The morning of Sunday 6th January saw the first junior rugby session of 2019 at Alton RFC with over 300 boys and girls enjoying the fun of training amid the clement weather in Anstey Park. What none of them knew was that this was no ordinary training session and that a mysterious, black clad super-hero was, very quietly and modestly, making his way across the Park to join them - in the shape of the one and only Jonny Wilkinson!
Long before Jonny was catapulted to international stardom, after scoring that unforgettable drop goal (in extra time) which won England the 2003 World Cup, he was playing as part of Alton RFC’s U7s (and watching his Dad play) in Anstey Park. He had very generously contacted Alton RFC to ask if he could make a return visit and help out with the coaching of the Club’s current crop of potential young stars. Obviously, the few Club officials who were aware jumped at this amazing opportunity & made sure that Jonny’s visit was an absolute surprise for both young players & parents.
News of Jonny’s arrival, of course, spread like ‘wild fire’ across Anstey Park but, true to rugby values, all the youngsters stayed with the training and simply hoped for a glimpse of their hero. And every one of the youngsters was more than amply rewarded as Jonny spent time, in turn, with various squads offering advice, encouragement and support - before posing for group photographs with all the youngsters amid toasts all round of ‘No 1 Kombucha’ (devised to Jonny’s own recipe using fermented green tea and believed to beneficial for gut and mental health).
Jonny obviously greatly enjoyed spending time with the kids and being back at Anstey Park. On the latter, he recalled the former muddy state and commented very positively on the visible improvements to the ground. And that’s a real credit to the work undertaken by Alton Town Council, in conjunction with Alton RFC, to improve the park for all users.
Club Junior Chair, Rupert Vitoria summed up everyone’s thoughts when he said: “What a weekend - our 1st XV hit the top of the Hampshire 1 league on Saturday and then, on Sunday, our kids get a whole morning of super-hero coaching to inspire them to even greater things. We could not ask for more and are incredibly grateful to Jonny for taking the time to support a ‘grass roots’ Club like Alton and its ambition to achieve even more. Any young players - novices or otherwise - are always welcome to join us from 10.00 on Sunday morning but, sadly, we can’t promise coaching from Jonny Wilkinson every week!!”.