AFTER a 15-year gap junior rugby has returned to Kings Norton RFC.

The Kings Norton Rhinos is a new group of under 13 year olds and will kick off for their first competitive outing as they face a team from Baverstock School in an 11am kick off.

The project was started by Kings Norton's first team players Paul McGlynn and Matt Eagles in September as part of the club's commitment to the Club Community Development Plan.

McGlynn said: "Initially seven lads turned up and these were sons of players with a couple of interested pals."

But the section has since steadily grown to a point where McGlynn now has more than 30 registered players between the ages of 11 to 13.

McGlynn added: "I have resisted the opportunity to grow the section too quickly and have concentrated on getting the balance right first.

"We are now beginning to get more people attending coaching courses in preparation for what I am sure will be an explosion of young members.

"We have the extra space available to set up a dedicated junior pitch and all we need now is to find the money and resources to develop the area and provide the back-up needed."

The Rhinos name was chosen because the club had displayed the head of a Rhino over the fireplace of its former clubhouse at Bells Lane in Kings Norton.

Club President Roger Adams said that the trophy had been lost "in transit" when the club moved its headquarters to Hopwood in 1973.

"The choice of name is a fitting association with a little part of the 82-year history," he added.