ENFIELD IGNATIANS were represented symbolically at the highest level of English rugby, as Theo Dan, the Saracens hooker, sported the club’s distinct club badge on his shirt in the humdinger against Northampton Saints at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 28 March.

The gesture was by way of reward for the 23 rugby clubs which had sold the most tickets for event otherwise known as the ‘Showdown’, and which resulted in a dramatic 21-17 victory for Saints in front of a bumper 45,700 crowd.

Dan, also capped for England, certainly rose to the occasion. Very mobile, he asked a lot of questions of the visitors’ defence, and a trademark surge enabled him to claim his side’s second try before Northampton stole the show late in the day. It also marked his 19th try in 56 Premiership games.

All the 23 clubs whose club motifs were added to Sarries' shirts will be the subject of a special presentation at the Stonex, the home of Saracens, on 16 May. As each team will receive the framed shirt in question to mark the occasion.

A similar exercise also took place at the highest level in the Women’s Premiership 24 hours later, when the Ealing-based Trailfinders players all wore the socks of their clubs of origin in the clash against Loughborough Lightning at Vallis Way.

Niamh Gallagher, sporting the blue and gold socks of the Enfield Tigers – the girls/women’s section of Enfield Ignatians – rose to the occasion by rifling over a conversion in the 39-26 victory over the visitors, as Trailfinders sighted the play-offs by moving up to fourth.

One of original members of the Enfield Tigers, Niamh Gallagher has been the subject of a remarkable rise which has taken her from her community roots in Enfield to the highest echelons of the game.

A rise she reaffirmed as one of nine uncapped players drafted into the Irish Women's Six Nations squad ahead of the clash against England at the Allianz Stadium on 11 April.

Photo of Theo Dan with EIRFC motif clearly visible on his shirt.