ALTRINCHAM Kersal Rugby Club's Under-11s may have missed out on appearing at this year's Aviva Premiership rugby final at Twickenham in May, but player Katie Lane insists the youngsters experienced a memorable weekend at a festival organised by Sale Sharks.

Katie and her team received the opportunity after taking part in the Land Rover Premiership Rugby Cup – a nationwide series for u11s' and u12s' teams – at Manchester Rugby Club.

Kersal played in a pool alongside Heaton Moor, Macclesfield, Preston Grasshoppers, Sedgley Park and Sheffield Tigers, with 44 teams in total taking part.

“I’ve always preferred playing rugby to watching it and tournaments like the Land Rover Premiership Rugby Cup are always really special,” said 10-year-old Katie, who is keen to join a professional women’s team in the next couple of years.

“I enjoy the game a lot, especially playing against the boys because none of them scare me and it’s always a really good challenge, particularly when you play lots of games in one day

“My favourite part of rugby is tackling and I think we’ve done that really well as a team.

"We all worked hard which is very pleasing. Hopefully this will give us the confidence for other games."

The Land Rover Premiership Rugby Cup has seen nearly 68,000 children take part to date, from all over the country, providing opportunities for u11s' and u12s' players to play, develop and excel in the game.

Launched during the 2008/9 season, it is the first national grassroots tournament officiated by Premiership Rugby and run in conjunction with all 12 clubs.

The festivals around the country celebrate rugby’s traditional core values of teamwork, respect, enjoyment, discipline and sportsmanship, rewarding players' conduct, side-line conduct and game play.

Sale Sharks stars including Brian Mujati and James Flynn were also at Manchester Rugby Club to support and sign autographs, with Flynn – a graduate of the club – impressed with a level of talent which could see those competing stepping up to the next level.

“The Land Rover Premiership Rugby Cup has a good set-up every year and a fantastic way for all the kids in the North West to show what they can do. The quality on show has been fantastic,” said Flynn.

“It’s a great arena for them, rugby at a grassroots level is important, taking part and getting that competition in early is a fantastic experience.

“I had some fantastic memories at Manchester until I was about 16, it’s a place with some really good facilities and for them to have the experience of something like that at this age is vitally important, and for 44 teams to have been there show just how popular the game is.”

*Land Rover is a proud supporter of grassroots rugby and has been a partner of the Land Rover Premiership Rugby Cup for nearly a decade. Land Rover’s ‘We Deal In Real’ campaign continues to champion grassroots rugby through Premiership Rugby and the Land Rover Premiership Rugby Cup. @LandRoverRugby #WeDealInReal.