Brunel kicks off Ealing Trailfinders partnership

Brunel’s rugby players will soon have access to some of the country’s finest professionals, thanks to a new partnership with Ealing Trailfinders.

The partnership means Ealing Trailfinders – who play professionally in the Greene King IPA Championship, the second tier of English rugby – will oversee the male and female performance rugby programmes at Brunel, a move the university hopes will help its teams push towards the BUCS Super Rugby League.

Ealing Trailfinders will provide coaches, strength and conditioning staff, analysts and a medical team with the aim of creating one of the most comprehensive programmes in the country, allowing students to combine top-level rugby with their academic studies.

Students will have the opportunity to join Ealing Trailfinders Academy and train with the professional team around their education, getting access to the club’s two 4G pitches, two gyms and a brand-new medical area.

The new world-class facilities will compliment those already available at Brunel, which include an international-standard pitch, used by the French international team for their World Cup 2015 preparations.

Ben Ward, Director of Rugby at Ealing Trailfinders, said: “This is an enormous step forward for us as a club and we are extremely passionate about making this scheme a success.

“We have the opportunity to create something special in both education and rugby terms, which is a great combination. There is currently no BUCS Super Rugby League team in London and we want to make this the most comprehensive programme in England to ensure that the team can become as successful as possible.”

Mark Burgess, Head of Sport at Brunel, said: “Our sports teams are a real source of pride for Brunel, and I think partnerships such as this show very clearly how committed the University and the Students Union are to supporting students in pursuing their sporting ambitions whilst continuing their education.

“Having access to professional players and coaching staff along with some of the best facilities in country will take rugby at Brunel to the next level, on and off the field. I'm really looking forward to seeing our teams push on as well as creating a player supply chain for Ealing Trailfinders as they progress in the coming seasons.”

The ‘Team Brunel’ Rugby Union Club is run by the Students Union and field a number of men’s and women’s teams, welcoming students of any ability.

For further information about Team Brunel, please visit: brunelstudents.com/teambrunel

 

Reported by:

Tim Pilgrim, Media Relations
+44 (0)1895 26896
tim.pilgrim@brunel.ac.uk