Newcastle Rugby Foundation, in proud partnership with Sage Foundation and Sportable, hosted a vibrant and inspiring festival on Tuesday May 20 at Westoe Rugby Club, marking the end of a fantastic term of the Tackling Insights programme.

The event brought together a brilliant mix of students, teachers, coaches and Newcastle Falcons players for a day that celebrated the powerful connection between sport and data. The festival was a true reflection of what Tackling Insights stands for — using rugby as a dynamic and engaging way to develop digital and data literacy skills in young people, while promoting teamwork, resilience and fun.

Throughout the day, participants enjoyed rugby-based games and challenges, explored how data is used in sport and shared the successes of their journey on the programme. The energy on the pitch was matched by curiosity in the classroom, as students demonstrated how far they’ve come in understanding the role data plays — not only in professional rugby but in everyday life and future careers.

Newcastle Rugby Foundation and Sage launched Tackling Insights to inspire the next generation through a curriculum that fuses practical rugby sessions with digital skills learning. The programme has already reached hundreds of young people across the region, empowering them with tools for both sporting and personal success.

A huge thank you to Westoe RFC for hosting, and to all the students, teachers and coaches who brought their energy and enthusiasm. We also extend our sincere thanks to Sage Foundation for their continued commitment to making a lasting impact through this innovative programme.

Together, we’re proving that when you combine rugby and data, the results can be game-changing.