TWO North Petherton Ladies regulars grabbed the chance to strut their stuff on the big stage at Twickenham Stadium.

Flanker Tash Palmer, 29, and second row Kate Williams, 32, were rewarded for their dedication to grassroots rugby with a place at the NatWest RugbyForce invitational, played at the home of England Rugby this month.

The duo were coached by England legend Will Greenwood and supported from the sidelines by Red Rose royalty in George Ford and Paul Grayson.

And a 20-5 victory on the hallowed turf meant it was a perfect day for loyal servant Palmer, who outlined the enormity of the occasion.

“For anyone who plays rugby, Twickenham is such an iconic stadium and one you dream of playing in, so to give normal people like us the chance to play here is amazing," she said.

“During the match, you have your head down and are focused, but every time the whistle blew I kept looking up around at the stadium and I couldn’t believe it.”

Pethy team-mate Williams added: “We’re so lucky to be here today.

"The chance to be here with our family and friends looking on is phenomenal.”

Prior to their Twickenham debut, players were invited to regional training sessions, where they were given elite coaching from the likes of Greenwood, Maggie Alphonsi, Grayson and Steve Borthwick.

This year has seen the introduction of the NatWest RugbyForce Invitational fixture; all registered grassroots clubs were entered into a draw for a chance to have players from their club invited to receive elite rugby coaching and the opportunity to play a game at Twickenham.

Greenwood hailed the initiative and underlined just how special the day was for their charges.

He said: “Life’s about experiences and sharing something with your friends.

"You can see how happy this opportunity has made everyone here today and their enthusiasm is infectious.

“I remember my first game at Twickenham in a county final back in 1990, and the idea of running around the pitch you’ve seen hundreds of times is unbelievably special for these men and women.

“What this has done for them is truly incredible.

"This is their moment to be on the pitch, on the inside of the white lines and to do the same things that Katy Daley-Mclean or George Ford might do.

“It’s the highest peak they’re likely to summit in the game of rugby, so it’s a special day and I’ve had lots of fun being involved.”

NatWest is the Official Banking Partner of England Rugby. This year NatWest RugbyForce is making it easier for grassroots clubs to access rugby through its NatWest RugbyForce Invitational fixture, offering grassroots players the chance to play at Twickenham (@NatWest_Rugby)