Proud to be in The Pack

Rugby World Cup 2015 has recruited thousands of volunteers to welcome match-goers to the Tournament and help with essential tasks. More than 20,000 people applied to be part of “The Pack”. Only 6,000 spaces were available.

Two local Rugby followers found out recently they have been selected to be part of The Pack. Claire and Bill are passionate about Rugby and keen to be a part of the Brighton & Hove matches in September.

Claire

“My name is Claire, I work at the University of Brighton as the Sport Participation and Experience Manager and sport plays a pivotal role in my life.

“Rugby is a sport that I took up to fulfil a dare over 13 years ago and I was quickly captivated in my first training session. Rugby is a game like no other; it evokes a spirit of teamwork and fair play at all levels. Rugby clubs create a community for its members where players and supporters look out for each other on and off the pitch.

“Learning that the Rugby World Cup was coming to England and specifically to Brighton & Hove meant putting my name in the hat with 1000’s of other Rugby fans to try and secure a role volunteering for the sport I love. An application form was filled in, an interview was attended and then the wait was on to see if I was lucky enough to be chosen.

“I’ve been offered the role of Sports Presentation Field of Play Assistant. This means I will be working in a floor management capacity, supporting the operational production team in the match venue tunnel and around the perimeter of the pitch. I can’t wait!

“The only drawback to my role is that I will no longer be able to watch the games from the stands and my tickets will be donated to Rugby friends that weren’t lucky enough to get tickets in the initial ballot.”

Bill

“I am excited and delighted to be offered a place in The Pack, only one of 1250 volunteers nationwide to be recruited from the general public.

“The next part of my journey will be two one-day training sessions where I will meet with other volunteers from all over the south of England where I can look forward to sharing our expectations and challenges for the roles we have been appointed to.

Photo credit: www.snapitnow.co.uk

“Then to the event itself in September, when, as a member of the Spectator Services Team I will be meeting, greeting and guiding fans and supporters from the competing teams by providing them with the warmest of Brighton welcomes.

“Looking forward so much to the next few months and being part of a unique experience for our city.”

Findout more about how The Pack was selected in our previous blog entry

Under 20s in Brighton

Under 20s brought Rugby to the Brighton Community Stadium for the first time.

The Brighton Community Stadium transformed in style into a Rugby venue to be proud of for the England Under 20 v France Under 20 Six Nations finale last month on 20 March. 

Photo credit: ProSportsImages

England Under 20 produced a scintillating second half performance to beat the French team 24-11, winning the Six Nations title in the process. 

The evening also saw a very happy crowd of Rugby fans who witnessed the first Rugby match to take place on the Brighton Community Stadium’s pitch.

Photo credit: ProSportsImages

The U20s game was a success in terms of ticket sales too. A total of 12,615 people filled the seats to watch the match. This is the highest amount of tickets ever sold for an England U20s Six Nations match.

One of our bloggers and member of The Pack, Bill Hadgkiss was in the crowd. Bill said: “England Under 20 clinched the Six Nation's crown with a superb second half performance to beat France. This was my first visit to the Amex. The stadium is superb with excellent facilities for the spectators and proved to be a great venue for the match. The pitch was in perfect condition and the two large screens at both ends relayed the match live together with action replays." 

Photo credit: ProSportsImages

Bill added: "Full credit also to the marshalls managing spectators’ safe exit from the ground and access to Falmer station. All this together with a great atmosphere bodes well for Brighton to host the two Rugby World Cup 2015 matches in September.”

Photo credit: ProSportsImages

The England 2015 organisers were also able to use the match as part of their testing programme and were delighted with the delivery of the stadium’s first ever rugby match ahead of the Tournament coming to the city in September. Find out more at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-C4javbqh0  

Photo credit: ProSportsImages

Balfour bloggers

Pupils from Balfour Primary Tag Rugby team were invited to Brighton Community Stadium recently to learn about how the venue will be transformed for Rugby in the months ahead.

Seven pupils took a tour of the ground and met with the Executive Director of Brighton & Hove Football Club to find out more.

In this home changing room

The trip was organised by Albion in the Community (AITC) and also involved the pupils working with the AITC team to create blog content on a set of iPads.

Their finished blog entries will be posted here soon.  

In the stands

World class Rugby coming to Brighton & Hove this spring

The first ever Rugby match to be played at the Brighton Community Stadium will be on Friday 20 March 2015. The England U20s take on France U20s in the final in the Under 20s Six Nations ahead of the Seniors match the next day at Twickenham.

Tickets are selling fast as people are eager to be part of this sporting first. Offering an exciting start to the weekend, the match is attracting families and first time Rugby goers as well as long time fans of the sport. The match kicks off time of 7.55pm gives plenty of time to get to the stadium after school or work.

England Rugby 2015 will be using the occasion as an opportunity to test elements of match day delivery and see the football stadium in action as a Rugby venue ahead of RWC 2015 matches taking place in Brighton & Hove later in the year. The U20s will be the first Rugby players to hit the Brighton pitch before two RWC 2015 games taking place on the first weekend of the Tournament on September 19 and 20.

James Chisholm is a key player in the U20s England squad, appearing at No. 8. James is from Haywards Heath and was a pupil at Brighton College. He visited the Brighton Community Stadium on 18 February to have a look around.

James Chisholm (Photo credit Paul Hazlewood)

James said: “I think it’s awesome we are going to come here, it’s a great venue. We want to win and will be giving it our all as always. It’s always a good game when we play France. Hopefully this match will draw people in. If you haven’t seen a live Rugby match before then this would be the one to start with. It’s a friendly atmosphere for spectators and a chance to see top sport at a very easy to get to stadium. I am looking forward to being back in Brighton playing for England on 20 March.” 

James currently plays alongside his brother Ross at Harlequins as well as being part of the England U20s. He previously captained England’s U18s to victory in the FIRA European Tournament and was part of the winning U20s England team in the 2014 IRB Junior World Championship.

Tickets are currently still available for the U20s match and can be bought from the Albion Booking line on 0844 3271901. Adult tickets cost £15 and children aged under 18 are £5. There are discounts for students, families and people aged over 65 years. 

Motivational Maggie the Machine

Maggie Alphonsi MBE is passionate about Rugby and the transformational impact the sport has on her life.

Known as “Maggie the Machine” for the power she brings to her game, Maggie started out playing in a London school and rose through the ranks of Rugby to become World Champion this summer.  The England women’s team won the final of the seventh women's Rugby World Cup against Canada in Paris 21 - 9 on 17 August 2014.

After winning the Tournament, Maggie took on the role of Rugby World Cup 2015 Ambassador, along with Lawrence Dallaglio, Will Greenwood and Jonny Wilkinson. The four ambassadors will be sharing their sporting enthusiasm and making official Rugby World Cup announcements in the run up to the Tournament.

Maggie Alphonsi after her team's victory
(Photo credit: RFU archive)

Maggie said: “I visited Brighton’s football stadium at Two Years to Go until Rugby World Cup 2015. It’s an absolutely brilliant venue. Brighton has big games in the Tournament and it’s going to be amazing. The venue atmosphere of a football stadium is different and it will be good to see Rugby on the pitch. Also the Brighton people are the best, lots of fun and sure to enjoy it all.”

Inspiring young players

Balfour Primary School’s Tag Rugby Team was invited to be the “Guard of Honour” at an England vs Australia match played at Twickenham.

The trip included a tour of the RFU Museum, visiting the changing rooms and a chance to play on the pitch.

The experience was a reward for the school’s 2013 – 2014 Tag Rugby Team placing second in the 2014 National Schools Final.

The RFU gave two extra tickets. These were given in a random draw to two of the current Year 6 Tag Rugby Team – Fred and Esmee. 

Our trip to Twickenham by Esmee and Fred

Esmee and Fred

Esmee, Balfour Year 6 Tag Rugby Squad 2014 - 2015

Going to Twickenham, watching a live rugby match and performing the Guard of Honour was brilliant. The whole experience was amazing but my favourite part would be standing in front of 82,031 people performing the Guard of Honour – just surreal! 

I couldn’t believe how massive they were! Standing on the real Twickenham grass and scoring tries, standing in exactly the same place as professional rugby players was incredible.

Next year the RWC are taking the players to Brighton. I am desperate to go and see them with my sisters!

Fred, Team Captain, Balfour Year 6 Tag Rugby Squad 2014 - 2015

The experience was amazing, playing on the pitch and walking out to do the Guard of Honour to 82,000 people at Twickenham. The Australian and English players were so close to me, as they sung ‘God Save the Queen.’

After we played on the pitch, before the game, we walked backed through the tunnel, Chris Robshaw was inches away from me! Then when we finished the Guard of Honour we did a minute of applause for Philip Hughes. 

After that we went back to the changing rooms before the match began, just before that, when we were on our way back, we brushed past Jonny Wilkinson who was commentating on the match!!

I will never forget it!

Balfour pupils at Twickenham

People Power!

Rugby World Cup 2015 is recruiting 6,000 volunteers to welcome the world to the Tournament next year. More than 20,000 people applied and 10,000 were shortlisted for interviews for the chance to join “The Pack”. 

Selection events, called Try Outs, have been taking place across the country since June and will run until December 2014. The local Try Out took place at the University of Brighton in July. The Try Outs include an exhibition area showing the history of Rugby World Cup and the relevant host city. 

At the Try outs

All applicants were able to browse the exhibition before a 20 minute one to one interview about why they should join The Pack.

Interview time

Bill Hadgkiss hopes to be part of The Pack, he was among the shortlisted applicants and is now waiting to hear if he will be chosen to join The Pack. 

Bill explained why he decided to apply: “I was inspired by the way the volunteers contributed so much to the success of the London Olympics. I also have a love of the sport of Rugby, a game I played in my younger days and that my son still plays for Uckfield RFC. I thoroughly enjoyed the invitation to the local One Year to Go event when the Webb Ellis Cup visited Brighton & Hove. And I am pleased to be able to contribute to this blog at this stage, and hopefully into next year if my application is successful.”

Pack applicant: Bill Hadgkiss

The majority of ‘The Pack’ consists of volunteers from rugby clubs in England and Wales, recognising those who support the game week-in week-out. There are 1,500 places being allocated to members of the public who have previously applied for the roles through the official volunteer selection process. The aim is to make sure everyone has had the chance to be part of one of the biggest sporting events in the world. 

Applicants will find out in early 2015 if they will be in The Pack and training will take place later in the year.