[Y]oung players from Penrith RFC in Cumbria honed their skills with the professionals at 10-time English champions Leicester Tigers on Saturday.
The group from Penrith took part in a Matchday Coaching Clinic with the Tigers and then joined a 23,940 strong crowd for the final home fixture of the Aviva Premiership season at Welford Road against Sale Sharks.
Tigers Matchday Coaching Clinics allow teams to work with Tigers coaches to develop their individual and team skills, as well as taking tips and techniques with them to work on.
The Penrith players also had an opportunity to quiz Tigers’ international centre Maxime Mermoz about his life in rugby before soaking soaked up the matchday atmosphere at Welford Road and watching the professionals in action.
They even managed to follow in the players’ footsteps by having a team photo taken on the famous turf at half-time in front of the crowd.
Mark Yielder, a coach at Penrith, accompanied the team for their photo with Tigers scrum-half Jono Kitto and said: “It’s great for the boys, just fantastic for them to get to be here.
“They’ve had some great coaching and to get to bring them here to experience the atmosphere of a matchday is great.”