THE long-running project to redevelop York RUFC and York Cricket Club’s Clifton Park clubhouse will receive a further cash boost thanks to the efforts of a prestigious city lunch and the appearance of an England legend.

World Cup winner and British and Irish Lions ace Lawrence Dallaglio is the guest speaker at this year’s York Sportsman’s Lunch in the Voltigeur Suite at York Racecourse on Thursday, November 8.

With strong ties to North Yorkshire, having been introduced to rugby union as a pupil at Ampleforth College, Dallaglio will address a packed audience and regale them with tales of his exploits as part of England’s 2003 World Cup-winning side.

Key in his talk are also likely to be his experiences on the famous Lions tour of South Africa in 1997.

Dallaglio follows the likes of Jason Leonard, last year, and Francois Pienaar, David Campese, Martin Johnson, Sean Fitzpatrick and Neil Back in speaking at the sell-out lunch.

The majority of proceeds from the event, which is staged by city-based Sporting Connexions, will go towards the redevelopment project at Clifton Park, which has seen the Shipton Road facilities transformed over the past few years.

A new bar, opened in the last few months, is the latest addition to a complex which now boasts a large function room, new changing rooms and state-of-the-art medical rooms.

This donation from Sporting Connexions, expected to weigh in at about £40,000, is not the first time the company has stepped in to help.

In 2006, with the project still in the planning stages, a similar racecourse lunch organised by the firm, with Welsh legend Jonathan Davies as the main speaker, raised a similar sum to kick start the massive redevelopment.

“We said come back to us when you can see the light at the end of the tunnel and we will hold another lunch to finish the job off,” said Sporting Connexions director Mark Pepper, who runs the benevolent company along with York rugby and cricket club stalwart Nick Elliot.

“The proceeds of this year will help finish the bar.

“When I walked in there, I couldn’t believe the quality of it and everyone is so proud. Lawrence is our speaker this year and he is a true legend of the game.

“The lunch is full. We got the heads-up from Lawrence in March and it was a sell-out almost immediately.”