Three British Lions at Telford Hornets festival

Phil Vickery, Jason Leonard and Tim Stimpson are heading to Telford Hornets for the ninth annual International Tag Rugby Festival for Children with Learning Disabilities.

The former England stars, two of whom helped their country win the World Cup in 2003, will be joined by more than 300 players and 30 teams from all corners of the British Isles and Ireland.

The event is being organised by the Hornets along with rugby charity Shropshire Wooden Spoon and disability tag rugby team Shropshire Rebels.

And county Wooden Spoon chairman Glyn Dobbs said: "I can't think of another club in Shropshire that has ever had three former British Lions at their ground at the same time.

"It is great that they will all be in attendance and they have all been happy to donate their time.

"They are all big supporters of the Wooden Spoon. Phil Vickery is a lead ambassador for Wooden Spoon nationally and Jason Leonard was previously, while Tim Stimpson is the Shropshire Wooden Spoon president."

Vickery, a former tighthead prop, is a veteran of three World Cups with England as well as two Lions tours.

Leonard is a winner of four grand slams as well as the 2003 World Cup and the 1997 Lions tour to South Africa.

Stimpson played for England from 1996-2002 and on the 1997 Lions tour.

He was also an integral part of the dominant Leicester side that won the English Premiership four times in succession as well as back-to-back Heineken Cups in a glittering five-year stay at Welford Road.

And Dobbs said that the presence of such heavyweight names will serve as great inspiration for the players this weekend.

Teams will be competing in two age groups – Under-15s and 15-21 – over six round robin groups on six pitches.

Hobbs said: "They are all very excited. I have had people phoning me up saying their kids are counting down the days until the event."

The day will also boast several other major names in the sport including England Women's World Cup winner Tamara Taylor, international referee Wayne Barnes and RFU president Jonathan Dance.

Players will be keen to impress such a prestigious gathering with their rugby skills, although there will be no winners declared at the end of a busy day's play.

Instead every player will be given a medal for taking part.

Shropshire will be represented by three teams under the Shropshire Rebels banner and Whitchurch-based side Marches Marauders.

And Hobbs is hopeful that the tournament will help inspire the creation of more disability tag rugby teams in the county in the future. Play will start at 9.45am.