Presdales School win regional girls' title - again!

Presdales School are the regional girls' champions for the second year running. The county competition took place two weeks ago at Woollams Playing fields and Nobel, Hockerill Presdales, Queens, Turnford and St Mary's were entered, though Turnford had to drop out. Presdales and Hockerill went on to represent Herts at the London North competition on Friday last, at Jobbers Wood.

This year at the regional we had 11 schools enter- Thomas Deacon, Presdales, Waldergrave, Grey Court, William Edwards, Hockerill, King Edward, Barking Abbey, Fakenham, Whitton, Cambridge.

The schools were put into two pools, round robin type of competition,  the overall winners from each playing off . These were Presdales and Hockerill, ( both unbeaten in the round robin games) - the runners up from both pools ( Barking Abbey and William Edwards) played off for 3rd and 4th place.

Presdales won 15-5 and the rain, which had held off all day, poured down during the very exciting final! Barking Abbey beat William Edwards.

It was a good fun day and true sportsmanship was shown by all the teams in the pool with King Edward. King Edward had arrived without any subs.-  two minutes into the very first game, one of their players dislocated her knee, and had to go to hospital. This left the team with only 11 players. All the girls from the other teams, when asked, willingly and happily dropped a player so that the teams played 11 a-side, some teams even offering to lend a player to their opponents!

There is no National competition this year, unfortunately, so we don't know if Presdlaes would have been crowned Natinal Chmaps for a 2nd year running.

The referees were Skip, and Dean Cutting ( an Essex CRC) and Dave and Arrun from BSHS, who they did an excellent job.

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.

East Region Girls Results Sleaford RFC Sun 21st March 2010

Under 18:

East 65 (Tash Berbank Tx1, Alex Grant Tx3, Claire Shutler Herts Tx3 + Cx2, Francis Dawson Herts Tx1, Jess Robinson Herts Tx2, Yaz Pemberton Tx1, Georgia Peedle Cx3) North East 0.

Under 15:

East 24 (Sydney Gregson Herts Tx1, Sidnie Nurthen Herts Tx1, Lotte Clapp Herts Tx2, Abbie Maxwell Herts Cx2) North East 12.

Report on the U18 game from Simon Shutler:

A depleted East region squad went to Sleaford to take on the North East, the result showing the depth of talent in the squad. Tash opened the scoring after a good break by Ellie. A break by Alex to score was then converted by Georgia. Good pressure by East on a 5m NE defensive scrum saw Frankie intercept a pass to score. East dominated the scrum all afternoon winning some very good ball to set up attacks and starving the NE of possession. From another 5m scrum a No. 8 pickup and pass allowed Claire to score and Georgia convert. Jess then broke twice in quick succession to 2 tries before half time, with Claire converting one.

At the start of the second half a NE scrum on the East 10m line was taken against the head again and a good back row move put Claire away to score and convert. Excellent handling and some slick passing then saw Yaz score and Georgia convert. Alex then made a 70m break but the final pass didn’t go to hand. East took the 5m scrum against the head and Alex crashed over. She then got her hat trick again going over from close range. A lineout take and drive by Ellie into the NE defence saw her pass to Claire to beat the full back and score under the posts, Georgia converting.  

Herts 7s: U15 Team from India would like to take part!

Mark Firth, the Organiser of this Seasons Herts Girls 7’s Tournament at Tring RFC, was contacted last Wednesday about this, and the facts as we understand them are:

• A Girls Team from India have heard of the Herts Girls 7’s (they are 10 Girls + Coaches).
• They have asked if they could take part in this years Tournament.
• Their Air Fares would potentially be paid by Touraid, a Christian Charity that helps Sports Club Tours for Children from disadvantaged parts of the World.
• They have asked if we could find 5 "host families" to put up the Girls up for a week (around the time of the Tournament) whilst they are here.

Can any of you help? If so please contact:
Andy Berry
CEO, Touraid
164, Portsmouth Road
Cobham KT11 1HS
www.touraid.org
UK 07980-042358
UK 01932-863388

East Region Girls Results Old Albanians Sun 21st Feb 2010

Under 18:

East 23 (Chloe Baker Herts Tx2, Claire Shutler Herts Tx1, Georgia Peedle Herts Tx1, Emily Scott Herts Px1) South East 10.

East 24 (Chloe Baker Herts Tx1, Claire Shutler Herts Tx1, Scarlett Cooper-Wall Herts Tx1, Alex Grant Tx1, Georgia Peedle Herts Cx1, Emily Scott Herts Cx1) Thames Valley 0.

Under 15:

East 34 (Sydney Gregson Herts Tx2, Faye Smale Tx1, Abbie Graham Tx1, Mollie Ames Tx1, Lotte Clapp Herts Tx1, Abbie Maxwell Herts Cx2) Thames Valley 22.

East 22 (Emily Danielson Tx1, Maddie Lockwood Tx1, Abbie Graham Tx1, Lotte Clapp Herts Tx1, Abbie Maxwell Herts Cx1) South East 17.

OA Saints U18 "Open Evening"

A reminder that OA Saints are hosting their annual Under 18 training session for players who are moving up to senior rugby next season on WEDNESDAY 24th FEBRUARY, 7.15pm to 9pm at OA Rugby Club on Harpenden Road, St. Albans. Parents and coaches are very welcome. Any questions to...

Tasha Saint-Smith
OA Saints Chairwoman
Tel: 07971 849290

East Region Girls Trial 31st January

After the recent Regional Trial, the following Hertfordshire County Girls have been selected for East Region this Season:

Under 18

Courtney Arberry
Chloe Baker
Harriet Bullock
Scarlett Cooper-Wall
Francis Dawson
Charlie Faloona
Alice Finn
Shira Kilgallon
Alice Nee
Georgia Peedle
Jess Robinson
Emily Scott
Claire Shutler
Sam Voyle


Under 15

CJ Carpenter
Lotte Clapp
Stevie Farrow
Melissa Gargaro
Penny Gilbert
Sydney Gregson
Nancy Harrison
Ellie Hurer
Amber King
Abbie Maxwell
Sidney Nurthen
Bryony Pomfret

RFUW Director recruitment

The RFUW is currently looking to increase the number of Directors on the Board and is looking for at least 2 exceptional individuals who share the vision to create and support an environment that promotes, develops and sustains opportunities for woman and girls to participate and achieve their potential in rugby.

We are looking for individuals who are currently involved in women’s rugby, who are passionate about the sport and who really want to make a difference. It is key that these individuals have demonstrated leadership, trust, integrity, team work, accountability, inclusiveness and dedication within a rugby environment.

The position is voluntary and Directors are required to attend five or six Board meetings a year held in Twickenham on Saturdays. Expenses will be paid.

We would welcome individuals from any background – if possible we would like to have representation from the North of England. The key is that the individual is committed to making a difference and can bring fresh ideas and thoughts to the Board.

Please register your interest or send applications to Susan Allen, RFUW, Rugby House, Twickenham Stadium, 200 Whitton Road, Twickenham, TW2 7BA or to susanallen@rfu.com.

OA Saints "Open Evenings" for U18s

As last year, the OA Saints are going to host another couple of training sessions for the local Hertfordshire under 18 players who are moving up to Senior Rugby in September. This worked very well last year and allowed them to introduce themselves and train together to give the girls an informed choice about where they wish to play their senior rugby.

The dates for our sessions are as follows:

Wednesday 24th February, 7.15 - 9pm at OA's Rugby Club

Monday 15th March, 7,15 - 9pm at OA's Rugby Club

Naturally, parents and coaches are very welcome and there will be plenty of beer in the bar afterwards!

Should you have any questions or queries, do please contact Tasha, OA Saints Chairwoman, on 07971 849290

Regional trials postponed

From Clare Cooper (National Programme Lead):

After taking into consideration the current weather situation the RFUW has made the decision to POSTPONE ALL Youth Trials and the re-arranged Senior Trials this weekend 16th and 17th January 2010. In addition to the current weather across the country, we are also concerned that players have not been able to train for a long period of time due to the frozen ground, and it would be unwise for them to go straight into a trial situation.

Youth Trials will take place on Sunday 31st January as stated in the contingency calendar sent out last week. Regional Programme Managers will decide locally when Senior re-arranged Trials are to take place. Further information on dates and times will be released on http://www.regionalrugby.com and will be available through the Regional Programme Managers.

This decision has not been taken lightly and we believe that it has been made with the best interests of all Regional Programme participants in mind.

The "international" between Nomads and Wales at Saracens has already been cancelled due to a waterlogged pitch.

Herts Girls Newsletter issued

A newsletter has been issued. Articles include the county girls team triumph in the NLD tournament, the Herts U15 league, the development of girls' rugby in the county's schools, and the new Royston girls team.

Click here to see a copy.

Women's international this weekend - at Saracens

Weather permitting, Saracens RFC in Southgate are due to host an "international" this Saturday between 2009 triple crown winners Wales, and Nomads - the women's equivalent of the Barbarians.

Kick-off will be at 1pm.

President's XV award: Last chance to enter

Letchworth Girls and Welwyn Girls have been successful in the past - can you make it a Hertfordshire hat-trick?

With only three weeks left before this season’s President’s XV Awards close, there is still time to put your club/rugby organisation forward for this year’s awards.

Ability on the pitch does not govern who will win the 15 categories for which the £10,500 in prize money will be awarded - clever ideas, big or small, from any quarter which promote and support the game will be recognised and celebrated. With £500 prize money for the 15 winners and £100 for each of the 30 runners up, the PXV Panel is keen to hear about your imaginative ideas and good practice that continue developing our grassroots game.

The RFU recently launched the promotion of its CORE Values, with the focus on Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline and Sportsmanship and to highlight this, the first of this season’s 15 awards will go to the organisation with an initiative which best promotes these values. All categories embrace the key areas which together contribute to a successful, vibrant club and help to deliver opportunities in all areas of the game; from fundraising and improving facilities, to increasing member numbers and linking with the local community:

1. This Is Rugby
2. More Volunteers
3. More Referees
4. More Coaches
5. Better Facilities
6. Girl Power
7. Social Inclusion
8. Community Links
9. School's Development
10. Play On
11. Veterans
12. Technology
13. Fundraising
14. Young Volunteers (vRugby)
15. Seal of Approval Club of the Year

“The brilliant ideas and schemes that organisations come up never cease to amaze me.” says RFU President John Owen: “Entries for this competition have previously underlined not only the quality of the work being done, but also the extraordinary level of creativity and imagination which is being applied.

“The President’s XV Awards give organisations the opportunity to showcase their good ideas, earn recognition for these ideas and, more importantly, help deliver those benefits to a wider audience.”

The judging panel will be:

• RFU President John Owen
• Immediate Past President Brian Williams
• Senior Vice President Richard Appleby
• Junior Vice President Willie Wildash
• Rugby Football Union for Women President Gill Burns
• England’s most-capped player Jason Leonard
• Paul Morgan, editor of Rugby World magazine.

For full details on the President’s XV schemeand the online nomination form, visit www.rfu.com/presidentsxv. Closing date for this season’s awards is February 2, 2010.

NLD Girls Tournament Results Sleaford RFC Sun 6th Dec

Under 18

U18 Group Stage:

Herts U18 Girls Rugby Team completed the County Season in the Notts, Lincs and Derby (NLD) Tournament against seven other Counties. Herts got away to a confident start in the Group Stage against East Midlands winning 31-0 with 5 Tries from Charlie Faloona, Claire Shutler (x2), Jess Robinson and Chloe Baker, and Three Conversions from Emily Scott.

In the second Group Game however, the team stuttered in the face of some excellent and dogged play from the Staffordshire girls and it was 0-0 at Half Time. Captain Frankie Dawson came to the fore and Courtney Arberry grabbed 2 Tries, plus a Conversion from Emily Scott gave Herts a 12-0 win.

The third Group Game was a straightforward 41-0 win against the NLD ‘B’ side with Tries from Hannah Winfield, Emily Scott (who added 3 Conversions), Shira Kilgallon, Alice Nee and a great hat trick from the flying Wing Alice Finn.

The final Group Game was against an impressive looking, unbeaten Yorkshire side. The big Yorkshire Forwards tried to dominate but the Herts Girls exerted great pressure as the game went on and came away as winners by 17-0 with tries by Alice Finn, Claire Shuttler and Courtney Arberry. Emily Scott Converted once.



Herts 31 East Midlands 0
Tries: Charlie Faloona, Claire Shutler (x2), Jess Robinson, Chloe Baker
Conversions: Emily Scott (x3)

Herts 12 Staffordshire 0
Tries: Courtney Arberry (x2)
Conversion: Emily Scott

Herts 41 Notts, Lincs and Derbyshire (B) 0
Tries: Alice Finn (x3), Hannah Winfield, Alice Nee, Shira Kilgallon, Emily Scott
Conversions: Emily Scott (x3)

Herts 17 Yorkshire 0
Tries: Alice Finn, Claire Shutler, Courtney Arberry
Conversion: Emily Scott

U18 Final:

This set up the Final against the other Group Winners NLD ‘A’. The sides were very well matched and after normal playing time there was no score thanks to some Try saving tackles by the Herts Full Back Emma Wilson. The Game went into sudden death Extra-Time and an early infringement by the NLD side gave Herts a Penalty within kicking range. Emily Scott’s kick hit the upright but the ball bounced over to cap a brilliant running display by the Outside Half. The Referee ended the game and Hertfordshire were NLD Under 18 Tournament Winners for the first time.


Herts 3 NLD(A) 0 Sudden death in extra time
Penalty: Emily Scott


Under 15

U15 Group Stage:

Herts 5 Yorkshire 0
Try: Lotte Clapp.

Herts 24 Eastern Counties 0
Tries: Lotte Clapp (x2), Sidney Nurthen, Chloe-Jean Carpenter.
Conversions: Abbie Maxwell, Stevie Farrow.

Herts 17 Cheshire 0
Tries: Sydney Gregson (x2), Lotte Clapp.
Conversion: Abbie Maxwell.

U15 Final:

Herts 7 v NLD (A) 17
Try: Chloe-Jean Carpenter.
Conversion: Abbie Maxwell

Herts Rugby Awareness Week: video

The video used as part of Herts Rugby Awareness Week is now available:

Recommendations from the Competition Review Group on the RFUW Pathway for Implementation 2010-11

These recommendations have been published by the RFUW.

A Player Pathway Feedback Form has been issued with a return date before 25 January 2010, which is also the date that the London N and S and South Evening Roadshow is taking place at Twickenham, hosted by Rosie Williams, Nicky Ponsford and David Rose. The purpose of the Roadshow is to discuss the document, and examine any local issues which may need to be addressed to ensure the success of the programme.

Herts Womens and Girls Rugby Development Group Meeting Mon 11th Jan

The next meeting of the HWGRDG is taking place on Mon 11th Jan at Hertford RFC starting at 7.30. If you have not previously attended these meetings (usually 3-4 times a year) this group works together to plan Tournaments, run the County Teams, exchange Best Practice and advice, and to try and help each other develop Womens and Girls Rugby in Herts. If your club does not send a rep to the group and would like to do so, or if you are a regular attendee who has a specific Agenda item, then please e-mail me on peter.mccullough@ntlworld.com

England Women Under 20 Squad 2009-2010

The England Women’s Under 20's Squad for this Season has been announced and contains 4 Players who play for Herts Womens and Girls Clubs:

Milly Fuggles: OA Saints*

Hannah Gallagher: Welwyn Under 18's*

Emily Scott: Welwyn Under 18's*

Geraldine Thomas: OA Saints*

* Indicated new Under 20's squad member

England Women’s U20s playing schedule:

France U20s v England U20s, March 21, KO 1pm, Sainte Nazaire

England U20s v Wales U20s, April 7, venue and KO TBC

Wales U20s v England U20s, May (weekend of May 8/9), venue and KO TBC

Herts Girls 7's 16th May 2010: Tring RFC

Hertfordshire Womens and Girls Rugby are pleased to announce that we have a new host for this Seasons Herts Girls 7’s on 16th May 2010. Tring have confirmed that they will have 4 Pitches available (2 x U15 and 2 x U18) plus an area for the U12 Section and it is another great opportunity for Girls Rugby to be showcased in a different part of the County.

Click here for the invitation letter and entry form.

RFUW Development Squad v. Combined Services November 11th

A Game between RFUW Development Squad and Combined Services is taking place at Aldershot RFC on Rememberance Day on 11th November at 3.30. It is the Curtain raiser for the Men's Combined Services versus Barbarians Game taking pace at 7.30.

The RFUW Development Squad comprises of England Under 20 Players, and Players who are on the fringes of the England Women's Elite 44 Squad.

Three OA Saints Players are in the RFUW Development Squad:

• Sarah McKenna (13)
• Millie Fuggles (17)
• Geri Thomas (19)