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Irish Rugby TV: Aldi Play Rugby Festivals Promote Fun And Participation

Aldi Play Rugby Festival, Ashbourne RFC, Co. Meath 1/5/2019 Members of St Olivers Plunkett National School Navan Team A ©INPHO/Bryan Keane

Over 40 schools took part in this year’s four Aldi Play Rugby Provincial Festivals with hundreds of children taking part in fun-filled days around Ireland. Here is a look at the festival held in Ashbourne RFC recently.

On the day there were Tag rugby games, skill zones and nutritious snack packs for all the children.

The Connacht festival kicked things off with Castlebar RFC playing host back in April. Next up was Letterkenny RFC for the Ulster festival followed by the Leinster day in Ashbourne. Irish Independent Park in Cork provided the backdrop for the final provincial festival of the season.

The Aldi Play Rugby National Festival takes place in Aviva Stadium on Wednesday, May 22.

Last week saw the announcement of two schools winning €50,000 in the Aldi Play Rugby Sticker campaign. Launched by former Munster, Ireland and Lions captain and Aldi Play Rugby Ambassador Paul O’Connell in January, the competition gave every primary school in the country the chance of winning one of two €50,000 sports facility makeovers.

ALDI & IRFU Sticker Competition Winners, Wexford 9/5/2019 Aldi and the IRFU today announced the two winners of the hugely successful sticker competition for primary schools, which ran from January until April this year, with each school winning Û50,000 for their playing facilities! Pictured are pupils from Scoil Naomh Maodh—g from Ferns, Co. Wexford, alongside former Ireland and Munster Rugby Captain and Aldi Play Rugby Ambassador Paul OÕConnell and John Halford (Principal, Social Naomh Maodhog, Ferns). The other winning school was Scoil Naomh Treasa from Tiernasligo, Co. Donegal. Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

A national IRFU programme for primary school children, Aldi Play Rugby is a free, supervised and non-contact rugby programme that provides everything schools need to get started, including sessions with local IRFU staff, online coaching resources and free coaching equipment. The overall objective of the programme is to encourage school children to get active, participate in regular exercise in a safe and controlled environment and to eat healthily.

Schools, teachers and coaches interested in getting involved can register at www.aldi.ie/playrugby.