On the pitch, Saracens have become one of the giants of European rugby. Off it, they are using their powerful platform to prepare prisoners for life after release.

The three-time European champions have taken their Get Onside programme to The Mount prison, near London, which holds about 1,000 inmates.

The club were pointed in the direction of the category C jail by former Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein, who launched his Twinning Project in 2018.

That project’s objective is to twin every prison in England and Wales with a local professional football club to improve prisoners’ wellbeing and give them a qualification.

AFP was granted rare access to The Mount to talk to those tasked with putting the men through their paces on the rugby pitch.

At the time of the visit, a total of 30 prisoners were signed up — after security clearance — for the eight-week course, which was due to climax in a match that eventually had to be scrapped because of a coronavirus lockdown.

Inmates are at the prison for offences ranging from theft to murder — the only two categories of prisoner not admitted are those convicted of terrorism and sex offences.

 

Continue reading this article on Sports Desk, the new sports website by Times of Malta

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