Gloucester 10's Hartpury College 17-18 April

Under 18 Tournament:

Cup: Winners - Worcester; Runners up - Welwyn.

Shield: Winners - Reading; Runners up - Thornbury.

Plate: Winners - Burfield; Runners up - Newport.

Under 15 Tournament:

Cup: Winners - Worcester; Runners up - Welwyn.

Bowl: Winners - Ellingham and Ringwood; Runners up - Newport.

Plate: Winners - Exeter; Runners up - Reading.


Results involving Herts Team:

U15 Tournament:

Group stage:

Welwyn 17 Burfield 0
Welwyn 12 Drybrook 0
Welwyn 26 Cleve 0

Cup Quarter Final:

Welwyn 22 Newport 5

Cup Semi Final:

Welwyn 10 Cardiff 5

Cup Final:

Welwyn 0 Worcester 12

U18 Tournament:

Group stage:

Welwyn 5 Burfield 0
Welwyn 10 Reading 7


Cup Quarter Final:

Welwyn 19 Thornbury 14

Cup Semi Final:

Welwyn 12 Cardiff 7

Cup Final:

Welwyn 0 Worcester 17

RFU President's XV Awards 2010: Young Volunteers vRugby Category Winner

Winner: Welwyn RFC

The creation of Hertfordshire's Rugby Awareness Week by two 15-year-old Rugby playing Girls, Oren Blindell and Rachel McCullough, from Welwyn RFC proved an outstanding initiative which grew into a major boost fo the game in their area. They were successful in applying for just under £10,000 of funding from The Big Spend (Youth Opportunities Fund) and with support from Amanda Bate, Herts RFU Volunteer Co-ordinator, the Hertfordshire RDO Peter Engledow, the idea became reality when Hertfordshire Rugby Awareness Week took place between 16-20 November 2009.

The Category Winners Award plus prize cheque for £500 will be presented by a Panel Judge, Jason Leonard (England's most capped Player) at the Welwyn Girls Rugby Presentation Evening on Friday 4th June.

New Head Coach for Welwyn Warriors

Welwyn Warriors go into 2008 with a new Head Coach. Following the departure of Luke Williams, Warriors management group spoke to several possible candidates interested in taking over the prime role with one of the most successful girls sides in England. They are delighted to announce that Clive Cramphorn, currently Head Coach at Old Albanians Girls is taking over the number one role at Welwyn.

Clive was formally welcomed to Welwyn by Club Chairman Mike Davies, following the Herts versus Canada match on Saturday. 'I'm delighted to announce that Clive Cramphorn will be the new Girls Head Coach here at Warriors, while also liaising with O.A.s.' said Davies.

Team Manager Dave Marques explained, ' The RFUW are very keen that the Girls game keeps expanding. There are not enough Girls yet at O.A's to run full teams & play matches. By linking with Warriors, the O.A's Girls will get match time with Warriors and get great experience playing alongside some of the best players in the Country. From a Welwyn perspective, we've got the East Region and Herts U18 Lead Coach & we grow our squad size. This has been a major problem for us this season with our ongoing injury list. It's a win/win situation. RFUW Regional Development Manager Amanda Bate was delighted when I told her the news!'

Cramphorn is really excited about his new role. 'It's like being asked to manage one of the Big Four Premiership Football Teams' he quipped! 'Luke did a fantastic job here, and together with Chris Gallagher we'll build on that and aim to take take the Welwyn Warriors onto yet more success!'

Rochford U15 7's

U15 Results
Aylesford Bulls B 0 Basford 36
Aylesford Bulls A 29 Hertford 17
Welwyn Warriors 31 Aylesford Bulls B 10
Basford 21 Aylesford Bulls A 10
Hertford 0 Welwyn Warriors 28
Aylesford Bulls A 10 Aylesford Bulls B 15
Basford 52 Hertford 7
Welwyn Warriors 19 Aylesford Bulls A 19
Aylesford Bulls B 25 Hertford 10
Basford 31 Welwyn Warriors 7

Table Standings
Basford 19 points - Winners
Welwyn 13 points - Runners Up
Aylesford A 10points
Aylesford B 9 points
Hertford 4 points

Girls Rugby again represented on Herts County Elite Athlete Support Programme

Nine athletes, including Hannah Gallagher from Welwyn Warriors, have been selected from a wide range of Sports to take part in the County Elite Athlete Support Programme this year. Each will receive individual nutrition consultations, physiotherapy assessments, individual and small group training sessions with a strength and conditioning coach and performance lifestyle advice. The programme has a value of approximately £800 per athlete. The athletes are aged between 14 and 17 years of age and have either been selected to represent England, are part of a national development squad or have competed in national competitions. All training sessions take place at the University of Hertfordshire Sports Village. Last year Megan Williams of Welwyn Warriors was one of ten athletes selected.

U18 Talent Development Group (TDG) 2007/08

The Under 18 TDG of 35 for 2007/08 has been announced by the RFUW and includes 3 Hertfordshire Players. 2 Welwyn Warriors Players, Megan Williams and Hannah Gallagher, have been re-selected and they have been joined this Season by teammate Alex Robertson. The TDG will participate in sessions held both nationally and locally throughout the season.

Welwyn Warriors set the example in Welwyn Hatfield

Welwyn Warriors Girls Team is to be used as a case study to help struggling Sports Clubs across its local Borough.
In conjunction with the Local Council and the Hertfordshire Sports Partnership, Welwyn Warriors will provide a 'blueprint' for the success that they have achieved in gaining funding in just one season. Team Manager Dave Marques is delighted the club are being used as an example for others to follow.
He said: “Welwyn-Hatfield Borough Council and the Sports Partnership have been very supportive of Girls Rugby so we are only too pleased to be able to try and help other Sports. At the start of last season, we didn't have anywhere near enough equipment or playing kit for the fast growing number of players. Now we have home and away kits (to avoid colour clashes); good training equipment; finance for continued work on our School Links programme for the next 12 months; money for transporting the teams to away games; and subsidies to run coaching camps. We certainly hope the approach we have taken can show other Sports what can be achieved. We hope we can also demonstrate that help is out there if you know where to look.”
Welwyn RFC is now seeking planning permission for new showers and changing facilities for their existing Girls and and newly created Womens teams as well as applying for £10,000 to install extra floodlights so that the Girls and Women can have their own training area in the Winter.

Notes from Women & Girls' Development meeting

The latest Women and Girls's development forum meeting took place yesterday at Radlett. The meeting was chaired by the Women's Regional Development Manager (WRDM) Amanda Bate who commented that she "was very disappointed at the poor turnout for the meeting" which had been arranged to take place at Tabard, but no-one from Tabard arrived so the meeting had to move to a nearby pub!

Amanda continued that "The meeting is usually held at Welwyn, but we moved it to Tabard to try and make it easier for some clubs to attend. This did not happen, so in future the meetings will once again be held at Welwyn RFC."

Present were Amanda Bate (WRDM), John Birch (Letchworth), Heather Alcock (Letchworth), Gareth Lewis (YDO Stevenage), Luke Williams (Welwyn), Dave Marques (Welwyn), Simon Shutler (Saracens), and there were apologies from Vicky Lowe (Hertford), Jess Lane (Welwyn), Chris Fishlock (Hertford)

"If any club needs help/support in developing girls rugby then they should attend these meetings.

"As usual there was no representation at all from senior women’s teams, and so I take this as a sign that the women’s game in Herts does not need any support at all, which is very encouraging!"


The main points discussed were:

Club reports:

Welwyn

• Expected players for next season, u15 15-20, U18’s 18-23,
• Four coaches, Luke Williams (Head coach), Chris Gallagher (Forwards coach), Pete Mccullough and Jess Lane (U15s)
• Targeting years 5-8, boys and girls, through school coaching; Luke Williams to coach in the four primary schools, contact with the schools being made via SSCO. Both boys and girls will have festival at the club, which may begin with tag ("see how it goes").

Letchworth

• Expected players for next season, u15 8, u18’s 18-20
• Coach -Woman returning to Letchworth from University may be able to help. John Birch and Andrew Glenister, and club will provide further support. Usually parents become the coaches, but the girls parents do not have rugby playing background. Amanda will ask Kat Emerson if she can coach as Kat is a senior player in Essex, due to start at Herts University in September.

Saracens

• Expected players for next season, u15 12-14, u18 8-10
• Coaches: Simon Shutler, Alan Watson to coach, both at level 2.
• All fixtures sorted! Will join with Middlesex to create Middx U18, and also matches against Letchworth, Welwyn and Basford

Stevenage

• Players - don’t know yet! Plenty of coaches, no girls yet! Thinking of clusters like before (Herts Swifts). Meeting suggested clustering with Letchworth and Gareth Lewis seemed interested, though suspected possible club objections at Stevenage. Amanda suggested Stevenage lends a coach…looks at the "bigger picture".
• Why is Stevenage trying again to build girls rugby? Girls coming through from minis, and also grants the club has received in the past dependant on providing womens and girls rugby. A summer camp will try and recruit both sexes, and they are also looking at Emerging Schools teams, with Paul Freestone’s help.

County teams-appointments

U18’s Vicky Lowe and Luke Williams will again coach the county girls, Simon Sutler will lead coach the county U15’s with Jess Lane in support. Dave Marques will be team manager for u18’s and Pete McCullough will be team manager for u15’s. It is hoped that Catherine Lowe will be kit manager again. Main points:

U18s

• Two squads, 20 in each, Clive Cramphorn will run the Second quad (called "Baa Baas"). Trials virtually same as last year - gather all girls, put into teams (but probably not club teams this time), general training, game situations, etc. Then choose 40 girls
• Next training session, all 40 together again and then select again, and maybe at the next session too. After that selected for First and Second team squads.
• Mid week training sessions to be arranged - but no may be problem swith both day and venue. County Manager (Dave Marques) and coaches will decide. The aim will be to arrange as many matches as possible - includng possibly a mid-week fixture, and with games spread around the county.
• All girls will be told that they are expected at trials if they want to be in county squad (unless genuinly unavoidable - ie. injury) as the county is not a RFUW programme, so TDGs do not automatically get a bye!

U15s

• Simon Shutler to be head coach, will put the girls into a game situation at the trials and "go from there"! Development day will be a trials also, the two county dates after that will be training sessions and then (hopefully) fixtures will be festivals. If possible and with good numbers we will run two squads. Pete McCullough is team and fixture manager for U15s.

Other county matters

• Amanda will talk to Catherine Lowe about U15s kit and John Drew about the Baa Baas kit.
• Amanda will advertise dates of first development/trials dates in schools via PDMs.
• Coaches at the trials who are not busy will be roped in to coach any brand new girls who turn up!
• We will try to arrange county fixtures at Letchworth, Stevenage and Welwyn. Luke says we need a meal afterwards and the captains say a few words etc etc… Girls to be dressed so as to try to develop more county rugby ethos. Host club to arrange referees and press, and organise food.
• Team Managers to write to schools on county headed paper to advise when they make the county team.

U12’s Letchworth project

Plan to get new blood. U12’s girls get lost in minis, and also at the step up to junior girls. "Scary" to approach a club as an individual and the result is that girls stop playing. Inter schools u12 festival/project planned for November, and - as some schools who did Emerging Schools wanted to carry it on somehow- will combine festival with an U14’s matches. Maybe get older girls to referee, coach etc. (seven Letchworth girls have done referee's course, one has level 1 coaching course and other have done Start Rugby). Trying to plan something for every six weeks to keep girls interested. Amanda to pass on contact details for Kent and Sussex, and invite a Referee Ambassador along. Amanda spoken to Ros Cramp and Paul Freestone, happy for Heather to approach schools direct.

Festival will also try to cover parts of Bedfordshire, and Letchworth have contacted Claire Sanderson (WRDM East Midlands). Letchworth is also sending a rep to east Midlands (county) forum.

Emerging Schools Competition

Amanda will talk to RDO about supporting those clubs represented at tonights meeting.

Developing girls teams/clusters for training and/or matches.

Not discussed as those teams present have sorted fixtures and are developing. The clubs which need help/support developing were not present at this meeting.

Planning for the season

Cluster coaching/matches on Regional days: Jess may provide coaching for the girls left behind! This is when we need the county 2nd XV/development squad to train and maybe play other county development squads. Amanda to get all county contact details from other WRDM’s and pass to team managers.

Go Play: All present know about this and how it can help female player recruitment.

Funding: Amanda to apply for funding for SAQ courses and equipment, first aid courses coach development and skills sessions, drill tops for Baa baas and u15s, and leaflets aimed at U12s (and even younger) - Saracens invite all girls to join in training, they tell all parents about it and it works!

Accounts

Up-date from treasurer-accounts /statements will be available to view. AB to speak to Catherine who was not present and ask for details.

RFUW up-date: Short of time and those present know about discussions at East forum recently…to be further discussed at next meeting.

Senior spot: No reps from senior teams attended.

Next meeting 24th Sept at Welwyn RFC 7.30pm

President's XV Awards

In the President's XV Awards announced this week, two Herts Girls Club have been recognised in different Categories. Letchworth were Winners of the 'Modernisation' Category for the Letchworth Blog (winning a Trophy, £500 cheque and £150 towards a Presentation Ceremony) and Welwyn Warriors were Runner Up in the 'Girl Power' Category (winning a cheque for £100).

The full list of Winners and Runners Up in each of the 15 President's Awards are being announced in next months Rugby World Magazine. In addition all of the Category Winners and Runners Up will feature in a 'Models of Good Practice' booklet to be distributed to Rugby Clubs.

RFUW School of Rugby

Following her performances for East Region at the recent U14 Festival at Rugby School, Welwyn Warrior Sam Voyle has been notified by Tom Stokes (RFUW Talent Development Manager) that she has been selected for inclusion in the RFUW School of Rugby Programme next Season.

Sam is the second Herts U14 player to be selected, joining County team mate Clare Shutler of Saracen's.

Valuing your volunteers

The RFU have published an excellent booklet summarising good practice and highlighting the many award schemes available to clubs and their volunteers.

These award schemes are open to all clubs, large and small, and designed to reward all ages, and both groups and individuals. The schemes work and are accessible to clubs like yours. Just ask Welwyn and Letchworth who have both picked up RFU awards this season, with recognition going to individuals (such as Luke Williams and Joe Randall winning the "Young Volunteer Plus" Awards) and to the club as a whole (with both clubs recording successes in the President's XV award scheme, for example).

Obviously not every nomiation will win, but the fact that a volunteer has been nominated invariably gives a boost.

The booklet also shows how clubs have introduced internal methods of recognising the contribution of volunteers - methods that needn't cost very much (or indeed anything at all) but clearly work.

So either download a copy from the website , or apply to RFU for printed copies - its well worth it!

National U17 10's Finals Report

In atrocious conditions at Litchfield RFC on Sunday, Worcester were more than worthy winners of the National U17 10's as they won all 5 of their games without conceeding a point. Welwyn Warriors, who played them first suffered their heaviest ever defeat 0-33, and realised that the Tournament was then all about who would finish Runners-up.

Welwyn got back on track through a narrow 5-0 win over local rivals Letchworth and then stepped up a gear to beat Wimborne 12-0 and avenge their semi-final defeat in the National Cup in April. The next game was a see-saw 12-12 draw with Paviors and the Dorking game ended 17-12 to the Warriors. As Paviors lost to Wimborne then meant that Welwyn U17 finished Runners-up in a National Tournament, which is their best ever achievement.

Herts girls defy the weather

Two girls rugby tournaments took place yesterday in - at times - appalling weather conditions, but despite the worst that the rain could throw at everyone both were completed - though it was touch and go at times.

At Hatfield 70 girls aged 9-11 took part in the Herts Youth Games girls rugby tournament. This is a tag event and designed to introduce new players to the game, though in practice a fair few of the players will have played mini-rugby.

It didn't quite rain all day, but by the time the final games were being played the downpour was unceasing. Fortunately the games were being played on Saracen's artificial grass pitches so the girls did not disappear into the mud (though some of the surrounding encampment became almost unreachable).

Of the ten districts in the county St Albans and Dacorum failed to enter, and Hertsmere did not show up. The other seven played off in two groups which eventually lead to Stevenage and Welwyn/Hatfield playing off for fifth place, Watford taking on North Herts for third, and a final between East Herts and Three Rivers.

Unfortunately your correspondent was running for cover by the time the final took place (with thunder rolling around the ground) but I should imagine that the superbly drilled (and Amazon tall) East Herts would have been clear favourites to repeat their group win over Three Rivers. Watford beat North Herts comfortably for third, and Welwyn seemed to be on top for fifth against Stevenage. Broxbourne came seventh. If it was not all totally washed away then hopefully the final results will appear shortly.

However there were some prodigiously talented girls playing in this event, so if you club was not involved with running a team I suggest you contact your local district council as soon as possible to find out who was... and start recruiting now!

Talking of being washed away, the National 10s at Lichfield endured monsoon-type conditions which resulted in the pitches being effectively waterlogged by the mid-point in the competition. Two Hertfordshire teams were in it - Letchworth finishing fifth and Welwyn second behind eventual winners Worcester. Full score appear below.

The RFUW are seeking feedback on this new initiative - so please let Keeley know what you thought of it. Teams in the final have had official reply forms - but I suspect Keely would like to hear from anyone - even teams that did not take part - about whether this was a worthwhile initiative, and what could be done to improve things (like getting more entries).

Anyway... the scores:

Letchworth 5 Dorking 0; Dorking 0 Wimborne 12; Letchworth 0 v Welwyn 5; Paviours/Lec 20 Dorking 7; Worcester 26 Dorking 0; Wimborne 7 Paviour/Leic 5; Worcester 33 Welwyn 0; Paviours 0 Worcester 15; Wimborne 19 Letchworth 0; Welwyn 12 Wimborne 0; Letchworth 0 Worcester 44; Letchworth 0 Paviors/Leic 44; Dorking 10 Welwyn17; Welwyn 12 Paviours/Leic 12; Wimborne 0 Worcester 7	Final table: 1: Worcester 15 points 2: Welwyn 12 3: Wimborne 11 4: Paviors/Leicester Forest 10 5: Letchworth 7 6: Dorking 5

(I have no idea how the points were worked out for the above table - so don't ask!)

Herts representatives both through to National Tens finals

Uniquely Hertfordshire will be represented by two clubs at the Nationals 10s finals in Lichfield on 13th May.

Welwyn were faced with a single opponent in the London North heat at Hemel Hempsted, and easily disposed of Chesham 108-0.

Letchworth meanwhile were at Aylestone St James, near Leicester, for the East Midlands heat. This featured six teams and as a result both finalists were allocated places in the Nationals, which meant that the crucial game was not the final but the semi-final against Kettering - which the Hertfordshire team won 21-12.

This follows on from the county (also uniquely) having two teams in the U17 National Cup semi finals earlier in the year (Letchworth and Welwyn again), as well as a a third in the U14 semis ("Herts Barbarians"). On that occasion none of the teams went on to lift the silverware - maybe that will be different this time.

Other teams known to be in the National 10s finals are Cockermouth, Dorking, Paviors (winners of East Midlands heat), Tynedale, Wimborne, and Worcester.

Canadian school win three from five on Easter tour to Hertfordshire

Central Ontario champions I E Weldon Secondary School completed a short but hetic one week tour at the last weekend, winning three games out of five - played over four days!

This was the first overseas tour by the Canadian school. Using links with a school in East Hertfordshire the tourists arranged a series of games at each of the county’s main girls’ clubs.

Weldon arrived on Tuesday 3rd April and spent the first half of the week at Wymondley Woods Scout Camp, near Letchworth – the first time the venue had been used to host a sports team. The relative seclusion and large open training area allowed the visitors to prepare well for their first game at Letchworth RFC the following day.

Letchworth had organised a small four-team festival – dubbed “Canada Day” – designed to ensure that all of Weldon’s 26 players got a game. Weldon began slowly, losing to the host team (who had combined with Sudbury for the day), but then went on to beat Aylesbury and a “Barbarian” team (made up of girls from clubs in neighbouring counties).

After this the girls moved onto host families in the Broxbourne area, and on Good Friday took on Welwyn. After a poor first half, they came close to pulling back a 20 point deficit in the second half before eventually going down 34-20 in what was acknowledged as being one of Welwyn’s most competitive games of the season.

The tour was then rounded off the following day with an exciting 7-5 win over Hertford, the winning try and conversion coming in the final seconds of the game.

After returning to Canada Weldon’s Head Coach Kirk Wilson looked back on their week. ““It was real bang, go a head rugby,” he said to his local paper, the Lindsay Daily Post. “I’m pretty happy with the result, especially since we haven’t played since November. Anytime you’ve been off for a long period of time your game fitness is different,” Wilson said, noting you have to work out all the kinks first.”

Kirk and his team main surprise was the physical size of their opponents. “I think the girls were surprised at how much bigger the other teams were,” he said.

“Especially in their forwards,” added captain Corie Lewis. “It was a challenge at first for our defence to tackle girls that size.”

Kirk also praised the team’s hosts – and the English weather! “the teams we played were well organized, accommodating and very friendly. I think there were a lot of things that really exceeded our expectations.

“Quite often it’s very damp and rainy in England, but it was sunny and about eight degrees. Perfect weather for rugby. It was a great bonus.”

Results:

4th April:
Letchworth & Sudbury 17, I E Weldon 10
Aylesbury 5, I E Weldon 24
Barbarians (Ely/Peterborough/Towcester) 0, I E Weldon 17

6th April:
Welwyn 34, I E Weldon 20

7th April
Hertford 5, I E Weldon 7.

Disappointing day for Herts in National Cup semis

It proved to be a disappointing day for Hertfordshire's three remaining entrants in the U14 and U17 National Cup.

The U14 combination of Saracens, Letchworth, and Eastern Cos ("Hertfordshire Barbarians") were probably favourites for their tie a week ago, but a rash of injuries and illnesses resulted in their taking a bare 12 players for their round, where they finished third having won their opening game - tiredness amongst a squad that could have no rest being a signficant factor. Complete results will hopefully be available soon.

In the U17 tournament favourities Welwyn and Letchworth both had a mathematical chance of going through right up to the final round of games - but it was not to be, an impressive Wimborne team from Dorset winning through with a 100% record.

Results:
Welwyn 17, Letchworth 0		P	W	A	L	F	A	Pts
Ivel Barb 0, Wimborne 7	Wimborne	3	3	0	0	40	5	6
Letchworth 22, Ivel Barb 0	Welwyn	3	1	1	1	22	7	3
Welwyn 5, Wimborne 7	Letchworth	3	1	0	2	22	43	2
Letchworth 0, Wimborne 26........	Ivel Barb'ns	3	0	1	2	0	29	1

*Welwyn v Ivel Barbarians abandoned owing to injury

National Cup venues announced.

The big day for some of our clubs is only a few weeks off - and at last they know wherethey will be going.

In the U14 cup Hertfordshire Barbarians (Saracens, Letchworth and all points east) team will be at Petersfield in Hampshire.

In the U17 cup Welwyn and Letchworth will be at Camberley in Surrey (home of "Cramberleigh").

The opponents for the U14s will be up against Cranberleigh (from Surrey), Ellingham and Ringwood (Hampshire), and Thornbury (Gloucestershire), while the U17 teams will face Ivel Barbarians (Somerset), and Wimbourne (Dorset).

Both days will be a round-robin tournament with the winners qualifying for the final against the northern champions on 15th April (somewhere in the Midlands normally).

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!

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).

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...