Many congratulations to Ruby Rance (Year 8), who has been selected for the Midlands U14 Regional Touch Rugby Team.

Ruby will represent the Midlands at the Touch Junior Nationals in Nottingham over the August Bank Holiday weekend, an excellent opportunity and a well-deserved reward for her hard work and dedication.

Ruby has been playing touch rugby since the age of five. Initially, she took up the sport while watching her two older sisters from the sidelines, but it quickly became a passion of her own. Touch rugby is particularly popular in Asia, influenced by Australia, where the sport is especially strong. During her time in Singapore, Ruby joined Tanglin Rugby Club.

Since last summer, Ruby has represented Bedford Touch Club. Despite being the youngest member of this predominantly adult team, she has embraced her first experience of mixed touch rugby and competed in regional development tournaments, earning Bedford’s Most Improved Player award for the 2025 season.

Ruby reflected: “As the youngest player on the team for Bedford Touch, I have learnt a lot, from being courageous and standing up to older players, to mastering skills such as a ‘32 short’ at pace. I was delighted to learn that I had earned a place in the regional team. Although I had never experienced trials before, I persevered and performed to the best of my ability. My next goal is to trial for the England U15 squad so I can compete internationally and represent my country.”

Ruby’s next challenge will be the England Touch Junior Nationals, where she will compete for the Midlands against other regional teams at U14 level. The competition will be girls only, marking a return to playing alongside peers of her own age.