Lincoln Rugby Club will host visiting teams from Europe and the UK and deliver a rugby and World War II VE 80 heritage commemorative programme, including a special tournament, next spring.
VE80 Rugby Tournament Director Eamonn Hogan, a club member for over 25 years, organised the event with John Dennison, who is the President of Francourt Events and Chairman of World Rugby Memorial.
The touring teams will arrive on Thursday, May 8, 2025 and stay in our fantastic city until Sunday, May, 11. The rugby festival will take place on Saturday, May 10, 2025.
The rugby tournament will include 10 under-15’s teams, four under-18’s teams, a wooden spoon society and men’s and women’s Vets teams playing against a Lincolnshire select XV - full event details can be found here.
An NLD side will hopefully be playing against the Dutch Barbarians Under-23s in the last match of the tournament.
Lincoln Rugby Club, World Rugby Memorial, International Bomber Command Centre (IBCC), Francourt Events, the British West India Regiments Heritage Trust and Sage Blue have united to form a Memorial Executive Committee.
This initiative is part of a year-long international commemorative effort that began in Normandy, travelled to Nijmegen and Arnhem, before coming to the UK, to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day and culminate in the City of Lincoln.
When John Dennison visited Lincoln earlier this year he was won over and this special event was born. The Memorial Executive is committed to educating the next generation about historical events by using sporting activities as a powerful learning tool.
VE80 Rugby Tournament Director Eamonn Hogan said: “This event has been two years in the making and bringing teams from all over England, France and the Netherlands shows how much the efforts of the people of Lincolnshire during WW2 are deeply felt across Europe.
“It’s a celebration of rugby but more importantly, it’s a commemoration of our fallen and a thank you to those who sacrificed so much so we could live our lives the way we do today.”
Lincoln Rugby Club is honoured to be working alongside the events Co-Chair John Dennison and the other event partners. John’s company, Francourt Events, has been organising events for schools, clubs and associations in France since 2017.
Francourt Events works with established tour operator partners to provide unique and enjoyable events tailor made to client needs, along with their own regular events.
John is also the co-founder of World Rugby Memorial, which was unveiled on the battlefields of the Chemin des Dames, Aisne, France on September 16, 2017. The memorial leads the research project of identifying rugby players from around the world who lost their lives in the conflict.
Rugby played a significant role during World War I and II and, like other sports, it was crucial in boosting spirits and maintaining morale among troops, providing a sense of normalcy during the challenge and grim conditions of war. It was also seen as an excellent way to maintain mental and physical fitness, vital for soldiers’ readiness for combat.
VE80 Rugby Tournament
- Thursday, May 8 - Visiting teams from Europe and across the UK arrive in Lincoln
- Friday, May 9 - Touring teams will spend the day visiting the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre and the IBC. In the evening they will attend a poppy installation ceremony at the military altars at Lincoln Cathedral (6.30pm-8pm)
- Saturday, May 10 - A day of international rugby starting at 10.30am and continuing until late in the evening. There will also be an RAF flypast
- Sunday, May 11 - Sunday Remembrance Service at IBCC before touring teams depart Lincoln. There will also be a Rugby & WW2 Exhibition, and a Commemorative Poppy Garden Installation at the IBCC
Hosting such a major sporting event in Lincolnshire comes with significant financial costs from catering for our national and international attendees to streaming the tournament for overseas families to watch along with us.
If you believe a positive mutual partnership is possible then please reach out to Lincoln Rugby Club’s Events Manager Deborah at deborahjayne@hotmail.com as it would be wonderful to have you sit with us, and our other VIPs, on the day to enjoy the “most unique rugby event you will ever attend”.
You can watch our promotional video produced by Francourt Events here
Written by Joseph Verney
