Medway Rugby Club have become the first in Kent to launch a mixed ability provision team.

The Medway Cannons is the club’s new mixed ability rugby team which will welcome able bodied players alongside those with learning difficulties and/or physical disabilities to play full contact adult rugby.

Players taking part could have a mild disability to a significant one, which could involve playing with a chaperone on the pitch.

The aim is not to win but to include as many people as possible in the sport. Modifications from senior rugby include non-contested scrums.

The club said: “Mixed ability rugby is more about playing and giving people an opportunity to challenge themselves, rather than winning.”

Medway have developed the new team after liaising with the RFU and taking advice from the Surrey Chargers, a team based at Chobham RFC.

The Chargers were, until now, the nearest of 15 teams in England to participate in mixed ability rugby. That provision is now here in Kent and a demonstration match takes place at Medway RFC this Saturday (November 20), kick off 12.30pm. A Medway Presidents XV will face the Surrey Chargers.

Medway have agreed a two-year sponsorship with jacobs.com to help fund the new provision.

Mixed ability training will commence every Saturday from November 27, between 11am and 12.30pm. Once the team is up and running fixtures will be planned.

At present the team is for male players, led by Kate Kuhn alongside manager Richard Warran and coaches Matt Kuhn and Mark Marriott, but the club say they will consider a female team once the scheme gets started.

The club said: “In addition to the small team are load of Medway RFC volunteers who will be helping coach, launch and manage the Medway Cannons and we are grateful to them all.

“We have a number of players who want to play in the side and that’s the beauty of mixed ability - it’s all inclusive and everyone can play together.”

For more information you can contact Kate Kuhn on 07771 867952 or email cannons@mrfc.net