Aireborough RUFC will achieve another first this Sunday (21 May) when they celebrate the visit of four junior teams from Hillfoots RFC in Scotland with a family fun day at their Nunroyd Park home.
Proceedings will get under way at around 1020 with a parade of the players - headed by their national flags - and the singing of the Scottish and English anthems on the main pitch.
Aire’s Under 10s, Under 11s, Under 12s and Under 13s will then take on their Caledonian counterparts at 1030.
A number of novel activities have been arranged for the club’s other age groups including rugby rounders, rugby netball, kick tennis and rugby golf.
Afterwards, there will be a barbeque and live music in the clubhouse.
Hillfoots RFC has been playing rugby at its home ground of the Public Parks in Tillicoultry, Clackmannanshire for 46 years.
The 40-strong squad will travel down to Yorkshire on Friday evening before a full programme of leisure and team-building activities on Saturday, including a stop-off at the Royal Armouries in Leeds. They will return to Scotland on Sunday afternoon.
BRAVEHEARTS: Members of the Hillfoots RFC junior touring party who will take on Aireborough RUFC at Nunroyd Park on Sunday morning
Aire’s junior coaching coordinator Kris Brook said the club was honoured to be hosting a junior touring party for the very first time.
OVER HERE: Aireborough's junior coaching co-ordinator Kris Brook waits for the pass that never came
Kris continued: “We are proud of our ever-growing reputation as a family club and were honoured to host the United States national team at Nunroyd Park during the last Rugby World Cup.
“But we’ve never had the chance to welcome a touring club at junior level.
“I know that Hillfoots has an excellent sporting reputation and we want them to leave Yorkshire with positive memories of their visit to Aireborough.
“We have a bagpiper booked, trumpeters lined up and more sausages ordered than you could shake a cocktail stick at.
“It promises to be a memorable day and we want families and young people from across the local community to come along and get involved.”
UP YER KILT: Hillfoots junior convemor David 'Paddy' Sherrard blends in with the locals during a previous visit to Leeds
Hillfoots RFC junior convenor David ‘Paddy’ Sherrard said that his young charges were looking forward to the journey south. And he revealed that this would not be his first trip to Nunroyd Park.
Paddy said: “I stayed in Guiseley with a life-long friend Barry White, who I played rugby with at school. I was visiting Leeds for the 2015 Rugby World Cup and I came along on the Sunday morning to watch Barry’s son Jamie train with Aireborough juniors before we went to the Scotland v USA match. I was really impressed by the quality of coaching and the friendly feeling around the club.
“Hillfoots RFC is thrilled to be playing at Nunroyd Park and I know that Aireborough has already put a lot of effort into making our group feel at home.
“Rugby is a sport that creates life-long friendships and tours are all about nurturing that friendship and creating special moments for both sides. I have no doubt that Hillfoots will head back to Scotland with memories to last a lifetime.”