Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Inter-county sevens: 3rd February

The following squad will represent the county at a U17 Sevens tournament, which will be played on Saturday at OAs before the England v Scotland six nations game:

· Katie Alcock
· Ema Burgess
· Sophie Davidson
· Frankie Dawson
· Vicki Hampshire
· Hannah Marques
· Sophie Newman
· Rosie Randfield
· Alex Robertson
· Megan Williams

Non-travelling reserves:
· Casey Shults
· Chaisse Fallon

Senior and U17 regional trial: squad announced

The result of the Senior and U17 East Region trials on Sunday have been announced - full details on the East Region website (U17 and Seniors). The coaches report that in both cases it was by far the toughest trial there has ever been. Also note that this Saturday's senior training is now at Old Albanians.

One result of the incredibly high standards on show is that only 23 of the final 30 names for the U17 squad have been announced - 16 girls are being invited back to retrial on 11th February for the remaining seven places. Several major "names" who have been in past regional squads have missed out this year. There was a particularly tough battle for forward places - other than props -and also amongst the backs centre and full-back were heavily over-subscribed.

This imbalance was caused by many girls applying to trial for places where they had not played at county level, resulting in (at one extreme) 23 "centres" competing against each other, but only two or three "fly-halves". There were similar over-subscriptions for flankers and full-backs.

One reason is that it is suspected that some trialists may have been attempting to second-guess where it would be "easiest" to get into the squad - and the message is don't! Almost universally girls who were sucessful trialed in the positions where they normally play at club or county level.

So its congratulations to those who are through into what is unquestionably the best regional squad there has ever been. Good luck to those who are trying again on the 11th, and commiserations to those who missed out - any other year most of you would have got in. Keep going - things were so close that next time it could be you.

Monday, January 29, 2007

All invited to next county forum

Every couple of months there is a meeting of the "Hertfordshire Women's and Girls' Rugby Development Group". It was recently pointed that - although they have tended to become meetings of representatives of clubs - these were never intended to be that and were originally open to everyone interested in the development of the female game in the county.

The next meetings is 19th February at Welwyn, starting at 7.30pm. Anyone and everyone is welcome to attend - coaches, parents, people from junior teams, people from senior teams, people from no team but want to set one up. Please come along and make your views on the development of the game in the county known (though if possible please also let Rita know that you are coming).

And if you cannot make it, then leave your comments on here (anonymously if you wish).

With the county squads in semi-hiberation now we are in the regional end of the season its an ideal time to look back and review, and look forward and plan. So let us know what you think.

This is YOUR game - YOU tell us how it should be run!

Win off the field as well!

There are any number of awards out there which recognise of sporting achievement or the contribution of volunteers - and its always worth putting in an application or two because these awards not only benefit the winners, but also give great positive publicity to the game as well.

Often they are organised by local newspapers thus guaranteing great local coverage. The competition can be stiff at times, but even getting onto the shortlist can be a valuable boost to a club. It can take a few goes before taking the top spot, but its worth keeping at it. Welwyn have been there or thereabouts in the Welwyn-Hatfield sports awards for some years but this year finally broke through with the "Club of the Year" title, as well as getting short-list spots in three other categories.

National bodies like the RFU also run award schemes. These can appear quite daunting - surely, you may think, there are bigger clubs out there with better facilities? How can we compete?

Well, the answer is that you can - as Letchworth's U17 coach Joe Randall just found out when he picked up the RFU's Young Volunteer award a week ago.

The key thing is that you to be in these award to win them. Don't be shy, don't hold back. Take the latest initiatve from the RFU - the President's XV. £10,000 of prizes in 15 different cataegories. Surely every club has something to be proud of that deserves a nomination? Similarly there should be a women's or girls' rugby nomination in pretty much every category of the Herts Sports Awards - take a look today and get your entry in!

So many people are doing such great jobs in clubs across the county - but we never hear about it. Don't be shy about you achievements - tell the world and, like Welyn and Joe, win the recognition you deserve!

Friday, January 26, 2007

Regional Trials are GO - but remember you £5

Regional trials look like going ahead as planned at Ely (juniors) and Letchworth (seniors) on Sunday. Everything starts at both venues at 1pm, but please be there by c 12.00 or 12.30 to register and (unless you have done so already) pay your £5 trial fee.

The senior squad may be selected on the day as there is only a couple of weeks before their first fixture, so seniors should also be prepared to place an order for their regional training kit.

It is not compulsory to buy the kit - but it is a very good deal this year as it is being sourced centrally by RFUW for the first time (so no delivery delays!) and will include an exclusive hooded top, t-shirt, shorts, socks, and beanie - in regional colours, with East Region markings and the RFUW rose - and all for only £30.

Juniors selected for their squads will also be able to buy the same package.

Thursday, January 25, 2007

Mystery of the missing regional forms: solved!

While those of you aiming for regional selection have been looking forward to the trials this weekend, for many of you your forms have been on a short national tour ... as RFUW sent them to the wrong region. This would account for all the "missing" forms being those that had been sent in around two weeks ago!

They have now (finally) arrived and the lists on the East website are now completely up to date, which means that all expected U14 forms are in along with all but three U17 forms.

Ely report no problems at their end for the Junior trials - no snow even. Yesterdays snow at Letchworth has now gone and the "top" pitch looked in good condition last night - so as things stand we are still okay there as well.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Inter-county sevens @ England-Scotland international

RFUW - at very much the last minute! - have announced that there will be an inter-county U17 sevens tournament at Old Albanians on 3rd February as a "curtain raiser" to the England Scotland international.

If you are in the county U17 squad this season it is essential that you let Vicky know whether you are available on the 3rd BY TOMORROW as she has to submit the names of her ten-player squad to RFUW by Thursday.

IMPORTANT: Regional trials: U17 and U14 registrations:

The final batch of registration forms received by RFUW before the closing date have now been received by the region. Most players are now registered - 80% of Under 14s and 78% of the Under 17s.

If you were invited to attend trials and wish to attend please check these lists. If your registration form was sent to RFUW but has NOT been received you will need to let the Regional Programme Manager - John Birch - know BEFORE Sunday - preferably by email (so there is a written record) and ideally with a copy of your form attached.

RFUW rules say that you should not be allowed to trial if you have not registered beforehand. Even if you turn up, form in hand, it is very possible that you will not be able to take part if the region are not expecting you.

Friday, January 19, 2007

Flooding forces relocation of senior regional trials

This venue change only applies to the senior (ie. adult) trials.
Junior (U14 and U17) trials will still be going ahead at Ely RFC .

Flooding at King's School, Ely means that the East Region senior trials will have to move - again. The pitches and other grass areas at the school are under water following yesterday's weather and will not be fit for use for at least a fortnight. Its incredibly unlucky for the East's women players as the same thing happened for their first trial in December.

Fortunately (unless there is another serious deterioration in the weather) Letchworth Garden City RFC - who also hosted the rearranged first trial at short notice - should be able to host again (see map below for directions)

It is appreciated that this is not ideal, especially for players coming from the north-east of the region, but Letchworth is the nearest club to the centre of the region willing to host the trial - and the policy of the region has always been to have trials as near to the centre as possible.


Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Host for Herts Sevens 2007 agreed

A host for the fourth "Herts Sevens" has now been found. At last night's East Region forum Welwyn agreed to host what will also be the East Region's junior sevens (for U14 and U17 teams) on Sunday 20th May - the week before National Sevens, which will again be at Harpenden.

This will also therefore be the first ever "East Region Sevens" (though in practice that is what Herts Sevens was last year - most sides were not from Hertfordshire!).

The region are also looking for at least one host for a senior sevens on the same day. Likely clubs are being contacted.

* You can relive last year's event at Letchworth by going to http://herts7s.blogspot.com. Here you can find all the results, TV reports, photographs, etc. for what was the second largest one-day girls rugby festival ever (second only to the South East Sevens at Dorking, which was held on the same day).

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

National Cup semi-finals postponed!

The National Cup semi-finals - which are of interest, at one level or another, to most of the clubs in the county - have been postponed owing to the weather and will now take place at a neutral(but yet to be annnouced) venue on 25th March.

This will take precedence over any previously arranged games - so fixtures secretaries across the land will now be tearing their hair out!

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Regional trails: applications (links corrected)

The second batch of registration forms from RFUW have now reached the region:

  • 70% of U14s invited to trials have now registered (see here for details of forms received).
  • 49% of U17s invited to trials have now registered (see here for details).
  • 50% of TDG girls have returned registration forms (see here for details).

As things stand at the moment the selectors will not have a very tough job! But there is still a week to go to get your trial forms in, so come on you U17s!

Thursday, January 11, 2007

Women's six nations comes to Hertfordshire - again

A reminder that two of England's three home internationals in the Six Nations will be at Old Albanians again - and cracking games they are too against Scotland (who finished sixth in the World Cup - and very nealy made the semi-finals) on 3rd February (KO 2.30) and France (third in the World Cup) on 11th March (KO 1.45).

The third game - v Italy (who replace Spain this season) on 10th February (KO 4.15) - is at some ground in south west London where the men often lose play, apparently. Entry to this game will be FREE once the men's international has finished.

No news yet about possible pre-game displays by junior teams (as we had last season) - some hope that it might happen when last heard, though the weather might now be a problem (if its too wet they won't allow hordes of juniors to plough up the turf).

However the tickets are only £7.50 for adults and £2.50 for U16s - and on the 11th March that will also give you a game at 12.00 between Enland A and France A - so two for the price of one. Plus, of course, the Six Nations trophy being presented again!

National Cup: Herts teams wait on venue announcement

It has been confirmed that the following teams are in the "Southern Finals" in the two age groups:

U14s: "Herts Barbarians" (ie. Letchworth, Saracens and Eastern Cos) , Cranberleigh (Surrey/Hants), Ellingham and Ringwood (Hampshire), and Thornbury (Somerset).

U17s: Letchworth, Welwyn, Ivel Barbarians (Somerset), and Wimbourne (Dorset)

Venues: Now this is the interesting bit. Looking at the spread of teams it would notmally have been expected that these rounds would have taken place in Dorset or Hampshire BUT no venues have been arranged yet as all of the likely grounds are waterlogged. So it is possible that the games might happen in Hertfordshire. Or Somerset...

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Its all gone a bit quiet on here...

Considering how much news appered on here over December, it may appear that things are a bit quiet.

Basically this is because matters of a representative nature are in a bit of limbo pending the outcome of the regional trials on the 28th. After that happens counties - and indeed clubs - will have a better idea of where they stand on player availability, so we will all have a better idea about what it may be possible to organise over the rest of the season.

Full fifteen-a-side county games may be difficult to arrange (they proved impossible last year) but hopefully - if there is sufficient interest - we will be try to ensure there is something like last year's inter-county sevens (we have to defend our U17 title after all!).

Anyway keep an eye on the blog - news will appear here first!

Saturday, January 06, 2007

Junior region trials: registration

The first few forms from girls registering to attend regional trials have begun to appear. Remember - although you may have been invited to trials you must still register using the RFUW's registration form.

Although the requirement to register does not technically include TDG girls, East are requesting that they submit forms in order to ensure that the region will have accurate contact and medical information for all squad members.

Details of forms received by the region to date now appear on the East website (U14 and U17).

If you have sent your form into the RFUW but it is not indicated as being received do not worry - there is a delay of several days beween RFUW receiving the forms and seending them on to the region.

However, if you have not sent in your registration - and you wish to trial - time is running out! You have until the 19th January to get your form to Twickenham. Do it today!!

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Herts Sports Partnership coaching workshops

The Herts Sports Partnership has the following courses and workshops taking place over the next few weeks. To enquire about or book onto either of these workshops please contact Graham Keen on:
Tel: 01707 281006
e-mail: g.a.keen@herts.ac.uk
or visit www.sportinherts.org.uk


How to Coach Disabled People in Sport
Tuesday 9th January 2007 7-9pm
University of Hertfordshire, De Havilland Campus
Cost: £10

This workshop tackles all the frequently asked questions posed by sports teachers, coaches and participants about how to work with disabled sportspeople. This includes a whole spectrum of new ideas for inclusion.

The workshop will introduce and offer guidance to any coach involved with disabled people in sport, the emphasis being to introduce coaches to the inclusion spectrum and effective practice.


First Aid+ for Appointed Persons
Sunday 14th January 2007 9.30am - 4.30pm
University of Hertfordshire, De Havilland Campus
Cost: £35

Delegates will receive the nationally recognised 'First Aid for Appointed Persons' certificate. This is the minimum level of training recommended by the Health and Safety Executive for those acting in an emergency and is accepted by all sport and therapy governing bodies for insurance and CPD purposes. It has a sport and exercise bias - not the standard 'bandage-and-sling' and will focus on the following areas:
  • Aims and Principles of First Aid
  • Action at an Emergency
  • Basic Life Support
  • Management of the Unconscious Casualty
  • Assessment and treatment of a casualty who is wounded, bleeding or shocked
  • Assessment and treatment of fractures, dislocations and soft tissue injuries
  • Assessment and treatment of burns