Players with England international and representative experience have been turning out in both the Premier 15s and Women’s Super League in recent weeks and months, showing that the skills you develop in Touch are transferrable into the other versions of rugby.

Freya Aucken has taken her three European Junior Touch Championships gold medals earned with the England Girls 18s team in 2017, 2018 and 2019 into a promising top flight career. Versatile enough to play scrum-half, wing and everywhere in between, Freya was in the first team at Richmond aged just 17, before moving to Harlequins during the most recent Premier 15s campaign and was a member of several match day squads during Quins’ title-winning season. Freya remains in the England Women’s Open training squad.

One of Freya’s 2018 team mates, Orla McCallion, has experienced both the Premier 15s and Women’s Super League in these past few months, turning out at Number 8 for DMP Durham Sharks in the 15-a-side game and then scoring two tries in Leeds Rhinos’ first few matches.

Also at DMP Durham Sharks is Lauren Torley, who came into the squad in February 2021 and was a regular on the wing during the remainder of the campaign. Lauren wore the England Lions shirt in the 2019 European Touch Challenge Trophy and is in the England Mixed Open training group.

Another member of the current England Mixed Open training group, India Perris-Redding, had five first team appearances for Sale Sharks Women, with India joined by her sister Georgie in both the Sharks and Crewe and Nantwich Touch Club squads.

Lucie Skuse was a European silver medal winner with the England Mixed 18s in 2018. This season she has been a regular in the new Bristol Bears set-up in the Premier 15s, playing in 17 out of the team’s 18 league matches at either inside centre or fly half.

Another noteworthy former Touch Rugby player is Chantelle Crowl. Regarded as one of the world’s leading female Rugby League players, England international and 2021 Challenge Cup winner Chantelle played for both Manchester Chargers and Halton Storm Touch Rugby clubs during her formative years.

“We’re always delighted and proud to see players who we have worked with in the past and who we continue to work with achieve high things in other versions of rugby,” says England Touch’s High Performance Director, Ben Powell.

“They are all really talented players and it is really pleasing to see them continue their Touch journeys alongside their other sporting commitments.

“It also reiterates that the skills, fitness and game awareness you can develop in Touch can be transferred into both of the other versions of rugby, and – as with Orla McCallion – there is nothing to stop you moving between Touch, Union and League.”

With thanks to Chris Wearmouth for this article.

It is only the second time that a university team has won at a European club tournament and follows on from the Hawks’ victories in the opening two rounds of the England Touch Universities Touch Series (UTS).

Their only defeat of the season so far came during the group stages in Mallorca as they were beaten by a strong Tequila Unicorns side from Scotland.

Despite this setback, Hawks progressed to the knockout stages and recorded big wins against teams from the Civil Service Sports Club in the quarter and semi-finals to set up a showdown under floodlights with London Galaxy, who play in the England Touch National Touch Series.

A tense start saw Hawks have to defend repeated sets of possession on their own goal-line but they kept their composure and were able to capitalise well on their possession to take a 2-0 lead into half-time.

They enjoyed more possession and territory in the second period and again took their chances well to score four touchdowns to Galaxy’s one.

Captain Will Serocold, who studies Sports Performance and is supported by Team Bath’s Dual Career programme, said: “That’s probably the toughest game we’ve ever had as a team and I’m so pleased to have come out on top, I cant describe how much this means to me and the squad.

“I’m so proud of everyone, they’ve worked so hard and to bounce back from a defeat in the morning shows great character. Most people were playing their first tournament overseas and that has its challenges but I’m so impressed with how everyone has dealt with those.”

Hawks haven’t had much time to celebrate as they are competing in the semi-finals of the Bath Touch League on Tuesday, looking to book their place in next week’s final.

They have been in fantastic form domestically, beating Loughborough University in the final of the first UTS competition at the University of Surrey and overcoming the hosts in front of a partisan crowd when round two was staged at Exeter University.

The next round is taking place at Loughborough University in February and Serocold said: “It’s been a busy start to the season for us but everyone has done a great job in balancing training and tournaments with their university work.”

The successful Hawks squad in Mallorca was made up of Serocold, Abi Caple, Gracie Hood, Dom Tripp, Ollie Lee, Bronte Sykes, Jessie Hood, Emma Kurki, Daniel Roberts, Nye Davis, Rhys Lynch, Jade Traynor, Oliver Wu and Stephanie Harris.

Follow the Hawks on Twitter and Instagram – @UoBathTouch – to keep up to date on their progress. Students looking to get involved in touch rugby at the University of Bath should contact Will Serocold on ws366@bath.ac.uk or unibathtouch@gmail.com.

Report courtesy of Team Bath Press Office at Matchtight Ltd.

England Rugby today announced its O2 Touch programme has successfully reached and surpassed its target of introducing 15,000 registered players to the game by summer 2017. Tracking one year ahead of its intended deadline there are now 17,500 registered O2 Touch players, playing touch rugby on a regular basis across England.

O2 Touch has seen unprecedented growth since Rugby World Cup 2015 with an increase of 5,774 players and 51 new O2 Touch centres established, bringing the total number of centres to 321 nationwide. Since its inception in 2013 the programme has also grown a volunteer base of over 1,000 O2 Touch ambassadors and operators to help run and deliver the programme.

As part of the RFU’s commitment to broadening rugby’s reach and sustaining legacy post the Rugby World Cup for the game, O2 Touch has played an important role in attracting new people to the sport. O2 Touch is a social format of rugby, aiming to breakdown common barriers to participation, by creating an offering that is easily accessible, is played by men and women of all levels and gives participants a great playing experience.

Steve Grainger, RFU Rugby Development Director today said: “O2 Touch is one of England Rugby’s key legacy programmes and we are delighted to be celebrating this milestone, hitting our participation targets a year ahead of schedule. The programme has gone from strength-to-strength and the Rugby World Cup has had a positive impact on its growth rate. Through an innovative approach O2 Touch has been able to attract and retain a new playing audience and deliver a lasting legacy for the game.”

Gareth Griffiths, Head of Sponsorship at O2 comments “O2 Touch is a fantastic success story and we’re proud the programme has reached such an impressive milestone so far ahead of schedule. Touch rugby is open to all no matter your ability and it provides a great introduction to the sport. We look forward to continuing our work with all the volunteers, local clubs and the RFU to develop O2 Touch even further.”

Jennie Price, CEO Sport England today said: “This is a fantastic achievement and we are delighted to see the RFU broadening their reach beyond their traditional rugby market. To have exceeded the target a year in advance is a testament to the success of the O2 Touch format and the commitment from all involved.”

O2 Touch is a unique offering giving participants a great playing experience and workout.  One of the first team sports to combine music and fitness, touch sessions are played to bespoke O2 Touch music mixes designed to motivate and increase enjoyment. O2 Touch also delivers a social fitness aspect with participants burning on average 775 calories per session.

The programme is coordinated by the RFU in partnership with O2 and also supported with funding from Sport England. O2 Touch operates both a ‘pitch up and play’ facility aimed at individuals who are new to rugby or who can’t commit on a weekly basis  and O2 Touch leagues for those who want to play in a more structured and competitive environment.

You can find our more about O2 Touch here.

Report courtesy of England Rugby

The University of Bristol Honeys won the tournament, beating University of Exeter Green 7-6 in a drop-off after a captivating final.

Bath Panthers (Photo: Matchtight)

Two ‘home’ teams were entered by the University of Bath, the Hawks (pictured above) and Panthers (right), with the former finishing fourth overall after losing 6-2 in the third-placed play-off to Loughborough University, who have won the last two UTS tournaments.

The Hawks had topped their group, beating Oxford University 4-2, Exeter Yellow 7-2 and Exeter Red 6-0, before losing the cup semi-final 6-0 to eventual winners Bristol Honeys.

Panthers came second in their group after losing 6-0 to Loughborough but beating Bristol Badgers 4-2 and Exeter Pink 2-0. They faced Badgers again in the Plate semi-finals but lost 4-3 in a drop-off and were then beaten 4-2 by Oxford in the seventh-place play-off.

Exeter Red claimed the Plate, while the Bowl competition was won by UTS newcomers Royal Veterinary College. Their touch club was set up this year by University of Bath Sport & Exercise Science placement student Elaine Burch, who was part of the Hawks team that won the 2015 Touch Nationals.

RVC beat Exeter Yellow 3-2 in the Bowl Final, with Southampton winning the 11^th-place play-off against Exeter Pink.

The University of Bath has a good record in touch rugby, with Sport & Exercise Science placement student Dom Tripp recently becoming the first Englishman to play in Touch Football Australia’s National Touch League Elite 8 competition.

Tripp had previously represented the England Men’s Open team at the 2015 Touch World Cup along with Sports Performance second year student Will Serocold.

Anyone interested in playing touch rugby at the University of Bath should contact UBRFC Touch Co-ordinator Will Serocold on unibathtouch@gmail.com or ws366@bath.ac.uk.

YouTube video of the tournament can be found here.

Report courtesy of the Team Bath Press Office at Matchtight Ltd.