Relive England's Six Nations triumph

You can now relive the highlights of almost all of England's Six Nations campaign at SportUK.TV. This free website - officially supported by RFUW - has recently been redesigned and gives video highlights of all of England's home games, as well as most away fixtures.

So if you are suffering from rugby withdrawl symtoms you can help alleviate this by not only reliving the two victorious days at Old Albanians, but also by watching highlights of England's wins at Murryfield and Paris.

(And for those who weren't at OAs - yes, it really was as cold as it looks.

No - thinking about it - it was colder!)

Can you help to run the new adult county team?

Can you spare time to help the an adult county team?

The U17s and U14s had a great start last year, and now we want to give the same opportunities to adult players in Hertfordshire. But the teams do not run themselves and a few volunteers are needed to step forward and make it happen. Basically we need coaches and administrative support:
County Coach details:

There are vacancies for a Head Coach and both a backs and a forwards coach

The W & G RDO , with the Herts Sports Partnership, is seeking to appoint a Head Coach and both backs and forwards coaches for a County Senior Women’s Team. The coaches should have experience of coaching women in rugby, and will be able to deliver a coaching programme suitable to ensure further development of the players. The Head Coach will be at least a level 2 coach, working towards level 3, and the assistant coaches ideally will also be level 2. They will work as a team to organise a trials and selection process and then deliver suitable coaching plan.

All the coaches will need to have good communication and organisational skills, both verbally and written, and will be on e-mail. References as to suitability and experience will be taken and as some players at senior level may be under 18 years of age, coaches will need to agree to be CRB checked.

The coaches will need to be willing to work with the Herts Girls and Women’s Rugby Development Group, at least one of them attending each meeting of the group. The Group meets about every 6 weeks during the season.

The RDO is committed to supporting and developing coaches and follows the guidelines set out by the Herts Sports Partnership for the employment and deployment of coaches across the county.

Administrative support:

There are vacancies for a Team Manager, Press Officer, Kit Manager, and Fixtures Secretary.

The W & G RDO , with the Herts Sports Partnership is seeking to appoint a team, comprising of a Team Manager, Kit Manager, Fixtures Secretary and Press Officer, to help run a Senior Women’s County Rugby Team.

Excellent communication and organisational skills are essential, as is an understanding of women’s rugby. Successful applicants must be on e-mail and will have good verbal and written communication skills. References as to suitability for these positions will be taken.

How to apply

For further details and an application form, please contact Amanda Bate by e-mail: A.1.Bate@herts.ac.uk, or phone on: 01707 281008, or write to: Amanda Bate, Active Sports, Rugby Development Officer (Girls and Women), Hertfordshire Sports Village, De Havilland Campus, Hatfield Business Park, Hatfield, Herts AL10 9EU.

Closing date: 15th August.

Athlete Support Programme: Contact numbers

We've now had the first three sessions and - after a good initial turnout - there have been a few no-shows.

This is inevitable - people are ill - but if you have any problems getting to any future sessions it is essential that you contact Fiona or Amanda as soon as possible. Do not leave this until the last minute. Essentially you are also expected to attend unless you are actually ill in bed as even if that just means you watch the active sessions you will still gain something!

If you have any problems at all you must phone as soon as possible - Amanda can be reached (or texted) on 07871 589454. You can also reach Fiona via the Sports Centre reception on 01707 284466.

This is the first year girls have been involved with this, so the impression you give will be remembered. Failure to attend not only jeapodises your place on the programme, but the future involvement of all girls. So work with each other to make it a success - encourage each other, and if a friend of your's has travel problems (for example) see if you can offer them a lift!

One last thing is that you need to remember to bring with you the books you were given. Few of you did, apparently.

Girls U14 Emerging Schools 2006/7: Start planning NOW!

Details are beginning to emerge about the new Girls U14 "Emerging School" championship", which will run next season.

The Emerging Schools tournament - sponsored by The Daily Mail - has been running for some years, and the schools final at Twickenham is now an established (and very successful) event. Last year - for the first time - some girls schools were included in a relatively small scale pilot event, but it caught the headlines and so next season its going national.

Grants will be available through Herts Sports Partnership (ie. Amanda) to get coaches into schools across the county. The plan is to have district level events in the autumn, leading to a county tournament in February. The best teams from that will go onto regional finals on 11th March and the national final at Twickenham on 5th May.

Clearly a base of girls playing rugby at school must benefit clubs, so if at all possible you will be (indeed probably are already being) encouraged to work with your local schools to get this going.

But clearly NOW is the time to start. If you leave it until September then local PE teachers will already have their plans for the year in place and you're going to miss out. To get schools up and running sufficient for the district and county tournaments you really need to be able to hit the ground running at the start of the Autumn term.

One thing in everyone's favour will be that the World Cup in Canada will be taking place at the beginning of September, with a real chance of England success that can be used to develop interest in the game (its always good to be associated with a sport that England can win at!).

So try to have a word with your local PE teachers now - they'll probably be pretty supportive. If you have girls from your club at a particular school obviously that will give you a great base to build on.

This really is a brilliant opportunity for us to use. A new national junior tournament building on a successful international team just at a time when all the other, higher profile, international teams are an embarrassment. What more could we want?

U14 "Emerging Schools" Competition rules:

Basically as standard RFUW U14 rugby, but with a few odd tweaks:

• Half pitch
  (You will recall that the club game is going full pitch)
• Full contact
• Uncontested scrums
  (No option for contested - unlike the club game next season)
• Tactical kicking is allowed
• Hand-offs permitted chest and below
• No conversions
• Re-starts after tries are scrums, put in to the conceding team
  (Possibly the most significant difference)
• Size 4 ball
• 12 a-side (at present 5 in the scrum but RFUW are looking to change this to 6)

Local newspapers highlight Hertfordshire award success

I guess I should mention that local newspapers covering most of north and central Herts (including the Comet, Advertiser, Crow, Herald and Times series) include a report on the county's success at the East awards "do" a few weeks back.

Thanks to Amanda for submitting the article which, for some reason the "usual channels" somehow neglected to do.

Can't think why.

The photo might be a clue though...

Summer rugby courses

Just a reminder that across the county this summer your local district councils will be organising summer events, and in many areas these will include rugby courses.

Always open to girls as well as boys, often at a bargin price, and invariably aimed at relative newcomers to the game these courses will be ideal for many up-and-coming U14s.

Typical of such an events, for example, is one being put on by North Herts District Council at Hitchin RFC from 31st July to 4th August. At this course girls (and boys) aged between 8 and 13 will get five mornings of coaching for only £25.70 - a fraction of what you would normally pay at commercial Rugby Camps.

So have a look through the brochures that schools will be handing out about now - and if you are a bit concerned about the course being flooded by boys, get together with a few friends and teammates and go as a group. What else had you got planned?

England U19 trials

England U19 trials will be held on Saturday 7th October at somewhere in the Midlands (venue still to be confirmed - watch this space) .

Any girls aged between 16 and 18 on 1st September 2006 can attend - you do not have to have previously attended summer camps etc. - but RFUW request that you should be of "regional standard". If in doubt ask you club coach.

Information - including trial forms - will appear on the RFUW's website next month and have to be returned to RFW by 18th September.

Support England... Promote the Women's game... (and annoy the blokes a bit!)

The RFUW are offering some rather neat car stickers with the slogan "Six Nations Grand Slam Winners 2006" on them and (in slightly smaller type) "Next challenge: Women's World Cup Edmonton".

There is also an accompanying poster with similar wording and action shots from the Six Nations campaign. Just to emphasise the point that at least one England rugby team is capable of winning things....

Both are - by the looks of it - free (the RFUW's latest mailing doesn't actually say one way or the other).

So drop RFUW a line and order now. The stickers are sticky on the back so can be used not just on cars, but also bags, exercise books, lockers, bedroom doors, and a multitude of other similar places. And the poster would look great on your club or school noticeboard!

In addition the "Girl Power" posters have been updated with a new (and rather better) text - again copies available from RFUW in both A3 and A5 sizes.

Beckenham Festival to include U14 competition

Exciting news just received about the Beckenham Festival - for the first time there will be a U14 competition as well as the usual U17 event!

As in previous years it is emphasised that this will be a "development" event, so slightly simplified rules (details expected later).

Beckenham RFC are sendig invitations to clubs in the region this week (all clubs who took part in Herts 7s are likely to be contacted). With two age groups now taking part entries are likely to be taken very quickly, so don't miss out!

Coaching courses: 2006/7

The following are the dates of RFU coaching courses in Hertfordshire next season. All courses wil be held at the University of Herts de Haviland Campus in Hatfield. For more information or to make a booking please contact:

Helen Bridgeman (RFU Regional Administrator London North), East Midlands Rugby Union, The Rugby House, Wellingborough School, Irthlingborough Road, Wellingborough, NN8 2BX Tel No. 01933 222218, Email : admin@emru.co.uk

Level One (£88.13):

• 3rd & 17th September 2006 (closing date: 3rd August 2006)
• 8th & 22nd October 2006 (closing date: 8th September 2006)
• 4th & 18th November 2006 (closing date: 4th October 2006)
• 3rd & 17th December 2006 (closing date: 3rd November 2006)
• 14th & 21st January 2007 (closing date: 14th December 2006)
• 11th & 25th February 2007 (closing date: 11th January 2007)
• 4th & 18th March 2007 (closing date: 4th February 2007)
• 1st & 15th April 2007 (closing date: 1st March 2007)
• 6th & 27th May 2007 (closing date: 13th April 2007)
• 10th & 24th June 2007 (closing date: 10th May 2007

Level Two (£126.25)

• Part One – 9th/10th September 2006
  Part Two – 9th/10th December 2006
  (closing date: 9th August 2006)
  
• Part One – 27th/28th January 2007
  Part Two – 2nd/3rd June 2007
  (Closing date: 18th December 2006)

Level Three

• Please contact Helen on 01933 222218 for information

County trials and training venues: amended venues

The venues for the four county dates (see earlier post on "key dates") have now been confirmed as follows:

• 17th September - Stevenage RFC
• 15th October - St Christopher School (Barrington Road, Letchworth SG6 3JZ).
• 12th November - Letchworth RFC

All from c12.30 to 3.30.

This will be followed on 3rd December by an inter-county festival at Westcliff RFC in Essex, which will include not only Hertfordshire, Essex, and Eastern Counties but it is also hoped at least three or four other counties as well.

First Aid Course

Amanda has passed on information about a First Aid course being organised by Herts Sports Partnership for Appointed Persons on Sunday 10th September 2006 (9.30am to 4.30pm) at the Herts Sports Village in Hatfield.

She says its is an excellent course run by Tony Bennison, who is a rugby coach and so knows just what sort of injuries we might be dealing with, and urges clubs to send at least one person on this course. Note however that it is open to all sports and places will be booked on a first come first served basis, so book NOW to avoid disappointment.

Click here for further details and a booking form, and contact g.a.keen@herts.ac.uk if you need more information.

Alternatively you can book a course at your own club. If you are interested please contact Tony direct - Tony.Bennison@abcfirstaid.co.uk.

Girls' rugby summer camp

News of this rugby "camp" has taken a while to filter through, but is worth having a look at because it seems to be that great rarity - a camp specifically for girls!

It will be a two day event on 24th and 25th August at Old Grammarians RFC in Winchmore Hill, North London - so its very accessible, being only just over the border into Middlesex (see here for a map).

The camp is run by Crusaders Rugby and costs a very reasonable £50, with the possibility of a further 15% discount for early booking (ie. four weeks ahead). The girls course would seem to be a late addition to their schedule as it does not appear on the website so contact david@crusadersrugby.co.uk for more information.

Beckenham festival date confirmed

The date of the Beckenham U17 festival has been conformed as 8th October. Invitations go out shortly.

Last season only on Herts team took part - which is a pity as its an good festival which is aimed specifically at new U17 players. It also attracts entries from across the South East, giving you a chance to meet clubs you'd never normally play outside of National Sevens.

More information will appear here as it becomes known.

Comments welcome!

A minor design glitch has now been sorted out which means that you can now leave comments about any articles on this blog.

Just click on the "comments" link below, and away you go!

Don't feel shy - let's make this a two way process!!

Hertfordshire hat-trick! [UPDATE]

Hertfordshire Junior Rugby were winners of three of awards at last night's East Region Dinner & Awards evening.

Hopefully we'll have some pictures of the winners with their awards later. In the meanwhile we join the festivities a little later in the evening...

The lack winners' photos is partly (well, entirely) due to my being one of them (Volunteer of the Year) and therefore being unable to take pictures that I was in.

Other awards went to Amanda Bate (Outstanding Achievement) , and the Hertfordshire county team (especially the U17 A team) who deservedly won the first County Team of the Year award.

In addition a fourth award went to Hertfordshire when OA Saints were awarded Club of the Year mainly for their performances in their first year of Women's Premiership rugby.

Other award winners that I can remember were:

• U17 Player of the Year: Kat Emerson (Basildon)
• U14 Player of the Year: Emily Scott (Basildon)
• Coach/Manager of the Year: Mrs Chris Emerson (Basildon)
• I think that Holly Le Grave (Basildon) won Senior Player of the Year
• Ironically I can't actually recall the winner of Unsung Hero. I don't think they were from Basildon though...

(Seriously - these awards can only go to people who are nominated. So next year make sure you put your best players and supporters forward. Don't expect anyone outside your club to do it!)

Update: First few photos already up on Rugby Matters website! More to come yet I suspect...

Your region needs YOU!!

Applications are being invited for all positions in the East Regional structure.

Its not that anyone is leaving as such, but with the expansion of the game in the East new volunteers are needed to help with the programme.

Among the posts included on the application form are U14, U17 and Senior coaches, team and programme managers.

Pretty much anyone who puts their hand up is likely to be accepted in some capacity, so now if your chance to shape the future direction of England's strongest and most successful region!

Further information from Claire Sanderson, RFUW WRDM Midlands, c/o Hockey Pavilion, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU (email clairesanderson@rfu.com).

We are not alone

A second county has launched a "blog" - and its another East county as well - thus confirming our place as the most switched on region off the field, as well as the best on it.

So a big welcome to the Eastern Counties Girls' Rugby blog!

Obviously a bit thin atthe moment, what with our having some weeks' start, and much of the content seems terribly familiar, but its good to see.

But come on Essex - what's keeping you?

The conference season

The only activity on the field may be the wind blowig through the lengthening grass, but off the field there is still a lot going on.

Saturday 1st July sees the first "divisional" conference for our area (ie. East + East Midlands), which takes place at Coventry RUFC. This replaces the National Conference at the request of many clubs who can sometimes find that issues in other regions aren’t always relevant to their own development.

The agenda includes team building, club development planning, recruitment of volunteers, and working with the meda . Its a packed day that promises to be both informative and practical, and also contains a refreshing and enlightening presentation from one of the RFU’s Volunteer representatives – Alex Murphy. This will focus on the importance of volunteers and how best to recruit, retain and reward even with seemingly nothing to offer!

The section of the day devoted to Club Development Plans should be useful when planning for the future. The opportunity will be provided to share best practice with other clubs and make a start on your own. Finally, with the World Cup less than four months away, we hope to have an inspirational insight into the preparation and goals of the World Cup Squad.

To attend please email Colleen Webb on stormstorm@hotmail.com

Twenty Herts girls make a little piece of history

The names of the twenty players who will be the first girls to ever take part in Herts RFU's "Athlete Support Programme" have been announced:

Nikki Alcock (Letchworth), Emma Burgess (Hertford), Megan Childs (Saracens), Francis Dawson (Welwyn), Rebecca Dawson (Welwyn), Amanda Finch (Saracens), Milly Fuggles (Hertford), Hannah Gallagher (Welwyn), Hayley Guilder (Letchworth), Carla Kelly (Letchworth), Harriet Lilley (Welwyn), Hannah Marques (Welwyn), Alex Robertson (Saracens), Jess Robinson (Letchworth), Claire Shutler (Saracens), Gerry Thomas (Fullerians), Natalie Threlfall (Letchworth), Emily Vivian (Letchworth), Melissa Waite (Hitchin), Megan Williams (Welwyn)

Up until now the programme - run mainly during the summer at the University of Hertfordshire - has been restricted to the top U15 boys in the county, but this year half of the places have been allocated to girls, and the county coaches have selected the leading girls aged U16 or younger.

The twenty will now take part in a series of fitness and conditioning evenings in June and July lead by the University's Sports and Social Science Officer, Fiona Castree. They and their parents will also receive advice on nutrition and athletic development throughout the rest of the year.