If you are a rugby fan, you will probably enjoy watching a club match or an international either on the television or at the actual ground. Rugby is one of the sports I have always enjoyed watching. But for me that's as far as it goes. It wouldn't occur to me to visit the museum of rugby, with the inclusion of a Twickenham tour thrown in, bringing an added bonus.
But when my nephew Sebastian announced this was something he would love to do, my father was more than willing to take him. They asked me if I would like to join them. But I didn't think the cost of the entrance was worth wasting on someone who merely liked watching. The disappointment of my nephew though preyed on my conscience and I changed my mind and went.
To my utter amazement I was really surprised how much I enjoyed the outing. The guided tour, which we had pre-booked, lasted about an hour or more. And I had thought the tour would be really quick as there wouldn't be that much to see. But it was excellent and if you are a real enthusiast this is a must. You are shown the members lounge and the presidents' suite which you wouldn't normally be able to see. I am sure most people will especially enjoy seeing the England team dressing room. With the players shirts hanging on their pegs, you can then sit where your favourite player sits if you so desire. Although much to the disappointment of two girls Jonny Wilkinson's was nowhere to be seen. But the guide told them, in a very convincing tone, where he normally sat and they happily went to that place. You also see the medical room, where injured players get looked at or stitched up before being sent back onto the field or carted off to the nearest hospital. It reminded me of a dentist's surgery. You then get to go out onto the pitch through the players' tunnel; although there is no roar from the crowd you are able to see it a little from their perspective. The pitch it seems is sacred; at least it has to be treated as such and therefore out of bounds. The royal box however isn't and you can even try out, a rather more comfortable seat than the average fan has access to. It is also not surprisingly a particularly good view. You get to see the hospitality boxes as well and see what it looks like if you are sitting high up in the stands. This was what impressed Sebastian the most the sheer size of it, when you see it on television you don't fully get that awareness. But for him seeing it all with his own eyes was incredible. The view from the top of the stadium he also found fantastic even though it might not give you such a great view of the rugby. For him just seeing it and being a part of such an amazing sport was enough. When I asked him to tell me what was good, ok, could have been better and so on. He couldn't find any faults in his opinion it was all good, an experience to be kept as such.
The Museum was equally impressive it had rugby memorabilia that even managed to engage my interest. Everything is set out and done for your benefit, there are even interactive items. Where if you want you can choose what you want to find out about, whether it is an interview with your favourite player or the finer points of the game. Then there is video footage of passed matches that you can watch. If you really want to put any skills you have into practice you can try out the scrum machine. There is also a lineout that you can mingle through to give you an impression of rugby from the forwards angle and to give it a bit of authenticity there is the sound of a crowd roaring. You can also read some interesting facts and if you go before November 2005 you should be able to see the world cup. As our visit was over a couple of years ago we didn't get this extra privilege. I felt awful that I had to tear Sebastian away, I am sure he could have stayed longer. Although he was very good and understood that I had to get back to take my dog to the vet. I thought this wouldn't interfere in the day out but it lasted a lot longer than any of us had estimated. If I had known I could have either rescheduled the appointment or gone on another day, so if you do go make sure you have a whole day to fully appreciate it. It is a well worth while visit, from anyone who just enjoys watching to the die hard fan. If you would like to know more then visit www.rfu.com

© Children's Web Magazine 2005