Sports News

The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) has opened sign-ups for its hugely successful Tennis for Kids programme. The grass roots initiative, now in its third year, is back offering children aged four-11 all over the country a value for money and fun introduction to tennis – which includes six sessions, their own kit including a racket, balls and personalised t-shirt all delivered directly to them for £25.

To mark the launch, Tennis for Kids representatives Alfie Hewett, British Wheelchair Tennis legend, 2016 Wimbledon Champion and World No.1, along with doubles ace, Joss Rae and former British No.1, Annabel Croft, with the help of Britain’s biggest tennis balls, are out in Manchester and London in a bid to encourage children to pick up a racket.

Tennis for Kids has already inspired over 35,000 children to try tennis for the first time, with over 50% continuing to play on a follow-on course. This year, the LTA plans to further grow the number of young players across the nation and meet rising demand for the programme, with some key changes including; being an ‘always on’ programme, widening the age range to four – 11 year olds and broadening the locations with even more accredited coaches taking part than ever before.

The courses are aimed at children who have never played before, so focuses on fun and getting kids active, combining basic hand eye co-ordination with rudimentary tennis skills. Beyond the practical side of the sport, the sessions will be teaching children how to work with a partner, become a valuable member of a team -  all in a fun and relaxed environment. Parents are also encouraged to join in for the final session which has a ‘Family Time’ theme.

Alfie Hewett, World No. 1 Wheelchair Tennis Player said: “It’s brilliant to have the chance to inspire more children to pick up a racket and try tennis for the first time with Tennis for Kids. I fell in love with the sport at a young age and I’m fortunate that it’s led to my career and the friendships I’ve made along the way. Tennis has given me so much both on and off the court, and I would encourage any child to give Tennis for Kids a go – it’s the perfect place to start.”

Joss Rae, former British Tennis star said: “My parents introduced me to tennis when I was young, and I soon became hooked. I always looked forward to my coaching sessions and seeing my friends on court. Now as a coach myself, I’m passionate about getting more children excited for tennis and initiatives like Tennis for Kids mean more opportunities for children across the country to try it and hopefully continue playing for the rest of their lives.”

After Great Britain’s historic Davis Cup by BNP Paribas win in 2015, Tennis for Kids was launched in April 2016, to establish a genuine tennis participation legacy and develop a new generation of tennis loving children across the country.

Leon Smith, Davis Cup Captain and LTA Head Coach of Men’s Tennis said: “It’s incredible to see how many children have benefitted from Tennis for Kids since its inception in 2016. We wanted to make tennis more accessible to all and I am excited to see how the new changes this year will continue to inspire generations of tennis-loving kids. By training up coaches to deliver more courses than ever before, we’re hoping even more children who haven’t tried tennis will pick up a racket, give it a go and continue to play this great sport throughout their lives

The six session course is £25, averaging just over £4 per lesson and is available for children aged four – 11. Those who sign up will also receive a tennis racket, ball set and a Tennis for Kids personalised t-shirt to ensure they’re equipped for the on-court fun. Places are available all year round with dates pending on local coach course timings.

A scheme which encourages parents who have received help from children's services to "champion" the support available to other mums and dads has received another national award from the Family and Childcare Trust.

The City of Wolverhampton Council’s Parent Champion coordinator Reeta Shemar was named Coordinator of the Year by the Trust last year – and now the scheme itself has been named Parent Champion Scheme of the Year 2018.

The scheme recruits local men and women to talk to other parents about their experiences of children's social care services.

The volunteers work to build trust among families, and inform parents about the various opportunities available to them – such as the free childcare offer to three and four-year-olds and eligible two-year-olds.

Parent Champions also offer one-to-one advice to encourage new and prospective mums and dads to get help and support from their local Strengthening Families Hub and elsewhere, and enable parents to have their say on the development of services.

The Parent Champions have been instrumental in shaping how the scheme moves forward, for example working from Job Centre Plus offices or setting up self-help groups for parents struggling with mental health problems.

And as well as helping others, Parent Champions reap benefits of their own. Becoming a Parent Champion strengthens participants’ employability by developing their skills and confidence, and a number have gone on to secure paid employment or join training programmes thanks to the support they receive in their voluntary role.

Emma Bennett, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Director of Children’s Services, said: “The Parent Champions scheme is a fantastic initiative which enables mums and dads who have had first-hand experience of children's services in Wolverhampton to share their knowledge with others.

"They give a few hours a week to talk to other local parents about the services which are available to them, and because they are parents themselves, they are able to share their own experiences in a relatable, trusted and informal way.

“I am delighted that the efforts of our Parent Champions, and the support of the City of Wolverhampton Council, has been recognised on a national stage by the Family and Childcare Trust.”

Reeta said: "We have trained 36 volunteers over the last two years or so, and are preparing to induct a new cohort who will soon be out and about sharing their knowledge with local families.

“The scheme is a fantastic example of the benefits that volunteering as a Parent Champion can bring, and I would encourage anyone who is interested in taking on this important role to contact me to find out more.”

Sport is set to play a starring role in Australia from next week, with a major Commonwealth ministerial conference taking place the day before the 21st Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast.

The Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, will chair the ministerial meeting before attending the opening of the Games.  She will also participate in Gold Coast’s Trade 2018 initiative and the Women of the World festival in Brisbane.

The 9th Commonwealth Sports Ministers Meeting will be held in Gold Coast on 3 April.  Governments will focus on collective action to measure the contribution of sport to development objectives in areas such as health, education, economic improvement and community.

In addition, ministers are expected to discuss how to improve links between government and sporting organisations. They will also consider ways to embed a rights-based approach in government sport policy, for example ensuring sport is free from abuse and discrimination, and tackle sport integrity threats such as doping and match-fixing.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said, “The Commonwealth Sports Ministers Meeting further demonstrates our work in harnessing the role of sport as a development tool, supported by strengthened governance, sport integrity and the protection of human rights in sport, towards more inclusive and sustainable development.

“Sport is a valuable asset, making an important contribution to strengthening the economic, social and cultural bonds of our growing Commonwealth family. The reach and impact of the Commonwealth Games exemplifies this.”

The launch of the Commonwealth Games will see athletes from 71 countries take part in 275 events during the course of the competition, which runs from 4 – 15 April.   For the first time, there will be an equal number of events for women as men.

In addition to the ministerial meeting and Games, the Commonwealth is also supporting a ‘pop up Commonwealth House’ initiative led by the governments of Queensland and Gold Coast. Commonwealth House will host business events to promote investment opportunities and establish international partnerships with the aim of developing new supply chains across the 53 member countries.

The venue will also play host to the third annual Commonwealth Debate on Sport and Sustainable Development on 6 April 2018. The debate will feature panellists including St Lucia’s Minister of Culture and Local Government Fortuna Belrose and two-time ju-jitsu world champion Shantelle Thompson.

The Commonwealth’s Head of Sport for Development and Peace, Oliver Dudfield, said, “The Commonwealth debate has become a leading global policy discussion on the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace.

“This year, the debate topic is ‘Sport pays for itself in the Commonwealth” and will consider how the return from investing in sport can be enjoyed by more people and more communities across the Commonwealth.”

While in Gold Coast, Secretary-General Patricia Scotland will also deliver the concluding speech at gold coast’s ‘Trade 2018’ initiative, which will include a preview of the trade research that will be presented at next month’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London. The ‘2018 Commonwealth Trade Review’ magazine will also be launched at the event.

Following her visit to the Games, the Secretary-General will attend the ‘Women of the World’ (WOW) festival in Brisbane. The festival, which runs from 6 – 8 April, will focus on the achievements and challenges of women and girls in the Commonwealth.

Pure Grenada, the Spice of the Caribbean was delighted to welcome the final 14 yachts in the World ARC Atlantic Rally for Cruisers Round the World race 2017-2018.

World ARC is a round-the-world adventure taking place over 15 months and covering 26,000 nautical miles. The event features a mix of cruising and exploring the world. Forty-five participants in this year’s event represented several countries including the US, UK, Italy, Netherlands, Germany, Latvia and Sweden.

The Grenada Tourism Authority worked closely with Camper & Nicholson Port Louis Marina, Westerhall Estate Ltd., Digicel, the Marine and Yachting Association of Grenada (MAYAG) and other private & public sector partners to host and provide a memorable experience for visiting families & crew members ending their 15-month journey.

MAYAG hosted a welcome reception at the Grenada Yacht Club on Friday, March 16 & the Awards Dinner was celebrated at Port Louis Marina on Tuesday, March 20th with great food, drink and live music by Treo Entertainment.

All the winning teams spoke glowingly about Grenada, impressed by the destination’s beauty, safety and the friendliness of the people. While on island they enjoyed island tours visiting historic forts, beaches, the Grand Etang Rain Forest, rum distilleries & chocolate factories.

GTA’s Manager of Nautical Development, Nikoyan Roberts was enthusiastic about World ARC 2018 and stated, “Great teamwork with the organizers from World Cruising Club made it a pleasure to host this global yachting event in Grenada.  We look forward to hosting next year’s World ARC with an estimated 26 yachts carded to arrive in 2019.”

Spurs star Dele Alli has helped launch a new Tottenham Hotspur Foundation programme which aims to boost youngsters’ confidence and help reduce levels of crime and anti-social behaviour in Haringey.

The Tottenham Hotspur Community Football League, which runs in partnership with Haringey Council and the Metropolitan Police, runs every Friday evening from 5.30pm to 8.30pm at the Duke’s Aldridge Academy. Local Under-14 teams play in the league and compete against each other each week.

As well as providing a space for youngsters to play football, the programme organises workshops for the teenagers to discuss the challenges they face in the community and gives them practical tips to overcome these issues. These sessions are designed to build the self-esteem and confidence of the youngsters, helping them to get back into education, training or employment and steering them away from potential unemployment or crime.

Dele said: "The opportunity to play football was so important to me as I was growing up and this new football league the club is running is a brilliant way of getting young people from this area together to play sport and meet friends within a safe environment."

Cllr Eugene Ayisi, Haringey Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities, said: "Having grown up in Tottenham, I’m thrilled that we, Spurs and the police are coming together to reduce anti-social behaviour and give young people opportunities on their doorstep through sport."

Richard Allicock, Community Development Manager, Tottenham Hotspur Foundation, said: "We are really proud of the work we have achieved setting up this football league. This is a huge opportunity for young people who are passionate about sport to come down every week and play with their friends. We are delighted to have the support of both the Metropolitan Police and Haringey Council as we work together to reduce levels of anti-social behaviour in Tottenham."

One of English football's first ever Black players, Walter Tull went further in also being the British Army's first ever Black officer to command white troops. But 100 years after he died on the battlefields of World War One, his name means little to most people – especially those whose country he valiantly defended.

Despite having to overcome adversity all of his life, including being racially abused while a pioneering forward for Tottenham Hotspur and Northampton Town, he enlisted with the Middlesex Regiment, part of a 'Footballers' Battalion' that drew professional players from a range of clubs.

Born in Folkestone, in Kent, he fought extensively in the war, at one stage being sent home suffering from ‘shell shock’ - what today would be diagnosed as post-traumatic stress disorder, before returning to the conflict, where he was made an officer, and served on the Italian Front from November 1917 to early March 1918. During his service he was cited for his "gallantry and coolness" by Major-General Sydney Lawford, after leading 26 men on a night raid against an enemy position.

With the British Army fighting a fierce rearguard defensive action, at the age of 29, Tull, of Barbadian heritage, was shot and killed on the Western Front in France.

His death received little media attention at the time, and it is only in recent years that his powerful story has started to be fully recognized.

His life is now commemorated at the Arras Memorial, in France, meticulously maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves with his name engraved along with 34,785 other soldiers with no known grave.

It’s 100 years, today, since his death and a campaign for Walter Tull to be awarded the Military Cross is ongoing, with renewed calls for Prime Minister Theresa May to intervene.

Team England have announced their 18 strong men’s hockey squad who will compete For Team and Country at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in Australia.

Half of the squad will bring with them the experience of winning the bronze medal four years ago in Glasgow whilst nine of the team will be making their Commonwealth Games debut in Australia next month. Team England stalwart Barry Middleton will be competing in his 4th Games having played in Melbourne 2006, Dehli 2010 and Glasgow 2014.

Team England have been drawn in Pool B for the 2018 Commonwealth Games against India, Malaysia, Pakistan and Wales.  The team will begin their campaign on 6 April against Malaysia aiming for a place in the medal matches on 14 April.

The men’s team completed their preparations for the Commonwealth Games this week finishing runners up to Australia in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.

Head Coach Bobby Crutchley said ““We couldn’t be more excited for the Commonwealth Games in Australia where there is a lot of interest in the sport and to joining up with Team England. As a squad we have been training very hard and very well and we are very much looking forward to building on what we achieved in 2017.

"We start with a tough opening match against Malaysia and we are very much focused on that and making the semi-finals and ultimately looking to win a medal.”

Team England Chef de Mission Sarah Winckless said “I’d like to offer my congratulations to all the players and staff selected for Team England.  Hockey is one of the strongest sports at the Commonwealth Games and almost all of the top teams in the world will be on the Gold Coast next month.  Everyone at Team England has been hugely encouraged by the preparations of the men’s hockey team and we will be doing all we can to get them in the best possible place ahead of their first game against Malaysia on 6 April.”

Cricket-mad Syed Hassan Abbas, known as Hassan, met his hero Phil Tufnell and was shown around the Kia Oval as part of a special day organised by The Children’s Trust where he is undergoing intensive rehabilitation.

Of his son’s special outing, Dad said: “I’ve never seen him so smiley. He’s in his element. It has been a difficult few months, but Hassan has been very brave and tried to stay positive. Meeting Phil and going to the Kia Oval has been a fantastic boost to him.”

Prior to his injuries, Hassan was a keen cricketer and had been invited to trials for a County Cricket team. His ambition was to play for the England.

Phil explained how touched he was by Hassan’s story: “I’ve been involved with The Children’s Trust for 10 years, and I am humbled by the experiences of children and families I meet. One of Hassan’s therapists got in touch to say that he loved cricket, and wanted to arrange this visit to help motivate his rehab. He’s a fantastic lad. And thanks to Kia for pulling out all the stops to organise the tour.”

Two Sandwell sisters are making huge strides in their bid to become top international athletes -  after being backed by the borough’s Gifted and Talented scheme.

The sisters Josie and Iris Oliarnyk have been backed by the Sandwell Council programme and have made huge improvements to get to national and international standards.

Josie is currently second in the UK for her age group at long jump and recently competed for England in Bratislava. She completed in the British Championship in Birmingham against the likes of Olympic athletes Katarina Johnson-Thompson.

Iris is Midland Champion for the shot and ranked second in the UK for triple jump. She took part in the Midland Championships recently where she achieved two personal bests, in the shot and the triple jump.

And there was more success last weekend (24/25 February) at the England Athletics Age Group nationals in Sheffield.

Josie came fourth overall with an amazing long jump of 6.02 metres, achieving a new personal best, with Iris coming second in the triple jump, also achieving a personal best of 11.99 metres making her second in the UK.

They have been supported by the Gifted and Talented scheme and cabinet member Councillor Paul Moore said: “It is very pleasing to hear that these very talented  sisters are making such a mark in their chosen events.

“It is also very satisfying to hear that the sisters’ parents have said that without the support of the Sandwell programme the girls may not have been able to achieve these excellent achievements.”

“We set out to support talented young athletes in the borough and I hope that the efforts of Josie and Iris will inspire others – and encourage them to seek support funding.”

Young people – able-bodied and disabled - seeking support can apply for assistance on application forms on the council’s website in a bid to get funding.

Youngsters backed by the scheme can get grants of up to £500 a year to support the costs of competing in events under the scheme which was launched in March 2016.

So far 18 people have been supported  giving them help to compete in a wide range of sports, including athletics, swimming, hockey, tennis, gymnastics and karate. The girls’ father John said: “The grants my daughters have received from the Gifted and Talented scheme have been hugely helpful to help with the costs of travelling to events around the country.

“The girls are very pleased to get the financial help that Sandwell Council has provided for them to cover some of these costs and will always be grateful for the support at this important stage of their development.”

Nearly £50,000 has been handed out as part of Cash for Sports Clubs with around 60 sports clubs benefiting. Grants have been used by clubs to help fund new kits and equipment as well as coaching courses and improving the quality of sessions.

Clubs can apply for funding of up to £500 to help with kits and equipment and up to £1,500 to help grow membership and increase the number of Sandwell residents being active. There's also funding available for specialist coaching.

The scheme was officially launched by cabinet member Councillor Paul Moore with Baggies player Jay Rodriguez and The Albion Foundation.

Councillor Moore said: “We’re really pleased to be able to offer these grants again this year to help out Sandwell sports clubs. These grants can make all the difference for local clubs and this scheme encourage people to get active and enjoy taking part in sport.”

The scheme is open from 26 February 2018 until 27 April 2018.

To apply, go to www.sandwell.gov.uk/cashforsportsclubs

Alongside World Rugby, Gilbert have launched the official ball for the 2018 men's and women's Rugby World Cups Sevens in San Francisco.

The industry-leading rugby ball manufacturer, Gilbert are a prominent supporter of global rugby development and innovation. The launch of this latest major tournament ball range further underlines Gilbert's technical expertise to the elite game, and rugby fans globally.

The match ball used in San Francisco will be the Synergie XV-6, the only dedicated Sevens match ball produced in World Rugby; and used throughout the HSBC World Rugby 7s Series for the past two series'. Developed exclusively for Sevens rugby, the patented Synergie XV-6 grip offers an enhanced grip ideally suited to the fast paced nature and handling of Sevens rugby.

The RWC 7s 2018 tournament look and feel has inspired the design of the official match ball and its replica. Reflecting the official RWC 7s brand bible these balls showcase the star visual along with the official blue, white and orange colours. At the centre of the design is the official tournament mark, showcasing the globally recognised Golden Gate Bridge. The star visual signifies the many world-class male and female players coming together in California's Bay Area.

On July 20th San Francisco will become a brand new venue for the excitement and exhilaration that rugby 7s brings. Being hosted at the iconic AT & T Park in the San Francisco Bay Area, excitement for the Rugby World Cup 7s 2018 - this year's showpiece event - continues to build as the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series heads to Las Vegas 7 on 2nd March.

Richard Gray, Sales and Marketing Director, Gilbert Rugby, said: “For many years Gilbert have supported the growth of the game in the US and, as Rugby Football grows in popularity from East to West coast, we are delighted to continue the journey with our American friends. The hosting of the RWC 7's 2018 in San Francisco is a major step forward for the game in the US and we are proud to have been selected as the Official Ball supplier.”

Gilbert, who are also official suppliers to a number of national member unions, have been suppliers for five of the six Rugby World Cup Sevens tournaments.

Team England has today named 10 artistic gymnasts to compete for Team and Country at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. The squad includes triple Commonwealth and double Olympic Champion Max Whitlock MBE and Claudia Fragapane, who will defend the four Commonwealth titles she won at Glasgow 2014.

Max and Claudia are joined on the 2018 Commonwealth Games team by Olympic bronze medalists Amy Tinkler and Nile Wilson.

At Glasgow 2014, Team England topped the gymnastics medal table with a total of 19 medals. Four of the athletes who were part of the successful team at Glasgow will be returning to the Commonwealth Games stage while six of the athletes will be making their Games debut.

The artistic gymnastics competition will take place at Coomera Indoor Sports Centre from 5 to 9 April.

Claudia Fragapane came to prominence at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, where she was the first English woman to win four gold medals since 1930. She said:

“Competing at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow was one of the best and most memorable experiences of my life. I’m so happy to have been selected for Team England again and I’m really excited to be going to Australia.

“Four years on from Glasgow I have a lot more experience and I’m looking forward to supporting my teammates and hopefully repeating the success of last time. We have a really strong group of girls in the team with a mix of experience and some newer girls and I’m confident we can all put in good performances and win medals for England.”

Max Whitlock MBE will be appearing at his third Commonwealth Games having already won eight medals previously. He said:

“I’m delighted to be going to my third Commonwealth Games for Team England and can’t wait to get out to the Gold Coast and begin competition. My Commonwealth Games experiences so far have been incredible and I’m looking forward to being a part of Team England again, aiming to win medals for my nation.

“The gymnastics competition, particularly between the Home Nations, is going to be intense and I know the whole team are working hard to be in the best shape to produce medal winning routines.”

“We had some really strong competition for places on the England team. The team we have selected has a really good balance between youth and experience. I’m really excited to see what we can achieve on the Gold Coast in April.”

Team England Chef de Mission, Sarah Winckless, said:

“I’m delighted to welcome the artistic gymnasts to Team England and I would like to offer my congratulations to the athletes selected. We have an extremely strong recent track record in artistic gymnastics which led to the amazing Team GB performance at the Rio Olympics. I look forward to working with everyone as they compete for Team and Country in April.”

Mimi Cesar, Stephani Sherlock and Hannah Martin have been selected to compete for Team England at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games in April.

With 50 days to go until the Games in Australia, the three athletes will make up Team England’s rhythmic gymnastics squad that will compete at Coomera Indoor Sports Centre.

Mimi Cesar and Stephani Sherlock will be returning to the Commonwealth Games stage after competing at Glasgow 2014, while Hannah Martin will be making her Team England debut in April.

Team England ambassador, Birmingham 2022 supporter and three-time British senior all-around champion, Mimi Cesar, said:

“It’s so exciting to be able to tell everyone I have made the Gold Coast team and I can’t wait to get out there and compete for Team England. I’ve been training really hard over the last 18 months with Gold Coast completely in the focus. I know that my time is now in my gymnastics career, it’s been the best it’s ever been and I know that I have the potential to bring home that medal.”

Stephani Sherlock made her Team England debut at Glasgow 2014 and made the finals in all-around, hoop and ball. The 21-year-old, who trains at Espirit Rhythmic in Swindon, is a multiple British champion and medallist.

Sherlock said:  “I’m so excited, I can’t wait to go out to Australia especially as I’ve always wanted to go to Australia so it’s amazing to go as part of Team England and hopefully we can do really well and make everyone proud. I enjoyed Glasgow very much, I was very young, only 17 years old, it was my very first major competition and I can tell that Australia will be an amazing Games that will give me a lot of experience.”

Hannah Martin, who trains at iStar Academy in West Sussex, is a British junior champion who is just beginning her senior career. The 15-year-old is the youngest gymnast on the team and one of the youngest athletes competing for Team England.

She said:

“It’s a real dream come true, it’s something I’ve been dreaming for for a long time and I’ve worked so hard for it and I can’t believe it’s happened for me. I’ve learnt so much from Mimi and Stephani and I watched them in the Commonwealth Games last time and I was like that’s where I want to go so I’m so happy I’m on the team with them because they are my inspiration.

“I just need to work really hard now and when I’m there it’s all about showing my best and doing my country proud. I can’t wait to experience the atmosphere and the pride of competing for my country is something I can’t describe.”

Team England last won a Commonwealth Games medal in rhythmic at Delhi 2010 with a team all-around bronze.

The three gymnasts will be competing across the four rhythmic disciplines on the 11^th, 12^th and 13^th April.

Team England will send a team of around 600 athletes and staff in what will be England’s largest ever team to represent the nation in an overseas sporting event. The team will compete in 18 sports, including 38 para medal events.

Sarah Winckless, Chef de Mission for Commonwealth Games England, said:

“To welcome our rhythmic gymnastics team today gives me great pleasure. They make up an important part of our gymnastics squad at Team England, and I look forward to working with them at Games time. Mimi-Isabella Cesar has been one of Team England’s ambassadors going into the Games and look forward to support her, Stephani Sherlock and Hannah Martin at Games time.”

Team England’s gymnastics team leader, Mike Weinstock, said:

“I’m really excited to see our rhythmic gymnasts compete on the Gold Coast and I know they can’t wait. They’re a very talented group of gymnasts and have been working very hard on their performance. Mimi and Stephani had the experience of competing in Glasgow and Hannah will be making her Games debut at the age of just 15.

“We know that the Games will be extremely well organised and the whole team is really looking forward to going out at flying the flag for England.”

Premiership Champions Exeter Chiefs recently swapped their training ground at Sandy Park, Exeter for the award-winning Salcombe Distilling Co. in the beautiful seaside town of Salcombe. These highly skilled team players used their charisma and flair to raise the bar creating delicious Salcombe Gin cocktails.

It was then head to head in a play-off to design and develop their very own bottle of gin at the Salcombe Gin School accompanied by Exeter Rugby Club Chairman and Chief Executive, Tony Rowe OBE.

Tony said: “Salcombe Gin is very popular amongst those who visit Sandy Park for match-days as well as the many functions, dinners and events we host. We have a new Gin & Fizz Bar and it's great that we have such a fantastic product available right here on our doorstep."

He continued, “As someone who is partial to the odd drop of gin, it was fantastic for myself and the players to get a real insight into how they make Salcombe Gin. Not only did we find the trip hugely informative, but to then get the chance to distill our own was great fun."

Howard Davies, co-founder, said, “We were delighted to host Tony and the players at our waterside distillery. They were intrigued about how we make our award-winning gin and were soon shaking some cocktails behind the bar before heading over to our Gin School. They each took charge of a mini-copper still in our distilling laboratory, choosing from over 100 botanicals to create their unique gin recipe.”

Salcombe Gin head distiller, Jason Nickels continued, “As you would expect, they were all highly competitive, seeking perfection at every stage of the process but we also had a lot of fun along the way. Walnuts were a dominant flavour in Tony's gin and Jack used coffee in his, resulting in some awesome espresso martinis shaken in the distillery bar afterwards”.

It was the perfect match between two award-winning teams in Devon.

Team England will send a 12 strong boxing team to the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia which starts on 4 April.  In total 8 men and 4 women will travel to the Gold Coast to compete for team and country.

Welterweight, Pat McCormack, competed for England at the Commonwealth Games in 2014 and Team GB at Rio 2016 and is a two-time European Championships silver medalist.

He said: “It’s great to be selected for the Commonwealth Games.  I competed at the one in Glasgow but I was young and inexperienced then and did not win a medal.  Since then I have been to the world championships twice, won two silver medals the Europeans and been to an Olympic Games so I will have a lot more confidence and experience going into the competition this time.

“I have always wanted to go travelling to Australia, so to be able to go there through boxing is even better.  I know it will be a tough tournament but I have trained hard and I am going there to win gold.

“Competing alongside my twin brother (Luke McCormack, who has been selected at light-welterweight) will make the tournament event more exciting, and if we both come home with gold, it will definitely put us out there.  We just need to make sure that we perform on the day.”

2014 flyweight world championship silver medalist and 2016 European Championship bronze medalist, Lisa Whiteside said: “It is absolutely fantastic to be selected for the Commonwealth Games, it will be my first multisport event and to represent England on the Gold Coast feels unreal. Boxing’s major tournaments don’t always get covered on TV, so to be competing and knowing that my friends and family back home will be able to watch is going to be out of this world.  I am feeling confident, my ultimate goal is to go out there and win that gold medal. I have a few tournaments coming up in preparation, and I will make sure that when I arrive on the Gold Coast that I’m the fittest and strongest that I’ve ever been.”

Commonwealth Games boxing medals have helped to launch the career of some of England’s best ever boxers including Richie Woodhall, Nicola Adams and James DeGale.

Team Leader Darren Chapple said: Team Leader Darren Chapple said: “I’m pleased that we’ve announced a strong team of 12 athletes. This team has two Olympians and a wealth of experience between them however for the majority of the team this will be their first taste of the Commonwealth Games.

“I know that they are all excited and they are all going to be focused on performing at their best. We know there will be tough competition during the Games especially with strong teams from our other home Nations like Scotland, Wales and Ireland and not forgetting of course our host nation Australia too who will have a huge home following.”

Team England Chef de Mission Sarah Winckless said English boxing is in an extremely strong position and to be able to welcome 12 boxers to the team this week give me great pleasure. The Women’s side of the sport goes from strength to strength and I look forward to working with our 4 talented female athletes. Our male team is also strong and notably contains two brothers, Pat and Luke McCormack, and 2 Olympians alongside 10 debutants. It is an exciting mix and one I look forward to supporting at the Games.”