Formed 2004 ... Herts 7s U14 Runners-up 2005 ... North Herts U14 team, Herts Youth Games 2005 runners-up (coached by Letchworth)... Herts Superteams U14 Runners-up 2005 ... Herts SuperTeams "Fairplay" winners 2006 ... Rochford 10s U17 Champions 2006 ... East Midlands 10s U17 Runners-up 2007 ... East Midlands 10s U17 "Fairplay" winners 2007 ... National 10s U17 5th place and "Fairplay" winners 2007 ... Herts 7s U17 Plate runners-up 2007 ... National 7s U17 Plate winners 2007 ... RFU "President's XV" Award winners 2007 ... Herts Superteams winners 2007 ... Midlands 10s U18 Runners-up 2008 ... National 10s U18 4th place 2008 ... North Herts U11 team, Herts Youth Games 2008 runners-up (coached by Letchworth girls) ... London and SE 7s U18 Plate runners-up 2008 ... Herts 7s U18s runners-up 2008 ... National 7s U18s quarter-finalists 2008 ... Gloucester City 10s U18 Bowl runner-up (6th) 2009 ... Worthing 10s U18 Plate runner-up 2009 ... National 7s U18 Plate winners 2009... Worthing 10s U15 Plate winners 2010... Worthing 10s U18 Shield winners 2010... Herts 7s U15 and U18 Bowl runners-up 2010... National 7s U18 Plate runners-up 2010...

Tuesday, May 05, 2009

A day near the seaside ....

Very early on Sunday morning, a number of insomniacs set forth to Worthing to join up with a further bunch of insomniacs who had set off the previous evening. Of course, those who went down on Saturday didn't know they were going to be insomniacs as well but then they hadn't heard Wonky snoring before, had they? Apparently, the sound of donkeys being sawn in half have nothing on Wonky's efforts .... that's the thing about tents - no sound proofing! ( ... and no thermal insulation, either, as some of this bold troupe found out overnight).

Anyway, around 9am we all gathered at Worthing RFC to register and be told that, due to a number of teams having withdrawn, the draw was being redone to simplify the group structure and that we would all receive a revised timetable shortly. Actually, we never got ours ......! When the games did get started it was around 10.50am and, according to the pitch marshal, Letchworth had 3 scheduled group games at 11.30 against Esher, 12.10 against Basford and 14.10 against Thomas Beckett. Needless to say that it didn't quite work out like that!

The first game against Esher eventually got underway at about 11.50, I think, and, as is too often the case, Letchworth were slow off the mark. Esher are a good side and needed no second invitation to press their advantage which saw them cruise away to a 3 tries to one advantage by the break. Only then did Letchworth start to compete more strongly but it was too late to turn the game around. Letchworth stepped up their play for the match against Basford but were still not in top gear and, though it was a much closer affair, Basford ran out winners 12-5. And so to the third match against Thomas Beckett (or, in my case, and so to the hospital with Mel who had taken a bad knock to the shoulder) where at last the girls started to play as they would wish to and ran out comfortable winners 34-5 thanks to tries by Jess, Georgie, Lizell, Natalie and Katie.
The 3 group games secured Letchworth a Plate quarter-final tie against Glossop which, I understand, was a well contested tight game that Letchworth won 14-5 thanks to two tries by Lizell which Nikki converted. Unfortunately, Lizell also took a heavy blow to the hand which promptly ballooned up and she was unable to take any further part in proceedings ....

The Plate semifinal against Folkstone was tied at 0-0 when we returned from the hospital with Mel who, fortunately, has not broken her collar bone as was feared. The second half was a thrilling encounter with Natalie breaking away down the wing to give Letchworth the lead and Folkstone replying in kind to score at the other end and take the tie to sudden death extra time. Letchworth kept up the pressure until a break by Jess sent Natalie away to force her way over and score a try under the posts.
Like the semi-final, the final against Oakmedians was a wonderfully exciting, keenly contested match which was a credit to both sides. Letchworth took the lead with a first half try by Jess only to see Oakmedians score straight from the restart and, crucially as it turned out, convert the try. The second half started with concerted attacks by Oakmedians which Letchworth were only just able to repell and then it was Letchworth on the attack and Oakmedians defending. With 5 minutes to go, Laura took a bang to the head and had to leave the fray and Letchworth had finally run out of players. However, despite being reduced to 9 girls, Letchworth pressed home the attack to the very last whistle which came with Carla failing by only an inch or so to score the winning try. Ultimately, it was wonderful resolute defence by Oakmedians which earned them the Plate but the Letchworth girls were fantastic in supporting each other and giving their all to win the game - all in all, a great advert for girls rugby.

I am immensly proud to have been associated with the Letchworth girls team on Sunday and I know that all the coaches, parents and supporters feel the same. After such performances it would be quite wrong to single out any individual for particular praise as every player gave their all to the very end. As a former coach of yours would definately have said, "AWESOME, Girls! Just AWESOME!"

Results :

Group :
Letchworth 5 Esher 22
Letchworth 5 Basford 12
Letchworth 34 Thomas Beckett 5

Plate QF : Letchworth 14 Glossop 5
Plate SF : Letchworth 10 Folkstone 5
Plate final : Letchworth 5 Oakmedians 7

Letchworth scorers :

Tries : Jess (4), Lizell (4), Natalie (3), Georgie (2), Katie
Conversions : Nikki (3), Carla

Laura (Bubbles) :
As all of you who were there know, Laura was taken ill after the end of the final game and had to be taken off to hospital to be checked out. I'm pleased to report that she was allowed home later that evening and is getting back to her normal bouncy self.



Photos : In addition to my few pictures above and to the Threlfall archive, you may be interested in looking at the DE Photo website at http://www.dephoto.biz/ where many hundreds of professional pictures of the event can be seen and, should you be so inclined, purchased.

5 comments:

  1. Anonymous12:21 PM

    Now listen carefully

    We have your banner and unless we receive a ransom of £3.26 you will not see it in one piece again.

    If you want to see your banner again you will deposit £3.26 in our off shore account BEFORE THE END OF THE DAY.(actually its the local post office on the isle of mull) Morag will fill in the neccessary paperwork for you.

    Failure to adhere to these instructions will see 1sq foot of the banner being cut off and sent in the post every hour after the deadline.

    you have been warned

    do not contact the police or RFU as we have a mole inside both institutions and will find out.

    Pictures of your banner will be posted shortly to prove it is still in good health and being treated under the terms as laid down in the recent meeting between those parties opposed to the ill treatment of club banners.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is outrageous! I am appalled! How dare you defile on upstanding blog with such diabolical threats as this .... don't you know that we went metric decades ago? One square foot, indeed! Kindly refer to that area as 0.0929 square metres in future.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Katie Alcock4:03 PM

    Hahahah!

    *Phew* at least they didn't get the duck...!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous5:06 PM

    Time is ticking and no interference from beaurocrats in Brussells will stop any amount of cloth being amputated.

    Morag is waiting forthe money!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous8:30 AM

    Who is this morag?

    ReplyDelete

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