Halesowen rugby tournament this weekend for tragic Hagley teenager (From Halesowen News)
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Halesowen rugby tournament this weekend for tragic Hagley teenager
8:00am Tuesday 12th March 2013 in News
A charity rugby tournament is being held for Luke Chapman.
A RUGBY tournament is being held in Halesowen this weekend in memory of a tragic Hagley teenager who died whilst playing the sport he loved last year.
Family and friends of former Haybridge School pupil Luke Chapman, who died aged just 15 after collapsing in Kidderminster, will descend on Old Halesonians Rugby Club ground on Sunday.
Teams from across the West Midlands are playing in the tournament which will be attended by three Worcester Rugby Club stars, including captain James Percival.
Old Halesonians youth rugby coach Paul Dando said: “We are delighted with the response to this charity tournament in honour of Luke.
“We have chosen Sunday because it will be a year to the day that he last played for our club and I’m sure it will be an emotional occasion as a lot of the boys will have played with him.”
He added: “We want to hold this tournament every year and this is the last one which will be for under-16s so we could include Luke’s friends but from next year it will be under-15s.”
The rugby fraternity have backed the tournament with teams from Bromsgrove, Stourbridge, Dudley Kingswinford,Old Coventrians and Sihillians competing.
Mr Dando added: “We are very happy to have three Worcester Warriors players coming along including the captain James Percival who like Luke attended Haybridge School.”
The club has had special jerseys with Luke’s number 12 printed on them for the under-16 team as a mark of respect for the sports-mad youngster.
Luke was also a former junior footballer with the Oldbury-based Perrywoods Utd, having played for the club on Saturday mornings.
His death was caused by a cardiac arrest related to Sudden Adult Death Syndrome and all money raised at the tournament will be donated to the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young .
The tournament starts at 10.30am on Sunday, at Old Halesonians, Wassell Grove and will see a series of games until the main final which kicks off at 1.45pm, admission is £5 per car.
