Hillsborough College sports students are learning new touch rugby skills thanks to a partnership with a Sheffield Eagles.

More than 200 students have benefited from the new scheme set up with the Sheffield Eagles community development department this year involving three week taster sessions on touch rugby.

Students have been coached on how to play touch rugby, and how to coach players for the game. They have also discovered how a professional club operates and tested their coaching skills in a competition at college.

Touch rugby is a non contact version of rugby league. Players do not tackle one another in the traditional highly physical way, which enables all groups to participate.

The Sheffield Eagles are the current 2012 Championship champions and have started delivering touch rugby through their community department.

Adam Hughes, Sheffield Eagles' Community Manager, said: "We are always very keen to raise the profile of rugby league within the communities, and are pleased to be working with the college.”

“We have developed a package of coaching sessions aimed at improving students' coaching styles through this new sport by providing touch rugby coaching sessions in the build up to a touch rugby competition in the college."

Iain McKinney, Head of Department for Sport, Travel and Tourism, Hillsborough College, part of The Sheffield College, said: "We have a strong reputation for sports courses and this partnership with a leading local employer is providing an excellent opportunity for students to develop their coaching skills under the guidance of professionals already in the industry."

Hillsborough College, Livesey Street, is part of The Sheffield College, and offers a broad range of sports courses from diploma level through to foundation degrees.

For information on full-time courses starting in September 2013, open evenings in March, and to find out more about Hillsborough College's sports facilities for hire, call 0114 2602600 or go to www.sheffcol.ac.uk.

Season Tickets for the Eagles are still available and are priced at £120 for Adults, £80 for concessions, £20 for Students and FREE for Under 16’s.

For more information email or to request a application form email denise.turton@sheffieldeagles.com or call 0114 261 0326.