Wasps trio Rees, Haughton and Birkett give Middlesex champions Staines taste of the big time along with Guinness Club Together
By Mark Lawford
England flanker Tom Rees put Middlesex champions Staines through the mill at Snakey Lane with more than a little help from Wasps team-mates Richard Birkett and Richard Haughton. They told Rugby Coach Weekly how it went...
Wasps trio Tom Rees, Richard Birkett and Richard Haughton were on hand to give Staines RFC the benefit of their experience as the race to get to Twickenham nears its end.
The Aviva Premiership stars coached the Middlesex outfit as part of the Guinness Club Together scheme where two teams get to play at English rugby’s HQ ahead of the Grand Final later this month.
England flanker Rees, Saxons lock Birkett and prolific England Sevens try scorer Haughton put the Staines squad through its paces and taught them a few new tricks.
Rees said: “Guinness Club Together gives grassroots rugby clubs - the clubs that we all play at, start our careers at, play for week in week out – a chance to play at Twickenham before the Premiership final.
Wide man: Wasps winger Richard Haughton helped coach Staines RFC
“It’s a really good chance for these guys to have a really special day, play some rugby, watch some rugby, and hopefully take something away from the day that they will use in the future.”
Rees, 26, has 15 England caps to his name so knows all about the magic of playing at Twickenham.
He added: “It is hard to find that balance between playing any other game, on any other pitch and then the fact that you are playing at the home of English Rugby with all the great games that have been played there before.
“It is about striking a balance about doing what you do week after week and then raising your game that little bit more because you really have got such a great opportunity.
Pulling a flanker: Richard Birkett put Staines through the mill
“The final itself is a great event and the stadium will be packed - but whether Twickenham has 1000 or 80,000 inside, it will be a great opportunity for a rugby club to have a cracking day out.”
Rees, relatively small at 5ft 11in, was joined by 6ft 6in 17-stone Birkett, a veteran of over 200 appearances in a Wasps shirt.
They drllled the Staines pack, still sore but delighted after their thrilling 33-27 Middlesex Cup Final defeat of Ruislip two days earlier.
High flier: Tom Rees gets a helping hand at the lineout
Birkett, 31, an England Saxons international, said: “Playing at Twickenham is an amazing experience. I have been lucky enough to do it a few times and it has been the highlight of my career so for these guys to get that chance is fantastic.”
Fleet-footed Haughton, 30, scored over 100 tries for England Sevens and is a regular on the summer coaching schools scene.
He could sense the excitement of the Staines players at working with professionals as well as the possibility of playing at Twickenham.
He insisted: “For any first team at any rugby club to run out and play at Twickenham - one of the best stadiums in the world - is a great opportunity...I’ve had some fond memories and some less fond memories but either way it is a great place to play.”
London Wasps players Tom Rees, Richard Birkett and Richard Haughton were coaching Staines RFC as part of GUINNESS Club Together. To win a training session for your club and the chance to play on the hallowed turf at Twickenham go to www.guinness-clubtogether.com http://www.guinness-clubtogether.com
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