Victoria Road School, the Scottish Widows Isle of Man primary school tag rugby champions, will be fielding a team looking suitably smart when they compete in the national finals sponsored later this year.

Sponsors of the Island finals for the past five years, Scottish Widows has provided the team with polo shirts and fleeces which they will be sporting when they join some 20 other schools in the finals being held at the game’s birthplace, Rugby School in Warwickshire, in July. The top two teams will also be invited to play at Twickenham stadium ahead of one of the international games this autumn.

Scottish Widows’ director Juan Clarke said: ‘As a long established Isle of Man business we are committed to helping advance young people’s sporting endeavours and are pleased to sponsor the tag rugby tournament for the fifth consecutive year. The tournament attracted 39 teams from across the Island with eight winning through to the finals, where we witnessed some truly exceptional talent on the field, not least among the semi-finalists, while the winners Victoria Road Vikings played an excellent match against Dhoon School. Thanks must go to the schools for their support and encouragement and of course congratulations are due to all those teams who took part. On behalf of Scottish Widows I wish Victoria Road School every success when they represent the Isle of Man in the UK final.’

The kit was presented to the team before a packed assembly at the school.

Photo caption - Scottish Widows’ director Juan Clarke, right, and colleague Nigel Kennett with Victoria Road School tag rugby team members wearing Scottish Widows-sponsored kit as their classmates and teachers look on. Picture Andrew Barton