Colchester Mini Rugby sections celebrated a fantastic season with their awards day, with the great bonus of England and British Lions star Jason Leonard handing out the prizes. The day started with Leonard, rugby's most capped international player, taking a training session with Colchester's U8 team and refereeing them in a practise game. He then stayed to present awards to each of the six age groups, and hand medals to every one of the players. Leonard finally left after signing hundreds of autographs and posing for dozens of pictures. "It has been another successful year for Colchester's Minis, with every age group picking up silverware at local festivals," said Mini Rugby Chairman Martin Pratley, "and to have Jason Leonard here has made it even more memorable."
Leonard also awarded a RFU Valued Volunteer Certificates and Community Rugby medal to Bill "Mac" McGenn, the club's groundsman who has tended Colchester's pitches since 1975, consistently producing some of the best surfaces in the East of England. Certificates were also awarded to U12 coaches Gareth Evans and Aled Llewellyn, U8s coach Dave Heaps, and Development squad manager Iain Jack. Commenting on these awards, Director of Rugby Andrew Sarek said:" Volunteers are the lifeblood of clubs such as ours at Colchester. Without them and the hours of hard work they put in we simply cannot function. This is a small thank you to recognise their dedication and enthusiasm."
For dozens more pictures of the day, visit www.jjdoyle.com
