JUNIOR rugby at Blackburn RUFC is looking pretty rosy. In fact, it is positively thriving.

Only Preston Grasshoppers have a bigger junior set-up in the region and Blackburn has firmly established itself as one of the main players in grassroots rugby.

Now the club has been chosen as just one of six venues to host the Commonwealth Games Sun Alliance Test event.

It is the latest accolade for the club that now has more than 200 children playing rugby and has forged strong links with neighbouring clubs and local schools.

"This is a great privilege for us," said Mike Holden, chairman of Blackburn's mini and junior rugby. "It is fantastic to get the recognition for all the hard work we have done in the past two or three years."

Blackburn has been selected alongside established rugby school Stonyhurst College, rugby clubs Preston Grasshoppers and Orrell and also University of Central Lancashire and Fleetwood.

The test events will be held simultaneously across Lancashire on Sunday, May 5, with the aim to find 16 teams to play in the Commonwealth Games.

The tournament will include 10-a-side teams who will include county standard players.

Blackburn is expected to host 12 squads who will no doubt sample some of the club's famous hospitality.

"We'll be getting the barbecue out," said Mike. "And we'll have the cheerleaders there to support the players as well as providing a bar and music."

It is that friendly, family atmosphere that has made the club so successful at attracting new players.

But it is also down to the hard work put in by Mike and Elaine Ainsworth, vice chairman of the mini and junior set-up.

"Elaine has worked tremendously hard and deserves a lot of recognition."

The club will this week find out if it has been successful with its bid for £5,000 from the Active Sport programme -- money which will be used to go towards the Golden Jubilee Tag Rugby Schools tournament.

The event is expected to attract 30 primary schools from Blackburn, Darwen and Hyndburn.

Holden added: "The primary schools tag rugby has been very popular but another aim of ours is to raise the profile of rugby in secondary schools.

"We have worked closely with St Wilfrid's over the last few years and now they are in the finals of a national competition in London. Pleckgate are the latest school who want to start promoting rugby and are more than happy to help any school out."

Meanwhile, on the pitch, the teams are not doing too badly either with Blackburn Under 13s celebrating a whopping 62-7 win against the mighty Preston Grasshoppers -- with Shaun Buck and Scott Holt grabbing four tries apiece.

"That was a great result for the lads. Beating the Hoppers by such a high margin is quite remarkable."

And it might not be too long before Blackburn is beating the Hoppers in the number of young players it has on its books as well.

GAMES TEST: Mike Holden, chairman of Blackburn's junior rugby