More than 100 students have been put through their rugby paces by the elite of British and Irish rugby.

Students from seven of the Island’s middle schools took part in yesterday’s Junior Rugby Day at the National Sports Centre with a host of Classic Lions stars.

The popular event was organised by RenaissanceRe, the Bermuda-based reinsurer, who partnered with the Classic Lions to provide 125 students with the chance to learn from the best in the rugby business.

Benjamin Breeze, a Classic Lions player and CEO of the Bristol Rugby Community Foundation, has been at the forefront of organising the event for the past three years.

“Rugby is a sport that unifies players of all shapes and sizes as they work towards a common goal,” he said.

“Rugby is, at its essence, about combining honesty and integrity with co-operative teamwork in order to achieve successful outcomes.

“This lesson has a place both on and off the field. We are delighted to provide rugby coaching to Bermuda’s middle school students and we thank RenaissanceRe for its generous sponsorship.”

Peter Durhager, the executive vice president and chief administrative officer of RenaissanceRe, said: “For the third year in a row, we’re excited to host a Junior Rugby Day to give students the chance to learn the techniques and skills essential to the game of rugby from some of the world’s best players.

“At RenaissanceRe, we believe that encouraging young people to become involved in sports is incredibly important.

“The sport of rugby and the principles it represents, such as discipline, focus, passion and respect, are vital to success in life, not just organised sport or business.”