U12s: Time to start thinking about Herts Youth Games

Herts Youth Games will be taking place again next year in May, probably in Hatfield, and - asin past years - the Games should include an U11 girls rugby tournament. If your daughter is in Year 6 (or you know anyone with a rugby playing daughter in Year 5) you really should try to get involved. Though it is tag, its still a great day out, a good way of recruiting new players to your club and the game in general - and is entirely free!

How different councils react or plan for Youth Games seems to vary quite a lot. Some start planning (including selecting squads) very early - in January or February sometimes - so if you daughter is in Year 6 it is probably not too early for you to make enquiries about who will be running the team and when selection will be. Also not all councils enter a team in the girls tournament, so early enquiries might just show the more reluctant councils that there is potential to enter a team (or at least force them to come up with a damn good excuse for not doing so!).

How selection is done will also vary significantly from area to area. Most will have a tag tournament at which the best girls will be picked - and these may start to take place next term. However not every school enters such events, and your daughter may not be available that particular day anyway, so that is another reason why it is important to let your council (and whoever is running your girls team) know your interest.

The rules are that you can represent any council area where you either live, attend school, or play for a club - so many of you may be in a position to choose who you want to play for!

U11s: Herts Youth Games

• U11 girls are reminded that Herts Youth Games are coming up, on 11th May. HYG is a tag tournament - but don't let that put you off as it is a terrific day out.
  
• Clubs are reminded that there will be up to 100 10-11 year old girls playing rugby at Hatfield that morning and afternoon - so if you are looking to recruit players this is the place to be!

Any girls in school years 5 and 6 can take part, and can play for the district they live in, go to school in OR play for a club in - so that means that no only will some girls have a choice about who they play for, but girls can also take part even if they do not actually live in Hertfordshire (so long as they meet one of the other requirements).

District council sports or recreation departments select teams - so girls need to contact them to tell them that they are interested. Some councils will select squads based on primary school tournaments, but there is no reason why they should not allow other girls to at least try out for the squad if they miss out on these tournaments. And in practice they are going to be delighted to have a few keen, experienced girls in their teams!

And if you district doesn't have a team... why not volunteer to run one for them? You'll never have a better recruitment opportunity.

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 Youth Games 2007: U11 Girls tag

Herts Youth Games has included a girls tag competition for some years. This year it will again be an U11 tag competition, with teams coming from eight of the ten districts. This means some 80 10-11 year-old girls will be playing tag rugby - very few of whom will currently have a rugby club to play for.

As a recruitment opportunity its really not to be missed. While the age group changes will prevent these players moving directly into the girls game, most U12 mini rugby teams will welcome new players - be they boys or girls - and the county is planning to offer regular "development days" for girls from this age group next season (Essex have even suggested an inter-county fixture).

The programme for the Games - which will take place at the University of Hertfordshire Sports Village on Sunday 13th May - will be as follows:

10.00 Watford v Stevenage; Three Rivers v East Herts
10.20 North Herts v Hertsmere; Broxbourne v Welwyn/Hatfield
11.00 Watford v North Herts; Three Rivers v Broxbourne
11.20 Stevenage v Hertsmere; East Herts v Welwyn/Hatfield
11.40 Watford v Hertsmere; Three Rivers v Welwyn/Hatfield
12.00 Stevenage v North Herts; East Herts v Broxbourne

1.40 7th/8th playoff
2.00 Semi-finals
2.20 5th/6th playoff
2.40 3rd/4th playoff
3.20 Final