EXETER Chiefs hosted a Testimonial game for the fan favourite Gareth Steenson on Saturday, with Chard RFC represented by Simon Jenkins.

To celebrate the fly-half’s 10th year as an Exeter player, a Chiefs side took on a Classic Lions team in front of 7,000 fans at Sandy Park.

Chard Colts coach Jenkins (pictured right with son Rhys) took to the pitch in a Chiefs shirt alongside the likes of David Flatman, Danny Grewcock, Lee Mears, Chris Budgen and Jack Nowell, for a game that featured 21 tries.

Rhys – although too young to see his father play for Exeter in the height of his career – accompanied his dad onto the pitch before and after the game.

Chiefs: M Foster; M Jess, N Sestaret, B Rennie, P McKenzie; G Steenson, H Thomas; B Sturgess, C Budgen, H Tui; T Hayes (capt), C Bentley; T Johnson, A Miller, R Baxter.
Replacements used: N Beaton, T Bedford, A Birkett, K Brooking, G Channing, M Cormack, R Cushion, M Dibble, A Dudley, G Fleming, J Fleming, S Jenkins, G Kingdom, S Kingsland, S Linsell, B Moon, K Northcott, J Nowell, R Pugh, M Rawlings, T Rawlings, T Rowe, J Satt, J Steenson, C Stuart-Smith, T Yapp.

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CHARD Rugby Club will be back in action this weekend with two friendly games, before the league starts proper in a couple of weeks.

After a disrupted pre-season due to player absence, this will be the first chance to see Chard back on the field.

Tomorrow sees the 1st XI take on Wellington from 2.30pm, ahead of a mixed Chard 2nds/3rds team facing Wyvern at 4.30pm.

Chard RFC are still recruiting players for the coming season, and would be keen to hear from players looking for a new challenge in Tribute Western Counties West.

For more information, you can contact director of rugby Steve Broome on 07590 334659, or come along to training on Tuesdays and Thursdays (7pm), at Essex Close (TA20 1RH).

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WITH England currently in action at the Women’s Rugby World Cup, today sees Chard RFC open their doors to local women to help them ‘free their inner warriors’.

Developed by England Rugby, the Free Your Inner Warrior campaign is aimed at women and girls between the ages of 18 and 35 to encourage greater female participation in contact rugby across the country.

From August 18 to September 3, 174 Warrior Camps will take place at rugby clubs across England, encouraging women and girls to challenge themselves through rugby – all you need are trainers and workout gear.

Chard will be holding their event at their ground tonight, starting at 7pm.

More than 2,600 women took part in 150 Warrior Camps held across the country in May, vastly exceeding the RFU’s target of 1,500 players.

A full 7,000 women have attended rugby training sessions over the past 18 months, with 3,000 arriving as newcomers to the game.

There has also been a 48 per cent conversion rate of new rugby players becoming club members, and 41 new women’s teams founded at senior level.

To sign up for a Warrior camp, go to the website here.