The fairytale continued for Barnet Elizabethans RFC’s Louis Fabian after he joined Premiership Rugby’s biggest names at a star-studded season launch at Twickenham last week.  

Fabian, 11, a former pupil at Foulds Primary School, rubbed shoulders with the likes of England trio Ben Youngs, James Haskell and Dylan Hartley as the world’s media descended on Twickenham.

The youngster was invited to England HQ by Land Rover to mark its Testimonial Season which celebrates ten-years supporting grassroots rugby in the UK through their sponsorship of the Land Rover Premiership Rugby Cup.

Last season Fabian was hand-picked at a Saracens-run tournament, where he was selected as the competition’s MVP and was rewarded by appearing at Twickenham back in May for the Premiership Final.

As a promising young rugby player, Fabian enjoyed the chance to spend some time with Saracens’ Jamie George, picking up some vital tips.

“Stepping onto the pitch that day was so much fun,” said Fabian.

“I could see the whole crowd and I imagined the players on the pitch and the nerves they might get from all those people watching you.

“It was exciting because you normally just see the players from the stands or on TV and you think, ‘Oh wow, I wish I could be like them,’ but as I walked onto the pitch, I was right next to them.”

The Land Rover Premiership Rugby Cup is a series of national grassroots rugby festivals for U11 and U12 rugby teams.

Run in conjunction with all 12 Premiership Rugby clubs, the regional rugby events are an essential part of the UK rugby calendar. To date, nearly 70,000 youngsters have participated in the tournament since its inception.

Land Rover ambassador and former England rugby captain, Lewis Moody, commented:

“Over the years, I have had the chance to meet many of the youngsters to have taken part in the Land Rover Premiership Cup and have seen first-hand the importance of these grassroots rugby festivals,” said Moody.

“The rugby skills, values, teamwork and sheer enjoyment the young rugby players take away are invaluable to the good health of the sport.”

Land Rover is celebrating its ‘Testimonial Season’; ten years of the Land Rover Premiership Rugby Cup. The national series of grassroots rugby festivals is testament to Land Rover’s continued support of grassroots rugby through its ‘We Deal in Real’ campaign. Follow @LandRoverRugby #WeDealInReal