Grants from district councils for county and regional players

North Herts District Council have announced that the next round of grants for elite sports people om the district is now open - but applications need to be in by 19th June. Nearly £8000 is available for distribution to any regional players aged 19-23, and also to any coaches working with regional athletes.

The North Herts scheme is only open to people living in the district - but it is just one example of the grants available available to "elite athletes" from most district councils in Hertfordshire.

The terms and size of awards will vary, as will the application process. Some - like the North Herts scheme - will be limited to regional players, but some will be available to county representatives. Some will be based on an annual bidding competition, some every six months, some will be available throughout the year.

But the main thing is that these awards are there - and it is well worth your while applying for them. Remember that the awards will be almost certainly based on where you live - not where your club or school is - so if (for example) you played for Welwyn but lived in Sawbridgeworth you would need to apply to East Hertfordshire District Council for grants, not Welwyn and Hatfield.

National Girls 7's 2009 Results Harpenden RFC 23rd May

U15's:

Cup: Winners - Worcester; R/U - Welwyn.

Plate: Winners - H3; R/U - Exeter Saracens.

U18's:

Cup: Winners - Reading; R/U - Welwyn.

Plate: Winners - Letchworth; R/U - H3.

Herts Girls 7's 2009 Results Old Albanians RFC 17th May

U12's:

Cup: Winners - Hertford; R/U - Stevenage.
U15's:

Cup: Winners - Paviors; R/U - Worcester.
Plate: Winners - Hertford; R/U - Bucks Cluster.
Bowl: Winners - Saracens; R/U - West Oxon
Shield: Winners - Oakmedians; R/U - Old Northamptians.
Egg Cup: Winners - Old Albanians; R/U - Letchworth

U18's:Cup: Winners - Welwyn; R/U - Reading.
Plate: Winners - Burfield; R/U - West Oxon.
Bowl: Winners - Suffolk Sabres; R/U - Bucks Cluster.
Shield: Winners - Plymouth; R/U - Saracens.

Girls National Cup Finals Lichfield RFC 10th May

National Under 18 Cup Final:

Worcester 8 Reading 24

National Under 15 Cup Final:

Paviors 3 Welwyn 5

Worthing 10's Girls Festival Results

U12's:

Cup: Winners - Kent.

Plate: Winners - Worthing.

U15's:

Cup: Winners - Paviors; R/U - Welwyn.

Plate: Winners - Cardiff HSOB; R/U - Folkstone.

Shield: Winners - Worcester; R/U - South Sussex

U18's:

Cup: Winners - Ellingham and Wimborne; R/U - Reading.

Plate: Winners - Oakmedians; R/U - Letchworth.

Girls National Emerging Schools Competition

Presdales School from Ware in Herts won the National Final for the Girls Emerging Schools (School Year 7) Competition played at Twickenham in front of the Crowd who were attending the Annual Army v. Navy Game.

There were 2 previous Rounds that they had won through:

• Semi-Final stage at Staines RFC on the Morning of the Final.
• London North stage where they had played against Barking Abbey (Essex), Queens (Bushey Herts), Nobel (Stevenage Herts) and Waldergrave (Middlesex).

For a full report see the RFU website

Draw for Herts 7s 2009

The draw for Herts 7s, to be held at Old Albanians on 17th May, was made at Welwyn yesterday evening. This will be the largest ever Herts 7s and will feature 20 U15 and 16 U18 teams, as well as a U12 competition. 

U15s :

• Group A : Worcester, Berks Barbarians, Norfolk Nomads, Old Northamptonians, Letchworth
  
• Group B : London Irish, Bucks Jesters, West Oxon, Ealing, OAs
  
• Group C : Paviors, Oakmedians, Saracens, Hertford, Wasps
  
• Group D : Welwyn, Aylestone St. James, Plymouth Albion, Camberley, Stevenage
  

U18s :

• Group A : Paviors, Suffolk Sabres, Saracens, West Oxon
  
• Group B : Reading, Aylestone St. James, Thomas Beckett, Hertford
  
• Group C : Letchworth, Oakmedians A, Ealing, Old Northamptonians
  
• Group D : Welwyn, Bucks Jesters, Plymouth Albion, Oakmedians B
  

The draw for the U12 competition will be made on the day.