The Hong Kong Rugby Union Community Foundation recently completed the first 8 week course of a new programme to introduce rugby to young men from the Cape Collinson Correctional Institution.

10 participants were given the opportunity to learn the basics of non-contact rugby through weekly lessons, delivered by the Union's Inclusive Rugby Officer Stuart Gunn and his partner Sures Gurung. Stuart has extensive experience delivering "sport-for-development" initiatives, and is currently the Head Coach of local charity Operation Breakthrough that uses sport as a medium to help at-risk youngsters, while Sures himself came through Breakthrough and is now on a 1 year apprenticeship programme with the Union whilst also pursuing a professional boxing career.

"It's been a very rewarding programme for both the players and Sures and myself," according to Stuart, "the lads all showed great enthusiasm and commitment, and I believe enjoyed their first taste of rugby. We also stressed the core values of respect, excellence and friendship throughout the course, important in all aspects of life, on and off the sports field. The Union is extremely grateful to the Correctional Services Department for offering us the chance to run this project, and we hope we can continue to partner with them again in the future."

CSD themselves have a growing rugby culture, with men's and women's touch teams participating in the Disciplined Services tournaments, and also a number of contact rugby players involved in the joint Disciplined Services playing in the Hong Kong domestic Championship League.

For more information about the work of the HKRU Community Foundation please visit our website www.hkrugby.com