We've all fallen victim to waterlogged pitches, as both players and supporters - but have you ever heard of a team playing on the water?

Old Priorians will be playing fixtures on a floating pitch for the 2025/26 season, having been successful in their application for funding from the RFU's new 'H2O Rugby' initiative, encouraging teams to utilise the earth's greatest natural resource as a way to engage more players within the community game.

The new venture will see OPs play on artificial grass, with raised platforms for supporters so that they are able to safely watch the matches, with a floating bar attached to the construction, along with a small submarine containing changing rooms that link directly to the field of play.

Asked about some of the challenges facing the club - such as losing balls in the river and access to the ground itself - a spokeperson for the club said the following :

'We are delighted as a club to be undertaking this aquatic adventure ; rivers and bodies of water are a long underappreciated part of the game and it is with great pride that we become the first team to play on Poseidon's turf.

Of course, we understand the challenges that might be faced as we move forward with the project ; balls lost in the water can be easily recovered, especially when we have players like Mishka Fibbens, who comes from a swimming family - we're also purchasing a large net and scuba equipment, with intensive training being undertaken in the Great Barrier Reef this summer.

Spectators need not worry about access to the ground - we have been able to crowdfund a clipper to pick up fans en route to our favoured destination for the afternoon, with players assigned as the Captain of the vessel across the season.

Our thanks to the RFU for believing in the project and bringing our land and water based communities together.

The logistics of where to play fixtures has yet to be fully realised but it is thought that OPRFC will suggest a midway point between their Perivale home and their opposition's home ground, banking and/or anchoring at a designated point and sending exact coordinates via social media in the days building up the fixture.

There is also talk of taking to the high seas for the end of season, with a six week tour of Mediterranean islands planned for the annual club tour.

We'll bring you more information as we have it.