England Rugby World Cup winner Richard Hill made a surprise appearance at Grasshoppers Rugby Club to mark the 1,000th Festival of Rugby event.

Hill was present to watch a match between St. Mary’s University Rugby Club third team against a Grasshoppers development side.

St. Mary’s were chosen for their remarkable regeneration from just seven people present at their first training session of the year to over 70 players and three teams. Hill said: “It’s almost like a rags to riches, only seven players turning up for training and now nearly 70.

“They’re a club that have gone through a bit of decline, had some troubled times, but have gone about a regeneration along with the 2015 and RFU collaboration with the Festival of Rugby.

“To get that number of players back involved in the game because it’s a key target area people want in the game, but to keep them involved in the game, inspire them, encourage them.”

He highlighted the importance of student rugby for bridging the gap between school and men’s rugby.

“Certainly if we can be encouraging those that may have finished at 16 or were playing at school but weren’t quite sure what they were going to do, and maybe had found adult rugby a huge step up.”

Hill singled out Josh Beaumont, son of England great Bill Beaumont and Sale Sharks star who has featured for England Saxons, as a positive example of how student rugby can nurture future professionals.

“Josh was a player that was playing at university and wasn’t being picked up in terms of a Premiership side, but his performances at university were the catapult for being for picked up at national level."

“Now we see him as a stand out performer with Sale Sharks and a player who does get mentioned, because of his performances, in terms of how far can he go up the international representative ladder?"

“It is still a route, I certainly have players in the back of my mind, who I believe have the potential to go on and play for the full England team.”

Despite England crashing out of their home world cup, former Saracens man Hill, who now works as a consultant to the RFU, was extremely positive about the tournament’s grass roots legacy.

“It’s been an outstanding tournament,” he said. “We’ve seen great clashes in which England have been involved; unfortunately the results are not as we would want."

“We’ve seen the great heroics of Japan against South Africa, an outstanding game between Samoa and Scotland."

“The tournament continues and we haven’t seen any drop off.”

St. Mary’s lost out in the game to Grasshoppers 14 - 10, but the loss was far outweighed by a surprise visit from an England great.