Saturday is a rugby day.

On Sep. 14, the Comox Valley Rapids Rugby Club is hosting a Try Rugby Day for kids aged six to 16 to come and try the sport out.

"We are introducing the sport of rugby to new athletes, new parents, and new families and their kids. Rugby has been growing very quickly in the valley, and our age-grade programs are strong, but we want to get more young kids playing in an inclusive sport, and people can keep playing until high school and after," says Mimi Appleby.

The action starts at 11 a.m. at the G.P. Vanier Secondary School. Attendees can try their hand at passing drills, mini-games and more. The event will end with a game of flag rugby. 

Attendees will be treated to a BBQ during the event.

"One of the biggest benefits is inclusiveness, so rugby is a sport that doesn't ever make cuts, includes everybody, and everybody plays. There is also a need in rugby for every type of athlete, every type of skill set and body set," says Appleby. "The second biggest benefit would be community. Rugby is unlike any other sport, in that it's not just your team. It's the whole community together. We practise all our teams together."

Rugby is a popular sport worldwide, with over 10 million people playing around the world in 2023. Over 300 rugby clubs are in Canada. Currently, the Canadian men's national team is playing in the Pacific Nations Cup. The Canadian women's national team won silver at the 2024 Rugby Sevens Olympic tournament, losing to New Zealand 19-12 after upsetting Australia 21-12 in the semi-final.