This Is Guernsey

Guernsey’s touch rugby squad in action against Jersey last August.

GUERNSEY Touch is gearing up for its fourth season, with training already under way for the squad who will represent the island at this year’s European Championships.

More than 300 people are now competing in the Summer League and as the sport, which is sponsored by Ernst & Young, has become more popular, the organisers have worked hard to secure its long-term future in the island.

This year’s league starts on Wednesday 21 May and teams have already started to register on Guernsey Touch’s new-look website which includes online registration for teams and players.

Island training started at the beginning of April, with the first weekend of three planned for this weekend at Blanchelande.

Organisers are hoping to be able select a squad as early as possible to give the men’s, mixed and women’s teams time to start training together.

‘We now have a lot of experienced players and so we are hoping to mix their knowledge with the enthusiasm of new players to create three strong teams to take away to this year’s European Championships [in France],’ said Guernsey Touch spokesman Andrew Hutton.

Guernsey was represented by a mixed team in Jersey in 2004 and then a mixed and a men’s in Edinburgh in 2006.

‘This year we will be taking three teams, which will be a testament to how far the sport has come in Guernsey. The Europeans will be the ideal opportunity for our Guernsey squad to show that the sport is now established in the island and will give all three teams the chance to play against some of the best touch teams in the world,’ said Hutton.

As well as the Europeans, the island sides will be working hard to try and ensure that Jersey has to hand over the inter-insular trophy and return home empty-handed. This year’s inter-insular will be held on Saturday 9 August at St Martin’s Football Club, which has become home for Guernsey Touch during the summer.

Teams in the 2008 Summer League will also be encouraged to take part in the inaugural Channel Islands Club Championships, which will be held on 14 and 15 June. One team from the UK has already registered and it is hoped that others from Europe and Jersey will come to Guernsey for the weekend to compete.

‘Guernsey Touch wanted to be able to give our local teams the chance to play against other teams from outside the island and we hope that the Channel Islands Club Championships will become an annual event that will grow in popularity and become one of the highlights of the touch calendar,’ said Hutton.

The 2008 season will end with the Autumn League which starts at the end of August and lasts for six weeks.

‘It’s another incredibly busy year for Guernsey Touch and we are delighted with the enthusiasm shown by all the players,’ said Hutton.

More information on Guernsey training, the summer and autumn leagues and the Channel Islands Club Championships can be found at www.guernseytouch.org.gg.