Following their disappointment when the snow forced the cancellation of GRFC's under 12s, visit to the Stoop, they will now form the guard of honour at the Harlequins v Leeds Guinness Premiership fixture on 10 April.

Wearing their full Gravesend kit they will form a tunnel, waving Harlequins flags, that the players run through as they go on to the pitch. The boys then get to watch to the match afterwards.

Dave Slade, under 12s coach, his wife Tracey and son are season ticket holders at Quins and they took the opportunity to get the youngsters booked in last year, and are hoping to make this an annual event.

The season before that they took part in a coaching clinic when Seb Stegman, current Quins first XV squad member, gave them some training tips. Tracey said “the boys really seem to enjoy the day out at a premiership club watching some top class rugby and meeting the players”.

This year will be quite a pilgrimage as a total of twenty-two youngsters are taking part in the guard of honour, together with nine other children who will just watch the match and thirty-one adults - so all in all a large Gravesend contingent will be going up to the Twickenham Stoop.

The players from both teams are so accessible in the lounge, after the match, that the boys can always get some autographs and photos, to remember their day out.