Impact is actually quite an appropriate word for Ellie, who has actually been with us now for about a year and a half (so maybe not that brief!). An answer to a prayer for more props, Ellie confidence improved every week so that she can now not only hold her own in the scrum against the best, but also developed a useful turn of speed to go with an ability to win the hard yards going forward.
Perhaps the most memorable moment was her try against Hertford in November - a 70 metre sprint to the line that rounded off our first win over these opponents at the older age group.
One lasting contribution Ellie has also left us with is the link she provided for us with her former (and future) club - Hitchin. Knowing where to go after 18 can be difficult, but by leading the way Ellie looks like making them the club of choice for other "retiring" Legends.
Our other retiring "newcomer" is certainly not new to the game, or to the club. Pretty high up on anyone's list of "most feared" opposing player, Lizell has scored a fair few tries against us for Kettering over the years but - in search of extra games when her club were not playing -she asked if she could join us earlier this year and has shown an impressive dedication to training and club activities since.
In practice a combination of representative duties, injury, and Kettering fixtures restricted her to only two run outs in a Letchworth shirt, but in those two tournaments (at Worthing and the National 7s) Lizell racked up a remarkable 11 tries - to go with two medals!
Lizell next step onto a rugby field will be for one of the few teams to have even tighter shirts than us - England U20s - for the Nations Cup in June, and then a search for an adult team for next season (something that should not be hard as they should be queueing up to sign one of the country's most versatile 18 year olds). Our best wishes go with Lizell - both on and off the field she is a real credit to the game!
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