Ballyclare Rugby Club held the held the Wooden Spoon International Tag Rugby Festival at the Cloughan on Saturday with over 900 players, coaches and support staff taking part in a fun filled day. 

The following teams took part in over 160 matches in the U15 and Adult competitions. 

Ballymena Bears, Newforge Taggers, Bantry Bay West Cork Jesters, Portadown Panthers, Barnhall Eagles, Seapoint Dragons, Coolmine Pumas, St Gerard Special School, DLSP Eagles, Stockport All Stars, Donaghadee Sharkies, Swansea Gladiators, Dunbrody Warriors, Dungannon Sharks, Vale of Evesham School, Garryowen Lyons, Virginia, Greystone Seagulls, Westmanstown Wasps, Hampshire Hurricanes, White Spire School, Harberton Special School, Wicklow Warriors, Killard Cougars, Witney Wolves, Mallow Barbarians and Clare Hares. 

The well organised event saw the matches trot along in fifteen minute intervals with the referees, coaches and the supporters making sure aht all the players kept the emphasis on fun. 

We managed to pop along for the first series of matches but with up to 16 matches taking place simultaneously we only managed to capture a small part of the activities which took place across eight split pitches. 

However, although we only managed to capture about half a dozen games, we still found it a fantastic event, the sheer joy and exhilaration on the players and supporters faces throughout making it a pleasure to cover. 

Congratulations to Ballyclare Rugby Club, the Wooden Spoon charity and of course, all the players for a fantastic event. 

Here’s a selection of of pictures from the opening rounds.