Entries open for Herts Sevens 2012

Entries are now open for this years Hertfordshire Girls’ Sevens tournament.

In keeping with tradition the venue changes each year and so this season’s prestigious event will be hosted by TringRugby on Sunday 29th April 2012. Clubs may enter U15 and/or U18 teams and there will be up to 20 teams in each age group. This is an open tournament and is potentially the biggest Girls Seven’s festival in the South East and East Midland Regions this season.

Our key objective remains the same as every year which is to provide a festival where as many girls from Hertfordshire – and neighbouring counties - can take part as possible, so entries from combined teams from more than one club are possible, as is a “Barbarian” side at each age group. Please note however that places are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis. Once 20 teams have applied at each age group, entries will be closed.

KEY POINTS

• Date: Sunday 29th April 2012 
• Address: TringRugby Club, Cow Lane, Tring, Hertfordshire, HP23 5NT 
• Website: www.tringrugby.com 
• Entry Fee: The charge per team will be £50, cheques made payable to ‘Tring Rugby’. Please note that this entry fee is non-refundable. 
• Combined entries & Barbarians: If you do not have sufficient players in an age group to form a team on your own - or you have too many to form one team but not enough for a second – you may either combine with another club, or we will (if entries permit) assist in the formation of a “Barbarian” team. If you are interested in the latter, please let us know on the attached entry form how many “extra” players you might be bringing. If a Barbarian team is formed the charge per individual player would be £5 payable on the day. 
• Numbers: Planning is based on up to 20 teams per age group, and we suggest a squad size of 10 players per team 
•  Age groups: Girls playing in the Under-15 event should have been between the ages of 12 and 14 on 1st September 2011. Girls playing in the Under-18 event should have been between the ages of 15 and 17 on 1st September 2011. 
•  Format: The planned format will be 4/5 pools; teams will then progress to Cup, Plate, Bowl or Shield semi-finals, finals and play-offs. The intention is that there will be at least four games per team. 
•  Rules: Playing rules will be broadly those used for the National Sevens – i.e. the standard IRB Sevens rules, with appropriate modifications for age. 
•  Referees: If you are able to supply an experienced Referee please mark their name and contact details on the bottom of the Entry Form. However, this should not be the Team Coach as they may be required to Referee another game at the same time as their Team is playing. Once registration is complete, we will be sending out details of the arrangements for the tournament to key contacts of registered clubs. 
• We will be liaising with a local hotel to obtain preferential rates for those that wish to travel to Tring the day before and stay overnight. Please advise us when registering your team if you wish to know about hotel accomodation. 
• An entry form should be completed and returned to the address on the form no later than Friday 23rd March 2012. Forms have been circulated to previous entrants, but if you have not received one please contact John Harrison: johnphilipharrison@yahoo.co.uk or call 07818 510041. 

 We look forward to hearing from you shortly and welcoming you to TringRugby Club.

 Yours faithfully, John Harrison TringRugby

London & South East Women's U18s and U15s teams take on South West at Esher this Sunday

London & South East’s Under 15s and U18s contenders looking to put down a marker with the England Women’s selectors will be hoping for better luck with the weather than last weekend’s Senior team when they take on their South West counterparts at Esher RFC on Sunday (February 19). While the Seniors are reorganising their postponed schedule, the two age-group squads representing London & South East are heading to Molesey Road for the start of their RFUW Divisional Programme campaign.

The Rugby Football Union for Women Divisional Programme forms an integral part of the RFUW Player Pathway, which can see players progressing from club rugby to representing their county, their division and their country.

Players selected for the Divisional Programme have been chosen by their Constituency Body and if they are successful at that level, they can earn an England trial or qualify for the Under 18s and Under 15s RFUW National Talent Development Groups.

Maggie Alphonsi, the England flanker who is Divisional Talent Development Officer for London and South East, said: “The U15s have a very good team this year with a mix of experience and youth. The team will be led by Sarah Bern who is one of our Talent Development Group players and she will be looking to emulate the efforts of the team last year. 

“This Sunday will be a good match as the South West team also has a mix of players so will present a good challenge for the London and South East U15s squad.”

London & South East finished top of the win-loss table in both age groups in last season’s programme, although the matches are primarily about developing players.

Alphonsi said of the U18s side: “The team will be led by Essex prop Cath Pugh who was the captain last year and will be looking to emulate the efforts of that team against a capable South West team.”

RFUW Division Programme, Sunday February 19, 2012:

Under 15s: London & South East v South West at Esher RFC (1pm); Midlands v North at Five Ways OE, Worcester (1pm).

Under 18s: London & South East v South West at Esher RFC (2.45pm); Midlands v North at Five Ways OE, Worcester (2.45pm).

London & South East Women’s U15, v South West:

Harriet Austin (Hertfordshire and Hertford), Sarah Bern (Surrey and London Irish, capt), Eleanor Boatman (Surrey and London Irish), Jessica  Boyd (Surrey and London Irish), Georgia Bradley (Essex and Rochford Hundred), Jessica  Breach (Sussex and South Sussex Barbarians), Tazmin Bricknell (Kent and Aylesford), Charley Brunton (Sussex and Worthing), Hermione Caddick (Sussex and South Sussex Barbarians), Alex  Clay (Hampshire and Solent Sirens), Izzy Collis (Sussex and South Sussex Barbarians), Hayley Everett (Hertfordshire and Old Albanians), Emily Ferguson (Essex and Rochford Hundred), Zoe Harrison (Hertfordshire and Welwyn), Rosie Kay (Hertfordshire and Hertford), Aegean  Leech (Kent and Aylesford), Daisy Lengthorn (Kent and Aylesford), Ella Levey (Kent and Aylesford), Georgina  Neary (Kent and Aylesford), Elizabeth Nicholl (Kent and Aylesford), Megan  Okey (Essex and Thurrock), Ellena  Perry (Hertfordshire and Welwyn), Chloe Rix (East and Lakenham Hewett), Faye Smale (Essex and Rochford Hundred), Laura Tolley (Kent and Aylesford), Hannah Trenholm (Surrey and London Irish), Rebecca Wadhams (Kent and Aylesford), Katy Walker (Hertfordshire and Hertford), Hannah West (Hampshire and Solent Sirens), Lucy West (East and Colchester).

Head Coach Simon Burgess, Assistant Coach Samuel Carpenter, Manager Melanie Liley, Physio Kevin Powell.

London & South East Women’s U18, v South West:

15 Sydney Grayson (Hertfordshire and Welwyn); 14 Lotte Clapp (Hertfordshire and Welwyn), 13 Rochelle Smith (Surrey and London Irish, vice capt), 12 Emma Sword (Surrey and London Irish), 11 Sioghan Longdon (Surrey and London Irish); 10 Flo Williams (Kent and Aylesford), 9 Sammy Parker (Kent and Folkestone); 1 Cath Pugh (Essex and Rochford Hundred, capt), 2 Lydia Beard (Kent and Aylesford), 3 Scarlett Cooper-Wall (Hertfordshire and Welwyn), 4 Lydia Davey (Surrey and London Irish), 5 Bowenna Jackson (East and Southwold), 6 Maddy Lockwood (Essex and Rochford Hundred), 7 Amber Luke (Surrey and London Irish), 8 Fran Hall (Hampshire and Solent Sirens).

Replacements: 16 Zoe Joslin (Hampshire and Solent Sirens), 17 Oren Blindell (Hertfordshire and Welwyn), 18 Courtney Arberry (Hertfordshire and Welwyn), 19 Zoe Barber (Hampshire and Solent Sirens), 20 Vicky Childs (Hampshire and Ellingham & Ringwood), 21 Gabie Archer (Sussex and Worthing), 22 Rebecca Prichard (Surrey and London Irish).

Head Coach Stuart McIntyre, Assistant Coach Jack Baird, Manager Lindsay Topham, Physio Jennifer Graham.

Joint training planned for all Herts girls (AT WELWYN)

On Sunday, the 19th February a training session for all U13, U15 and U18 girls in Herts is planned.  Teams will be created on the day, so everyone should come along regardless of actual club numbers.

However, for this (and similar future sessions) to work needs your support. Come along.

The session will now take place at Welwyn from 1.30pm.

Contact Adrian Pomfret for more information.

Girlz Allowed - Saracens Girls Rugby Programme

OA Saints win new kit, designed especially for them!!

There was great excitement at Old Albanians RFC recently due to the ladies team, best known as the OA Saints, winning  a competition! The winning entry was sent in by player Kate Barnes and the prize is a new kit designed specifically for women by TRU Sportswear  http://www.trusportswear.com ,working with students from  London College of Fashion BA (Hons) Fashion Sportswear, course. The students, their tutor Claudine Rousseau and TRU Sportswear Product Development & Sales Manager, Corne du Rand, visited the players at the club. The evening was spent looking at designs, materials, colours and most importantly how rugby kit can be made to suit the female form and fit comfortably during the playing of this very physical sport.

 Kate Barnes who wrote the winning tie breaker said,
 ''This is a fantastic opportunity to work with a leading specialist teamwear company TRU Sportswear and  London College of Fashion BA (Hons) Fashion Sportswear students, to design a kit that our players feel comfortable and dare I say, sexy in! As a squad that fields two strong ladies teams with our 1stXV in the Premiership, the kit we play in has a massive impact on our performance on the pitch.

"The kit we play in for league fixtures has to be inline with the club colours which we are proud to wear as OA rugby players representing the club at the highest level possible. We are a very social team and during the off season we attend many 7s and 10s tournaments so collectively we felt designing a touring kit would give the fashion students more scope and flare to come up with a unique design. Personally I feel this can only bring the Saints closer together as a team as well as attracting experienced and new players.
Promoting womens rugby to young girls who may be unsure of the sport is always a focus of the Saints as they are our future. By doing this in a way that shows them rugby girls are still feminine behind all that mud I feel is a good approach ''.

OA Saints would like to thank TRU Sportswear and  London College of Fashion for this fantastic opportunity. We are all looking forward to seeing the new design, the fitting session, taking part in the fashion show launch and the most exciting part of all, playing in the new kit!