The club runs sessions for all age groups, starting with four-six year-olds

Organisers at the historic Grimsby RUFC have called for more youngsters - and adults - to come and try the sport. The Springfield Road, Scartho based club is celebrating its 140th anniversary and is currently 11th in the Counties 3 Midlands East table.

Officials want to ensure an even longer future and have called particularly for more children to come and join its training sessions - with a range of age groups catered for. They say that while some age brackets enjoy a strong contingent, others are lacking in numbers that are a key feeder for the senior teams.

Andrew Pickering, the club's chairman became involved having played rugby himself and then taking his youngest son to play in about 2003. He said "In those days we have probably had somewhere approaching 200 children playing across all ages from under sixes up to under 19s colts. My lad started from under eights, up through the colts and then he started playing for the seniors.

"We do heavily rely on juniors to fulfil the senior team. And what we've seen over the last few years, since Covid, is the junior section in decline and we've probably only got around 100 kids involved. But we're steadily building it up."

Just after Covid the club's numbers had dwindled to such a point that they struggled to get some age group teams out, but now those numbers are starting to grow again. Schools such as Humberston Academy and Waltham Tollbar Academy are key "feeders" for the club, but organisers have stressed that other local children can get involved.

"There has been a lot of negative press about injuries and some parents probably think it isn't the sport for their child, but we do train them properly to avoid injury and we make them wear head guards and mouth guards," explained Andrew.

The club has launched a "minis" team for four to six year-olds. There is then every age group up to 18.

Youngsters start off playing tag rugby before graduating on to semi-contact at under 9s level. The club also has two girls teams - under 16s and under 18s - with girls up to the age of under 12s mixing with boys.

"The thing about rugby is its open to any shape, size and fitness level," said Andrew. "Some of the larger lads are perhaps not confident in sport, but it tends to help in rugby."

Ivan Boyd, 18, is an alumni of Grimsby RUFC and now part of Leicester Tigers Academy squad having discovered a love of the game through the Springfield Road club. "I used to play football, and I was in goal - I was awful," said Ivan.

"I kicked off at seven years-old, playing tag rugby - me and my little sister used to do it in the same team. And she was actually better than me. I kept on training every week - never missed a single session expect from holidays - until under 15s and under 16s."

With the idea of a career in rugby beginning to establish itself, Ivan later moved to Doncaster Knights before returning to Grimsby and then being spotted by Leicester Tigers Academy at trials initially involving more than 1,000 people. Ivan now runs a one-to-one coaching business out of Grimsby and supports the under 16s and 14s teams.

Those interested in checking out Grimsby RUFC can do so on Sunday mornings at the club's Springfield Road ground from 10am-12noon. Under 18 Colts train on Wednesday and Friday evenings as well, and under 15s and 16s also train on a Wednesday.