SIXTY years after Cirencester Rugby Football Club was formed at The Whiteway on the outskirts of town, the club is on the verge of celebrating another England-capped player.

Henry Trinder, from Bagendon, spent his formative years as a Mini and Junior at the club and having been capped at U18s level has now burst into the England U20s set-up with a man-of-the-match performance in the win over Italy in the Junior Six Nations opener last week.

Trinder not only scored a fine try but helped set up two more.

With Gloucester team-mate Matt Watkins coming back from injury to take his place in the squad for the Sale Sharks game at the weekend, Trinder has been allowed to return to the England set-up and expects to feature in the U20s game against Wales at Bridgend on Friday night.

Trinder, who has spent much of his season with Moseley in National League One, was recalled by main club, injury-hit Gloucester, to make his first start in the Guinness Premiership the previous week in the club’s top-of-the-table win over London Irish at Kingsholm.

With his electric pace and try-scoring ability, it cannot be too long before Trinder breaks into Martin Johnson’s squad, joining previous Cirencester RFC old boys who earned full England caps.

Cirencester-born Steve Mills (five England caps, 1981-4) and Neil McCarthy (three England caps, 1999-2000) were, unlike Trinder, not known for their speed, but that didn’t stop them from pulling on their country’s white jersey as hookers.

Another famous Ciren old boy is Gloucester RFC stalwart, Nigel Scrivens, now mine host at The Bees Knees in town. And that is not the only connection the club has with the pub trade as brewers Theakstons are the main shirt sponsors.

Trinder has fond memories of his time in the Ciren RFC fold. "It is a very social place to be," he said.

"I started with the U6s and although drifting away to play football with Kingshill School for a time, I came back and played until Colts’ level.

"So many people helped me while I was there including Simon Collyer-Bristow and Chris Davies, who encouraged me to play running rugby."

Cirencester RFC has come a long way in its 60 years.

It runs three senior teams with the firsts playing the highest quality rugby in the county in Gloucester Premier, backed up by the 2nd XV (GRFU Merit Table 2) and 3rd XV (Merit Table 3).

Originally in the Western Counties League, the club owes its status in Gloucester Premier to its 2005/6 championship-winning season in Gloucester One.

A Ciren Vets’ team also turns out for regular friendlies and if the muscles and sinews are not as flexible as once they were, the hearts are still willing.

At the other end of the scale, the future of the club is clearly in safe hands as the Junior Section, formed in 1985, has grown into one of the biggest in the South West.

It boasts 25 Colts (County Champions in 2006/7), 400 mini and junior players, as well as 30 girls playing in a joint venture with Minety RFC and Supermarine RFC. Junior teams represent the club at all age groups from U7s to U17s and the girls now have two U15 teams and one at U18s level.

To accommodate so many players requires a large site and Cirencester RFC boast a well-appointed set-up where The Whiteway meets the A435, with three full-size rugby pitches, one large floodlit training paddock, four changing rooms and showers for 20 people.

The heart of any rugby club, of course, is the bar and that is run with a ready smile by manageress Ann Stubley. Ann is responsible for both a large and a small bar and the dining room area.

Chief among the club’s annual events held on the premises is the ever popular three-day Beer Festival over the August Bank Holiday, while other fund-raising events include Fireworks Night, Christmas Auction, Quiz Night, Race Night, Vets Night and, every three years, a Summer Ball.

Like any thriving club, Cirencester RFC has no intention of simply standing still.

"The club’s plans are two-fold," said chairman Lloyd Williams. "Firstly, we want to continue improving the playing and training facilities through better drainage and ground improvements.

"Secondly, we want to build two new changing-rooms and a shower unit specifically for the growing Girls’ Section. This facility would also be used by the Youth Boy’s Section when available."

Companies might wish to help out their local rugby club by advertising on the boards surrounding the new pitch and the club also offers various attractive sponsorship packages, while the bar/clubhouse facilities can be hired by for evening or day-time events.