Dog walkers and sun-seekers will have got a surprse on Old Deer Park on Sunday as Richmond Ladies returned to pre-season training with a Pitch & Play event.

More than 30 players, including a handful of complete novices, turned out to be put through their paces by Richmond head coach Karen Findlay.

The session – featuring team bonding games and some skill specific drills – was primarily designed to help attract new players to the sport in the lead up to the start of the rugby World Cup in September.

But Richmond, looking sharp in sweltering conditions, also used it as a chance to brush off some cobwebs as they seek to better last season’s second placed Women’s Premiership finish behind champions Saracens.