This Saturday, 27th July, Swindon St George Masters will make history by hosting the world’s first ever fully sanctioned Rugby League Masters Nines Festival. This landmark event will be held at Swindon RFC on Greenbridge Road and promises a day of thrilling action, with free entry for all spectators. A fully licensed bar and a barbecue will be available to ensure an enjoyable experience for attendees.
Masters Rugby League is a distinctive variant of the sport, exclusively for players aged 35 and above. It employs a unique shorts colour system to categorise players by age, determining the level of physical contact allowed. Younger participants can engage with a physicality similar to the open age game but only against peers of the same age group. For the over 70s, tackles are non-physical, involving merely tagging or touching the ball carrier. Though this may sound complex, it has proven to be highly effective in practice.
Securing the hosting rights for this groundbreaking festival is a significant achievement for the Powerwash Contractors-backed St George club. Club secretary and referee Rod Evans expressed his delight, saying, “We are very proud to be selected for this event, which is great recognition after just three years of running a Masters side.” Teams from across the country, including Brixton, Aldershot, and Southampton, will participate, with the first game kicking off at 1.30pm.
In other news, the junior Dragons had a successful weekend. The under-15s claimed victory against Oxford Levellers to lift the annual Francis George trophy. Despite trailing for much of the match, St George rallied to score two tries in the last three minutes, pushing the game into extra time. They ultimately triumphed with a final score of 50-34. Josh Jones and Logan Parsons each scored two tries, while George Cooke, Ollie Pengilly, and Seb Wootton added one each. Alfie Bowers’ seven conversions earned him a joint man of the match award alongside Henley Duncan. The under-13s and under-12s also enjoyed successful outings, highlighting a promising future for Rugby League in Swindon.
For further updates and information, visit the Swindon St George website or follow #SwindonRugby, #RugbyLeague, #MastersNines, and #StGeorgeFestival on social media.
