Wasps and Coventry Rugby achievements help didi Rugby become a big success

The record-breaking success of the city's two rugby clubs is helping to inspire the next generation of rugby superstars.

Coventry Rugby's run to the National One title last season, coupled with Wasps third successive play-off appearance has been heralded as one of the major reasons why a new project aimed at getting youngsters into the sport is becoming a success.

didi rugby Coventry – which was launched to 50 children at Coventry Rugby Club in June – is approaching full capacity for its weekly classes that begin again in September.

The initiative is open for youngsters from as young as 18-months-old up to age six, and aims to develop their fitness, teach new skills and forge friendships.

The 18 to 36-month-old class sees parents joining in with their children where they are taught the basics of fitness such as balance, co-ordination and speed, while also learning about colours, numbers and body parts.

Sophie, Tony and Carol Gulliver, the organisers of didi Rugby

The next class is for three to four-year-olds where children start to learn about the concepts of play within rugby alongside other activities. The most senior class at didi rugby, for four to six-year-olds, sees participants playing in small-sided games of tag rugby to prepare them for entering club rugby.

Sophie Gulliver runs didi rugby Coventry during school term times with her parents Tony, a Coventry Rugby legend, and Carol Gulliver, which take place at the Butts Park Arena every Saturday morning from 9.30am, and at Eastern Green Village Hall every Sunday morning from 9.30am.

“I don’t think there’s ever been a better time for grassroots rugby to capitalise on the interest in rugby which I believe is being generated by the success of our professional clubs," she said.

“Coventry Rugby Club’s deserved promotion has been a long-time coming and Wasps are continuing to challenge at the top end of their league, and we even have the European City of Sport coming up in 2019 – so we need to be doing all we can to capture the new generation that is coming through.

“A school I recently visited had a display that asked what the children wanted to be when they are grown up – there was a lot of sporting answers on there which is great to see but none said they wanted to be a rugby player, which is what I am trying to address.

Coventry v Leinster

“The early uptake we’ve had for our September intake has been really encouraging. We have had around 30 children sign up across all of the classes so far, but due to the limited number of coaches we have we have to limit the numbers, so we’d urge anybody that’s interested to contact us sooner rather than later.”

Wendy Jackson, of the Coventry Sports Foundation, is co-ordinating Coventry’s City of Rugby project which is aiming to make the city a world leader at every level of the sport by 2023 – the 200th anniversary of rugby.

“There’s already some great work going on by Engage! Coventry, Wasps and Coventry Rugby Club in getting primary and secondary school children into rugby," she added, "but there’s very little in way of engaging pre-school children so it’s fantastic to see didi rugby filling this gap.

“We are starting to see the completion of a city-wide playing pathway coming together where once somebody gets involved in the sport be it an 18-month-old or an eight-year-old, they can now be easily signposted to places where they can continue their involvement in the sport.”