MALVERN Rugby Club's youth section kicks off the 14th season of junior rugby at Spring Lane on Sunday.

The MRFC youth development section will be opening the gates of the Spring Lane facilities for all aspiring young local rugby players from 10am for player registration and the first training session of the new season.

There will be the chance for parents and carers to meet club president Terry Hunt and club chairman Peter Doran and the youth rugby coaches while enjoying free refreshments and a bouncy castle and face painting and other attractions that have been arranged.

As with previous seasons, Malvern will be operating ten age grade squads for seven to 17 year olds plus two new rugby squads to cater for growing demand for girl's rugby.

The success of MRFC's five-year campaign to establish tag rugby as a co-educational sport in local primary schools has seen a steady increase in the number of girls aged between 10 and 14 taking up tag and also the contact version.

To ensure that girls are given every opportunity, Malvern's youth rugby group are setting up an U12 Angels tag squad and an U14 Angels contact squad with training sessions and matches arranged throughout the season.

The membership fee for all MRFC junior players remains at £15 for the 35-week season and the youth development registrar would like to have all players signed-up and paid-up as soon as possible, so that everyone is covered by the RFU insurance scheme before the end of September.

For more details about junior rugby at Malvern Rugby Club, please contact 01684 573728 or e-mail rugbypost@yahoo.com