FORMER England rugby international, Simon Halliday, has visited the mountain of rugby equipment waiting to be claimed by amateur clubs in Wiltshire and Gloucestershire.

There are over 5,000 pieces of rugby union and league kit still waiting to be claimed by rugby clubs, with everything from balls to tackle pads worth over £50,000 available through the Crabbie’s Rugby Rewards programme.

Halliday, who represented England in 23 internationals from 1986 to 1992, said: “Grassroots rugby is the lifeblood of the sport, with many clubs across Wilts and Gloucestershire run by passion, grit, determination and a genuine love for the game.

“I’ve seen first-hand the impact that projects like this can have for clubs, both improving the experience of players we have across the country and attracting new recruits to the sport.”

Crabbie’s Rugby Rewards has been running throughout the 2018 season with over 90 clubs across the country already signed up, all with a chance to claim their share of £50,000 worth of kit.

“Crabbie’s is a proud supporter of rugby and to celebrate this we want to give back to amateur rugby clubs across the country,” said Lucy Cottrell, brand manager, Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer.

“At a time where there’s ever increasing financial pressures on grassroots rugby, we hope the kit will ease the pressure on clubs, allowing them to invest in other areas.

“In times like this, it’s projects like these that can make the difference between a club keeping its head above water, or not.”

Crabbie’s Rugby Rewards is an on-pack promotion where customers log a unique code into crabbiesrugby.co.uk and allocate points to a local club of their choice.

The more points a club collects, the bigger the reward.

To support your local club log your Crabbie’s Rugby Rewards points, or if you are running a local club, there’s still time to sign up

Clubs have until the end of June o claim their rewards.

For more information visit www.crabbiesrugby.co.uk.