Galashiels Academy.”Throughout the morning the teams rotated around eight pitches, playing six minute, touch rugby matches against all of the other sides in the tournament.Older pupils from Galashiels Academy also helped coach the teams to gain experience of that side of the game.In the build-up to the event Gala Rugby went to the different Primary Schools to deliver rugby skills sessions and prepare the children for the festival.Players who have previously played in the Gala Primary Schools Touch Rugby Festival have progressed to represent Scotland, with Ruairi Howarth and Gary Robertson currently in the Scotland under-20 side and Gary’s sister Lisa Robertson playing for Scotland Women.