DEVIZES youngster Felix Eli Feltham-Morley enjoyed the experience of a lifetime earlier this month after meeting Lions and Wales legend Sam Warburton at Twickenham prior to the Premiership Rugby Final between Leicester and Saracens.

Feltham-Morley, who plays for Devizes RFC U11s, won the opportunity to rub shoulders with English rugby’s elite after impressing at a Bath Rugby-run Land Rover Premiership Rugby Cup festival.

This successful series of nationwide rugby festivals has been running for nearly two decades, with some realising their dreams of going on to play for Premiership Rugby clubs.

Each Premiership Rugby Club hosted a festival this season, with the successful U11 and U12 winning-team based on their demonstration of the core values of the game, getting the chance to take part in the half-time Parade of Champions on the pitch at Twickenham.

Feltham-Morley, 11, remembers the moment their team was announced: “At first, I didn’t hear what they said, just that we won something, so we went crazy. Then we knew what was happening and it felt really cool.

“We showed sportsmanship over the course of the season, being nice to each other, encouraging. We also don’t give up, carry on and power through.”

And head coach Anthony Bolton was delighted his team were recognised for their teamwork, respect, enjoyment, discipline and sportsmanship.

Bolton said: “Rich and I have had these boys since they were U6s, and from day one I’ve banged in to them, nicely of course, the meaning and the importance of our core values. We hope that they take some of that into their outside life.

“We’re only a small club and we came in at the last minute. When our name came out of the draw it was like, ‘Wow, we’re going to Twickenham.’ They didn’t really understand it at first, but they certainly do now.”

Land Rover ambassador Sam Warburton was speaking at this season’s Gallagher Premiership Rugby Final, where he met hundreds of youngsters from the national grassroots initiative, the Land Rover Premiership Rugby Cup.

He said: “Sport’s so important because it teaches kids how to communicate, how to win and how to lose. That comradery and a sense of belonging.

“That’s why I love rugby, being a team sport and it’s physical and it’s tough but it’s a great feeling and you get that at a professional level as well as grassroots.

“The Land Rover Premiership Rugby Cup is a great taste in that success when you can see hundreds of kids around you play. As a young person that’s an amazing sense of achievement so I love how this is the opportunity we give these kids.

“Just to give them that bit of motivation. Some kids will just enjoy the moment for what it is but I think there will be a penny that drops for a few of them that are uber competitive that will kick them onto greater things.

“So it’s great to give them that incentive.”

Land Rover has been supporting grassroots rugby in the UK for nearly two decades, through the Land Rover Premiership Rugby Cup. Visit landrover.co.uk.