South Gloucestershire Council

Published: 24/05/2013

Cllr Boulton is pictured with members of Bristol’s gay and inclusive rugby club, Bristol Bisons RFC at the start of the two-day tournament being played at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College’s WISE campus in Stoke Gifford.

More than 500 players and supporters from all over Europe gathered at the college campus for the biennial Union Cup which is supported by South Gloucestershire and Bristol councils.

This year’s event is expected to be the largest to date, with players and supporters travelling from as far afield as Stockholm, Berlin and Lisbon.

Cllr Boulton said: “I’m delighted to be welcoming players and fans to the start of the 2013 tournament and look forward to some great rugby.

“The Union Cup is a fantastic event with a very positive message – that everyone should be able to enjoy sports, without fear of prejudice of any kind.

“I hope the tournament will inspire even more people from South Gloucestershire to get involved in sports and to take advantage of the excellent sporting facilities available in our district.”

Chair of Bristol Bisons RFC, Michalis Sanidas, added: “We are delighted to welcome everyone to the Union Cup. Over the past few years, the gay rugby movement has gone from strength to strength. This will be the biggest Union Cup so far with 18 teams in two competitions (rugby 10s and 15s) and over 550 players, supporters and volunteers. We hope that the tournament will demonstrate the importance of a safe environment where everyone can benefit from taking part in sport.”

The Union Cup takes place ahead of world-class international rugby in the region this autumn, when Bristol becomes a host city for the Rugby League World Cup 2013.

As part of the events, the WISE campus will again be in the spotlight as the base for the Cook Islands team, ahead of their clash with the USA on 30 October at Bristol’s Memorial Stadium.