At 12:45 on Sunday – assuming the weather is OK – the Red Devils, the Army Parachute Display Team will be dropping in to Marlborough. On to The Common. To celebrate a major girls rugby ‘7s’ tournament – the Ultimate Rugby 7s south-east and south-west in-season event for girls aged 14-18 who are already in the Ultimate Rugby 7s program.
A busy day on The Common. The Ultimate Rugby 7s (UR7) will be running from 10:00 to 16:00, and the Red Devils will drop in for lunch at 12:45. It’s a major tournament and girls rugby is growing, becoming ever more popular not just for players but also spectators. Marlborough Rugby Club are at the front of making girls rugby an important and attractive sport.
As a bit of background, the UR7 is aiming to develop the next generation of young players up to international standard, for participation in the World Series and the Olympics. All the young women playing on The Common on Sunday will be training hard and vying for places. The standard will be high and it will be a great spectacle. Marlborough Rugby Club has promoted the event widely across this area to encourage girls to come and watch, perhaps with a view to joining the program and moving through to higher levels. The UR7 is that perfect opportunity.
But to go along with the Red Devils drop-in there will be an army recruiting group on The Common as well, with those already in the military on hand to answer any questions and offer advice to anyone considering a career in the Army, or any of the Armed Forces. The Club’s bond with the Forces is deep and goes back a very long way.
And to celebrate the UR7 tournament and to reinforce the bond with the military the Army Parachute Display Team – the Red Devils – will be dropping in for lunch. After the jump, they will also be able to meet spectators and chat with them. Whilst this may be the first time the Red Devils have jumped in to The Common, it is well known that Marlborough and its local area has a very strong link to the Allied airborne forces of the Second World War – as witnessed by the Band of Brothers television series and Easy Company’s connection to Aldbourne… The Red Devils are an elite unit of the British Army’s world-renowned Parachute Regiment. The fifteen members of the Red Devils are highly-skilled paratroopers, chosen through a rigorous selection process. Mirroring the ethos of UR7s, competition for a place on the team is fierce, and it’s an honour to be selected. The members of the team are serving military personnel of the Parachute Regiment and can be recalled to duty at any time. As the Red Devils’ motto goes, they are always Ready For Anything.
Want to know more? Enquire to info@mrfc.co.uk but the whole day is free to attend with free parking. Marlborough Rugby Club will be delighted to welcome as many people as possible – visitors of all ages, from all walks of life, interested in rugby or the Army or parachuting or all of the above…!
MantonFest back on 27 June, but Wiltshire Council don’t want you to know
