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It was originally known as rugby netball and was founded in the late 1800s as a way to keep troops returning from the Boer war out of the pubs. It started on Clapham Common in South London and in its heyday in the 1920s there were dozens of teams playing in several leagues. It’s now staging a comeback on the common with the return of a league, and a World Cup competition, held every summer. It’s simple to play. Think of the flowing teamwork you get in football, but you can pick the ball up and run with it as well.

You don’t need to worry about forward passes. They are allowed, but so are full rugby-style tackles, so the game won’t stop for a foul. The final sport to throw into the mix is netball, because to score you have to throw or drop-kick the ball into huge nets hung on posts at each end of the grassy field. It’s proved a useful way for rugby players to keep fit during the summer, and Junior – who played at the time for London Welsh – was keen to show me how physical it could be when I had a go, lifting me off my feet in a challenge when I was running in on goal. It’s a wonder I didn’t end up in the net myself. What struck me was how this sport is great for all round fitness. There were very few stoppages, so the action was non-stop which is why we needed rolling subs.

To get involved try www.netrugby.org