Crispin Slee, chairman of Towcestrians mini and junior rugby section, said: “Rugby is such a male dominated sport so the fact that our youngest member is a girl is absolutely fantastic.”

Dressed in his whites and representing the cricket section was young James Bristow, aged five, and from hockey was 11 year old Lucy Plumridge.

Teenager Sam Conrich, who at 16 was the oldest of the four, stepped up for the tennis section. Sam plays for the men’s team alongside his father Andy.

The four cut a maroon and yellow ribbon to officially open the new clubhouse in Greens Norton Road at a lunch for 250 sponsors.

The clubhouse has been transformed by a £250,000 refurbishment during the summer from a dark bar to a light and airy space.

Frank Osborne, chairman of Towcestrians, paid tribute to South Northants District Council who provided a £120,000 grant to help fund the building project.

He also thanked eleven local organisations and businesses who between them have pledged nearly £150,000.

They are: Silverstone Circuits, the Bernard Sunley Foundation, Heygates, Linnell Bros, Gowlings, ASC Metals, Towcester Young Farmers, Silus Wild, RS Compressors, Travis Perkins and MJY Security.

The sponsorship money will be used to fund ongoing building work and repay a £75,000 loan from the RFU, whom Mr Osborne also thanked.

Among the crowd of sponsors and veteran players were three of the members who helped to build the original clubhouse on a greenfield site 40 years ago.

For pictures of the event and the new club, click here.

Tows new clubhouse is available for hire for functions and in November a new gym, fitted out with state-of-the-art equipment, will open to the public. For more details please visit: www.agwfitness.co.uk

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