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Corry's kit boosts inner city rugby
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Monday November 24, 2008
Issued by Hugh Godwin
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Martin Corry with Southwark Tigers players in new kit
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The prospects of rugby taking hold in inner city London grew ever brighter when Southwark Tigers junior club received their brand new kit from former England captain Martin Corry.
Corry and his wife Tara presented a full set of black-and-gold jerseys and waterproof training tops bearing the motif ACF on behalf of the Adam Cole Foundation, a charity for helping disadvantaged children through sport established in memory of Tara's brother who died in a car accident in 2006.
Corry, the Leicester Tigers skipper, has seen many unusual sights in his rugby travels and now he can add the rugby posts at the neatly fenced-off fields at Burgess Park just off London's Old Kent Road. They are firm evidence of the game laying down new roots in a deprived area of the capital traditionally dominated by football.
Around 100 children took part in a morning's coaching and small-sided games, with club members joined by youngsters from local schools keen to try rugby as part of Southwark Council's Community Games programme.
The Council have taken tag rugby into 56 schools, and witnessed a great take-up among kids either not previously involved in any sport or relishing the chance to learn rugby's different set of skills and teamwork.
Corry, who began playing mini rugby not too far away at Tunbridge Wells RFC in Kent, took part in the coaching and signed dozens of autographs - even though some of the participants were so new to rugby they studied a homework quiz to learn about his 71-cap career with England and the British & Irish Lions.
"It feels like about two minutes ago that I was standing in your shoes, learning how to play," Corry told them.
"You need two things which are enthusiasm and opportunity, and I can see both here at Southwark Tigers. All the volunteers led by [club manager] Vernon Neve-Dunn are doing a great job.
"On behalf of the Adam Cole Foundation, I think the shirts look wonderful and the whole venture has been a massive success."
And Corry made an offer to keep on building the bridges.
"I play for a team called the Tigers too and it would be great to get a load of you up on a bus to see a match at Welford Road."
ends
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Hugh Godwin
London and South East Press Officer
Rugby Football Union
+44 (0)7968 392688
hughgodwin@rfu.com
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