By Suzie Skipper

There is something very satisfying about having a car load of grubby, muddy children who had an exhilarating two hours playing mini rugby on a grey-skied Sunday morning. You realise it is only midday and your kids have already had loads of exercise.

If your boy or girl (yes, girls do play rugby too!) enjoys sport then mini rugby could be just the ticket during the dark winter months. The new rugby season kicks off on the first or second Sunday of September and ends in April/May.

So, how do you go about picking a club for your child? If you can get a recommendation all the better. But if not, ring the mini rugby chairman or age group managers or try out a few nearby clubs to see what the atmosphere is like. They all have websites. Are the coaches, parents and players friendly and enjoying themselves? “If you do not have smiley faces you may want to look elsewhere,” suggests Tom Blake, head of the mini section at Rosslyn Park Rugby Football Club (RFC). Some clubs will have more qualified coaches than others but if the kids aren’t enjoying themselves you will soon know, says Blake.

The younger ones start off with tag rugby progressing up to full blown contact but rest assured all clubs have a duty to provide first aid and ensure safety. It is a requirement for all rugby coaches to be CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) checked.

Besides the obvious sporting benefit of your child being involved in a rugby club, there is also a chance for the grown ups to meet new people and get involved. After a magnificent school/university rugby career (that unfortunately I never witnessed) my husband has had a huge amount of enjoyment out of coaching at a local club and we have made some great new friends. So what are you waiting for?

FInd London Rugby clubs near you.