Three RGP officers have given up their spare time this week to assist with a summer rugby training camp for youngsters aged 8 to 18.

The camp, run by coaches from the mighty Bristol Bears Rugby Club, attracted not only rugby-mad youths from Gibraltar, but also youngsters from across the border and it certainly gave them a taste of the commitment and dedication required to succeed as a professional sportsman.

With its fantastic new facilities at the Europa Point sports complex, the Gibraltar Rugby Football Union (GRFU) hopes to grow the sport of rugby on the Rock by taking it into local schools. Meanwhile, the police officers are using this week’s experience to gain their appropriate rugby coaching qualifications.

In addition to its physical demands, rugby requires a mix of speed, strength, vison and teamwork, and provides its players and followers with much more. The rugby world thrives on respect for both officials and for opponents and it stresses the values of sportsmanship and reputation.

PC Stefan Figueras said, ‘From a policing standpoint, this was a great opportunity to be able to engage with these young lads about a sport we all enjoy. They can see that, we may be police officers, but we are also human beings and that we have many of the same interests as them. It really helped to break the ice and enabled them to feel comfortable and confident enough in our company to engage with us on a personal level.’