The road to Portugal for club’s youngsters

Young players at Canterbury Rugby Club are starting to fundraise ahead of an international festival. The Portugal Rugby Youth Festival will take place on the weekend of April 12 and April 13 next year in Lisbon. Canterbury under-13s’ sides are among those who have been invited to be involved at the prestigious tournament.

Frank Hamer, one of the managers for Canterbury under-13s, who have a Spitfires and Hurricanes team that they hope will both be able to go to Portugal, said: “They have been going as a team since they were little kids at under-6s level. “Obviously kids have gone and new kids have come in and, last year, they were really successful. “When you hit under-12s, you go into a thing called Kent Waterfall.



It’s a county competition and you’re put into groups - group one being the highest, all the way through to group seven if there’s enough age category teams across the county. “Canterbury had two teams. One were in the top group and I believe the other was in group three.

“Throughout last season, the Canterbury team in group one came third, which was a fantastic achievement when they’re competing with teams who have a massive catchment area. “They also got invited to a London tournament in Richmond that they won and, following that, they have been invited to participate in Portugal in April next year. “The competition has been labelled as the greatest European tournament.

They run an age category at under-13 level and then they do under-15s, under-17s and under-19s. “Canterbury have been invited to participate for their age category. “What it means is we’re doing a lot around social media presence and fundraising activities to get these kids to Portugal because these kids come from all different backgrounds.

“The tournament in Portugal gets more than 130 teams from around the world. They come from the rugby powerhouses around the world - like France, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. “The experience the kids will get - on and off the pitch - is just going to be unbelievable.

“I’m so excited for these children.” And Canterbury’s under-13s retained the South England Regional Trophy at the Richmond tournament this month. Hamer also explained why the families of the young prospects, which is coached by Miles MacKinnon, are trying to source the cost of travelling themselves.

“It’s going to cost a fair bit,” he accepted. “We’re doing it independently rather than going through a tour company. “To give you an example, I have had tour companies giving us quotes between £800 per person right up to £1,500 per person.

We have managed to get it a lot lower than both of those quotes, doing it independently. “What we’re trying to do, from a fundraising perspective, is to cater so that every kid can go free. I’m a family of four so I could have gone as a parent with my son, Malachi.

“But we have chosen to go as a whole family of four. “Some kids have never been abroad before - and some don’t even have a passport! That’s the reason why it (Canterbury under-13s) is so diverse. “The fundraising initiative is, really, to make sure that all the kids go free.

“That’s the idea with all these fundraising activities.” Plenty of sports clubs and businesses have already offered their support. Among the fundraising activities planned are a quiz night and various raffles, with the squad intending to cover the distance from Canterbury to Portugal - through swimming, running or cycling - at a time to be confirmed, as well.

Hamer said: “We’re doing a 100 Club as a lottery. “There’s one parent that makes scotch eggs. I know that sounds silly.

“But he’s now selling them on weekends and training days, which he’s probably wishing he had never done now because the orders are getting ridiculous! It just shows the commitment from parents. “We have got a quiz night organised, local communities bringing donations and we have got a number of golf clubs, offering things like a four-ball game of golf. Kent Cricket have offered T20 tickets and local restaurants have offered meals.

“It’s brilliant to see how everyone is getting involved.” While some of the players have stayed together at Canterbury RFC over many years, the youth-team side has also attracted youngsters across the county. Hamer said: “Some of them have been (together since they were under-6s), although we have had quite a few new kids, as well - like my son.

He only joined Canterbury two years ago and he has just flourished. “I live in Broadstairs so Malachi came from Thanet Wanderers - a rival - but he just wants to be a rugby player. To challenge himself, he had to progress and that’s the reason why we came to Canterbury.

“We have had kids join this season already. “There are a core that have been together since they were under-6s but it’s also blended from different schools. We have kids from Simon Langton, a school in Ashford, Faversham and Dane Court in Broadstairs.

"We have got a whole range.” Canterbury under-13s’ initial plan is to travel to Portugal from April 9 until April 14 so they can fit in team-building event days, cultural sightseeing and possible training sessions around the festival. See gofundme.

com/f/canter-bury-rfc-u13s-challenge-the-road-to-portugal to support the club's fundraising campaign..