County trial dates

Dates and venues for this year's county trials have now been published (see the Hertfordshire blog). As you see we are hosting the third and final one of them, while the second is also taking place in Letchworth at the St Christopher School!

County rugby is even more important this year as it will be the gateway to regional selection - so make sure you are available!

Its all leads up to a big inter-county festival at Westcliff in December - much bigger than last season as some half-a dozen county teams are expected from across the country.

Looking to start the season early? Girls' rugby camp in North London

Can't wait for the new season to start?

If so then you could start a week early with a two day girls "rugby training camp" on 24th and 25th August at Old Grammarians RFC in Winchmore Hill, North London.

There are dozens of these camps every summer, but very few are ever devoted just to girls, so its a great opportunity - and not that far away being just over the border in North London - 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 Beckenham U17 Festival will take place again next season, and will be on the same weekend as last year - so 8th October. Beckenham will be sending invitations out shortly to those who entered last year, so that will include us.

Last year we started well with a comfortable win over the hosts, but then lost 5-0 to Rochford in a game we dominated for all but the last 10 seconds of the first half. Losing the final game to Petersfield (the eventual winners, as I recall) meant that we failed to achieve our place in the semi-finals. Next season that should be out minimum goal.

Those who took part last year will recal that this festival - that it is aimed at "new" U17 teams - has unusual rules, like uncontested scrums and no hand-offs (Nim's equalising try against Rochford was disallowed for the latter, to everyone's surprise - including Rochford!). Still, its a good day out with some excellent facilities and opponents from across the South East that we would not normally meet outside of the National Sevens.

We'll certainly therefore enter one team. As its a 10-a-side event we could maybe just about enter two teams - but we'd need pretty much everyone to be available if we were to do that.
No need to make decisions yet, but when we be wanting to know. So mark the date in your diaries now!

A couple of weeks later there is the Rochford Festival - this time for U14s and U17s. However, entry is retsicted to only 1o teams in each age group so its very likely that - regardless of availablity - we'll onlybe sending one U14 and one U17 team to that. For the U17s this potentially means taking a big squad - much as Welwyn did last year - but if we do there will be probably be plenty of opportunity for people to "guest" for other teams (and we rather hope that you will take up such opportunities when they arise).

Poster design - Comments welcome!

I've finally got round to sorting out a minor software glitch that meant it was difficult for anyone to leave comments.

Well, now you can - just click on the "comments" link below and let everyone know what you think!

This has come not a moment too soon as we're looking at promotional posters for next season. What do you think of this one, largely the work of Sasha? Click on the image to look at it more closely.

Famous the world over!

The IRB - responsible for the game worldwide - produce an occasional "Technical Bulletin" which is translated into three languages and sent around the world.

The latest edition is now on the IRB website (see here) and guess which girls rugby team gets a full page spread on page 11?

Yes - its us. Again.

So across the world, from Argentina to the USA, and taking in various dots in the Pacific ocean, rugby players and coaches are reading about "Les pionnières du rugby féminin au Letchworth Garden City RFC".

I recognise the face, but... [UPDATE]

While some of you were relaxing at home (or indeed were long asleep by the time we finished), some of us were being forced to dress up in disguise (clue - its Hayley on the left, and Carla on right) and fight our way through Thai chicken curry, turkey, some rather interesting pasta, and sundry other foodstuffs at the annual East Region Dinner & Awards do in darkest Newmarket.

It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it.

Actually it was a very good evening, and next year maybe we can have a bigger turnout from the club. Almost the entire Basildon U14 squad were there, and a great many U17s from all parts, so its definately an event for juniors to attend.

One of us also won an award as well - which was nice, thus keeping up the clubs average of one regional award per year. See the Herts County site for details.

One member of the party also walked off with an MP3 player in the raffle with a ticket kindly donated to her, and seemed strangely reluctant to swap it for the PC keyboard cleaning brush that purchaser of her ticket had won.

After the awards shoes were thrown off as the disco began. At around 1am this degenerated slightly when a certain semi-detached member of the club (clue - she was wearing the darker of the two pink dresses in the second photo above) threw a rugby ball onto the dance floor. As we left a little while later various games such as "can we get it stuck on the chandalier" were being played...

Update: Rugby Matters have been incredibly quick and already have some pictures up on their website!

U17 : Pre Season Fitness training

Fitness sessions for the U17s will start this Wed 21st June. These sessions will run from 6 till 7 and will include cadio vascular work or circuit training, handling skills and a game of touch to start getting you in the habit of moving the ball about again.

I would like to remind you that these sessions are not compulary, and never have been, but your attendance will gain you 1 point per attendance towards your player of the year total.

Lets see if we can get a good turnout and get well on the way to success for next season.

I have also sent this message by email to each of the U 17s. Those who have not recieved this either havent given me their email or have given me a wrong one. Can those who havent recieved this please email me with your correct address.

Many Thanks
Joe

Better quality video

Better quality versions of the videos from Herts Sevens are now up on Google Video (which also has the benefitof being free!). See http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=rugby+girls

The same search also reveals a video from Diefenbaker High School somewhere in the USA which is rather well done, using mainly stills. So if anyone fancies being creative this is an example of what is possible...

U17s: Pre Season Training

Just an update to what John and myself have planned for U17 pre-season training. Please get these dates down and let me know your availability.

Full season traning will commence from Sunday 27th of August and so every wed and sunday thereafter.

I intend to start some fitness sessions (which i will participate in) at the club on Wednesdays towards the end of this month or early next. These sessions would run from 6 till 7 on a wednesday evening. These session are not compulsary however each attendence will be worth 1 point for your player of the year season total. These sessions are not confirmed so please let me know wether you are interested and wether you could make it!!!

Any questions during the summer regarding next season please dont hesitate to ask.

Many thanks
Joe

Hertfordshire "SuperTeams" - UPDATE!

Make a date in your diary for "SuperTeams" at the University of Hertfordshire Sports Village in Hatfield on 16th July.

Three of our girls - Hayley G, Carla, and Nichola - found out about this by chance (and at the last minute) last year - but entered, had a brilliant time - and finished runners up (and £100 richer as well)!

Details or this year's event have now been published - and it looks even better than last year.

There are separate competitions for 11-13s and 14-17s (age on the day), and each team has to have four members, and must be mixed (ie. can't be all boys or all girls).

In each competition there will be seven events (one more than last year):

• Obstacle courses
• Initiative tests
• Basketball skills
• Gym test
• Racquet skills
• "Gladiators" (ie. pugil sticks)
• Sumo wrestling (see Hayley preparing for this last year above!)

In addition there will be a number of "fun" activities (which spectators can also have a go at), including:

• Indoor hockey
• Volleyball
• "Rodeo bull"
• Climbing wall
• Swimming

There are cash/equipment prizes - and the whole day is FREE!

If you are interested in taking part please let me know as soon as possible (we have two weeks to get entries in). U17s should also copy Joe in as well as he will be helping to organise the the U17 teams (as well as taking part himself). In case of doubt it'll be first come, first served!

Six Letchworth girls selected for summer training

Six of our girls have been selected to join Hertfordshire RFU's "Athlete Support Programme" this summer - the first time any girls have been selected:

• Hayley Guilder (who is also down for "elite" coaching - one of four girls in the county)
• Carla Kelly
• Natalie Threlfall
• Emily Vivian
• Nikki Alcock
• Jess Robinson

Overall, twenty girls have been chosen from across the county. Welwyn have had a similar number selected as we have, Hertford have had three girls chosen, and other girls will be coming from Saracens and Fullerians.

The girls will meet together at Herts Sports Village three times during the summer where they will undertake activities related to fitness testing and conditioning.

All Black "bursts into tears" after being hit with handbag

This story has absolutely no relevence to Letchworth Girls, but its the close season and not a lot is happening, and anyway its quite funny. So I thought I'd pass it on.

All Black Chris Masoe burst into tears after being hit with a handbag by former captain Tana Umaga in a Christchurch bar last weekend. Full story here.

Its worth pointing out - if you were wondering - that Chris and Tana are indeed male All Blacks. You know - big tough blokes playing a big tough game that some unreconstructed Neandethals might occasionally suggest isn't suitable for girls.

Like, yeah!

Some pride in New Zealand manhood is retained when we learn that it wasn't actually Tana's own handbag that he used. Oh no - he "borrowed" it from a lady sitting in the bar. However it doesn't actually say whether he asked first so I'm not sure if that improves the image of the New Zealand male much.

Anyway - to cap it all the owner of the bag is now auctioning it off on an antipodean eBay type website called Trade Me. Bids have already passed NZ$5,500.