My Community Series: Meet the Jersey rugby team which prides itself on its inclusivity

  • As part of the My Community series, ITV Channel's Ian Child meets the Jersey Royals, a rugby team which pride themselves on being an inclusive social club.

In the latest in our My Community series we meet members of Royals RFC, a Jersey-based amateur rugby club which prides itself on being inclusive.

Set up in 2016 following the collapse of other rugby teams around the island, the Royals aim to ensure men across the island can still play rugby - but perhaps a little more relaxed than other clubs.

Ollie De La Cloche is team manager and says: “The Royals is aimed at anyone who wants to come and play rugby whether you’ve been playing it your whole life or you’re just coming into it at the age of 40. It doesn’t matter.

"We want you to come here, have a good laugh, try and play some rugby and enjoy the social aspect of the team as well."

The club's Chair, Justin Hewgill, believes it's "extremely important" for communities to have social rugby clubs like this one.

“Rugby is a great game, it does all sorts of things for your mental health, for your physical ability so I think it’s hugely important to keep island rugby going.

"We’ve got players who’ve never played before to players who are returning after a long gap and players who have been playing all of their lives.

"I’m 44 and I’ve been playing since I was five and there is a couple of guys who’ve just started this season."

Justin Hewgill (top left), Ollie De La Cloche (top right), Hugo Reid (bottom left) & Joao Tomas (bottom right) Credit: ITV Channel

The team currently play in the Counties 3 Sussex league which means regularly hosting teams from the UK. It also gives players the opportunity to get off island occasionally.

Joao Tomas is the club's captain and says: "I think for me, it’s more about getting fit, getting active, getting outside and travelling to the UK for the games. I’ve played rugby since I was quite small so being part of the Royals means I can play almost every week and enjoy myself.

Hugo Reid has been playing with the team for six seasons and says the social aspect of the club was one of the reasons he decided to join. He said: "There’s also a strong sense of camaraderie and we’re all friends outside of this as well which is really important for a lot of guys who are moving over.

"It’s the perfect balance of serious rugby training but at the same time we are all here to have fun which is an essential ethos. We don’t take ourselves too seriously."

Jack Macfarlane is a former Jersey Reds player who now coaches the Royals. Credit: ITV Channel

Those who may be newer to the sport will also be in safe hand with former Jersey Reds player Jack Macfarlane making up part of the coaching team.

Ollie says: "[Jack] explains everything really well to the boys and we walk through all of the drills. If someone is newer to rugby they’ll come along, and they don’t always have to get involved in the drills or the games, they can just watch it for a while. After that they incorporate themselves into the game."

On that subject, Justin adds: "Safety is extremely important. We want all of our players to enjoy rugby in a safe environment where they can play to their ability and to their skill level.

"We do everything we can to up that skill level so they can enjoy rugby even more."

Royals RFC train at the Grainville Playing fields in St Saviour every Wednesday from 6:30pm.

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