Rugby union players at the University of Northampton say that the sport is crucial for their wellbeing.

In light of National Rugby Day today, the team is taking part in Movember in support of Men’s Mental Health Month.  

Winger Sam Cowan said: “Rugby to me is pretty much everything, I’ve been doing it for so long so it’s a massive thing for me.

“It’s a huge family, it’s where all of my best mates are, and I genuinely don’t know what I’d do without it.”

Rugby is a very prominent sport within Northampton, being the home of the local Gallagher Premiership club, Northampton Saints.

Rugby is also very popular amongst the students at the University of Northampton, the thriving team on the pitch and the social scene off the pitch highlights the importance of the sport on National Rugby Day.

Athletes across the club are open to acknowledging the effects on a player’s mental health and have taken the time to reflect on what rugby means to them.

Utility forward Oscar Chapman said: “Rugby to me is probably one of my main sources of confidence in my ability to perform on the pitch but it’s also one of my main ways of finding friends on and off it.”

In honour of National Rugby Day, we’ve asked the team why rugby is important and what it means to them.