Nottingham Moderns RFC first team captain Dylan Jowett hailed the unforgettable opportunity to lead his team out at the home of English rugby as part of the RFU’s Twickenham Takeover.

His club was one of eight teams selected to play at Twickenham for the Play Together Stay Together campaign. They were chosen by an independent panel for their hard work in establishing player pathways, supporting young stars on their journey through to adult rugby. 

Jowett, 21, led his team to promotion only a few days prior to the event and was able to grace the field with a few family members, making the once in a lifetime opportunity all the more special.

“Being able to do our pre-match ritual in the Twickenham changing rooms was pretty unbelievable,” Jowett said.

“I was actually lucky enough to run out with my little brother and my dad in the first game, which was really amazing.

“It’s a great reward for the lads that have shown commitment and sacrificed a lot of time for the club. They have done that without knowing this would be the carrot at the end of it. 

“The Moderns fans are always loud so it was a great experience to also have them here.

“Hopefully this will encourage more people to get involved and support the club.”

The ongoing work behind-the-scenes from players and practitioners within Nottingham Moderns has carried the club to new heights. 

The club earned their spot at the Twickenham Takeover for setting up a successful pathway structure which helps juniors progress up to their senior squads. 

To achieve this, the club have established the Doug Scott Memorial Fund, which financially supports 17-21 year-old players, covering the costs of match fees, subscriptions and kit. 

The fund also lets players tap into the club’s existing business network and gives them the chance to to achieve coaching, refereeing and first aid qualifications.

In addition to this, Nottingham Moderns run joint coaching sessions with the senior and junior teams to further integrate the club, which is already proving a huge success.

“Around ten of our starting fifteen have come through our juniors,” said Moderns assistant coach Ian Melrose.

“Even if they go off to university, they still come back and play for us, which is fantastic to see.”

Play Together Stay Together is an England Rugby campaign to encourage people to get back into rugby. Want to get back to the action? Find your local rugby club using findrugby.com