Introducing Mr Moore……all about rugby!
We recently shared the terrific news that PE Teachers, Mr Moore and Miss Harrower have been honoured by Yorkshire RFU and England RFU for their contribution to rugby at Richmond School and with the RFU’s All Schools Programme. We hope you enjoy this Q&A with Mr Moore where he shares his love of rugby, passes on some great advice about why rugby is so important in the sporting arena and what skills and values it instils those who play the game. Look out for Miss Harrower’s Q&A which will follow soon.
Did you play rugby at school, if so, from what age and for which teams? I played rugby in PE lessons and always loved it, but because the school didn’t play rugby fixtures (we only had one football team per year group and nothing much else), I went down the football route and that took up most of the time.
Do you play for a team now? Having ‘retired’ from the world of football, but as someone who keeps themselves relatively fit in the gym, I was hounded quite often to go and play rugby by a lad I grew up with who plays socially at Bishop Auckland RUFC. I eventually went along to train and played my first and only game in the 3rd XV. After this, they must have seen something in me as I started the next few weeks playing for the 2nd XV in the CANDY League, before being called into the first XV. I’ve loved every minute of being involved at Bishop Auckland and have met some great people through it. I would recommend the club to anyone.
Which teams do you coach/work with at Richmond School? Since starting at Richmond I have taken more and more rugby. This has meant over the last couple of years I have taken every year group at some point. This year I have taken every year group from 7-11, with Steve Speakman taking the Sixth Form team.
Tell us about the work you do with the RFU’s CBRE All Schools Programme – The CBRE All Schools Programme has been fantastic for school and has meant I have created better links with the RFU through community coach Richie Young and the festivals they have organised to get more people playing more rugby. These links have seen the whole PE department complete the RFU’s HEADCASE online training to ensure our students are as safe as possible when playing the game, as well as CPD opportunities for staff which will continue going forward. It has also provided the school with a wide variety of equipment from playing kits, to boots, and coaching equipment. The quality of the programme and coaching has been first class.
The projects this year included taking four students (Connie Lord, Anna-Rosie Hall, Jake Lerigo and Dale Hammond) to Wetherby RUFC to design their own unique playing shirt, which Canterbury have kindly sent 20 of these to school free of charge. It is a beautiful shirt that the students have created and gives them a real sense of pride and ownership when representing the school which is wonderful. It was a privilege to accompany Connie Lord and Miss Harrower to Twickenham when the shirts were launched on the pitch in front of around 80,000 people!
Why do you believe rugby is so important in the sporting arena and what skills and values does it instil in our students who play the game? Rugby is a sport that people can sometimes have misconceptions about. Yes, it is a physical game, but I truly believe the benefits of taking part in this great sport will always outweigh any negatives people might raise. Having seen the developmental benefits of becoming involved in a sport such as rugby, I cannot emphasise enough the reasons to get involved. Like all team sports, the chance to meet and create life-long friendships is enough for most. The impact it has on people’s teamwork skills, from communication, to cooperation, to leadership are all added reasons we encourage participation in our young people.
The RFU’s core values are Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline and Sportsmanship. Each of these is vital to the success of the game, but as far as I’m concerned, to be successful in life too. I have often been told how I can ‘bang on’ about respect, but it is a value that is so important to instil in our young people and society. Having respect for yourself, your teammates, your coaches, the volunteers who work behind the scenes, the opposition, as well as authority, which is all commanded in the rugby environment, is incredibly important in the development of good people. All of the values though are as important as the last, and I could go on and on about them. For anyone who has ever been interested in trying rugby (or even getting involved as a non-player) I couldn’t recommend it enough. There are plenty of opportunities both in school and at a local level. Find your nearest club and get involved.