JRFC Vs Moscow CB

Saturday 15 February 2014

Jersey RFC may have had this weekend’s Green King IPA Championship league match battle against Plymouth Albion postponed because of the severe weather but the first team won’t be putting their feet up – they’ve got to prepare for a tough home fixture when they take on the might of the Moscow City Ballet.

The players are going head to head in training with the Russian ballet dancers at the JRFC in St Peter on Tuesday. The Reds will be sporting “ballet attire” while their opponents will don the rugby shirts.

The encounter will see both players and dancers pit their wits in their respective disciplines to determine who comes out on top as the fittest and toughest. 

Jersey's new Head Coach Harvey Biljon said: “We can’t underestimate the skill and strength of our opponents. We know they will be a tough match, but we’re confident that our legs will outlast theirs.”  

Once the ballerinas have had a taste of the JRFC’s training regime, they will put the players through their paces with a ballet class.

Moscow City Ballet Company Manager Martin Taylor said: “A three hour ballet performance is roughly equivalent to two 80 minutes rugby games back to back, or running 18 miles, so we are going into this as strong contenders.  When a dancer jumps on pointe, she carries 3 times her body weight on her big toe alone, and on average a male dancer lifts approximately 1½ tonnes in weight in ballet dancers throughout a performance – now that’s tough!”

Moscow City Ballet is performing Swan Lake and The Nutcracker at Jersey Opera House from 19- 23 February.