As we reach the half-way point in the season, we share an update on how Leicester Tigers five Global Partner Clubs from around the world have been getting on so far this campaign.
Rugby Colorno
2019 saw Rugby Colorno’s Silvia Turani became the first Italian women’s player to play for the Barbarians. She was selected for the game against Wales in
November in which a thumping first-half in which they scored five tries gave the Barbarians' Women a 29-15 victory.
Nick Scott, director of rugby at Rugby Colorno, said: “Silvia is a great role model for Italian rugby, an example of our club values in action. The women’s team in Colorno have a young squad, are performing well in their league with the aim of reaching the play-offs in the Spring.”
With the men’s team enjoying its first ever season in the top tier of Italian rugby, the squad are finding their feet – even playing against a team familiar to
Tigers in Calvisano. Coaches Prestera an de Marigny also spent a week in Leicester, meeting staff at Welford Road and the coaching team at Oval Park.
In the youth set-up, the U16’s are flying high led by coaches Paolo Bettati and Riaan Mey, who recently visited the Tigers residential rugby camp at Bishop Burton.
Dendermonde RC
The men’s 1st XV sit top of the Belgian Elite League having won eight out of nine games and continue their defence of the domestic cup qualifying for the first round, whilst the 2nd team have won seven wins from nine games.
The women’s team are second in the league behind Kituro Ovalie having also lost only one game this season.
The club’s president Peter de Block led an end of year tribute on the club’s website which recognised the passing of Kris van Damme, the club’s honorary chairman in January last year.
He said: “It is therefore immediately clear to young and old: our club had to say goodbye too often to important club people in the short term and that is another confirmation for us all that we must cherish and honour our past.”
The club also increased ‘our financial efforts to provide physical guidance to the youth players’ as well as supporting the club’s 40 youth trainers, managers and volunteers.
RC DIOK
RC DIOK lead the way in the Dutch Ereklasse league winning six games from six, including a 9-14 away win over last year’s champions RC Hilversum.
The club also has strong representation in the national U16, U17 and U18 squads, with eight of the RC DIOK first team featuring in the Netherlands national team beating Germany 7-37 in November.
Delhi Hurricanes
The club’s recently featured on a ‘Chat with the Stars’ for JK24X7News. Presenter Abdul Nabi Hasan came along to the club to meet players and coaches and learn more about the game.
Rugby academy coach Kuldeep Bist and Delhi women’s and international player Babli Rajput took part in interviews explaining the game and about the club.
On the pitch, both the men's and women's teams reflected on a first and second place finish respectively at the All India and South Asia Tournament.
Four Hurricanes players Prince Khatri, Neeraj Khatri, Deepak Punia and Mohit Khartri were all invited by South African coaches to represent the All Star 7s team from South Africa in the Dubai 7's in December.
Kuala Lumpur Tigers
The season kicked off for the Tigers youth teams with its U6, U7, U8, U9 and U10s competing in the Series 3 Triangular competitions against Cobrats and KL Saracens. The U16 and U9’s both picked up a winners and runner-up trophy taking part in the Burkit Beruang 7’s tournament.
For the men’s first team, the season kicks off on February 1 before a mid-season break at the end of April. The Selangor League will then resume on June 6 with the Finals scheduled for the beginning of August.
Before the domestic season gets underway, the first team will play Staroba in a pre-season friendly before the club hosts the Intraclub 10's, family day & pre-season social event.
You can follow all the latest news from each of our Global Partner Clubs by following their social pages @delhihurricane @Rugby_DRC @KLTigersRFC Rugby Colorno and @lrcdiokrugby keep an eye out across the Tigers website for news throughout the summer.
