County news

Obviously you can now pick up the main Herts county news via the links on the left, but its still useful to highlight a few points from yesterday evenings Herts meeting that Heather and I attended, plus pass on some other stuff tha has come to light about Beds

County trials and squads

• Confirmed that there will be "First" and "Second" team squads for the U18s - but these will not be finalised straughtaway. The 40 or so girls to make up the two squads will be selected at the trials in September, but there will be no allocations to the two separate squads until after the first or second training session. This is so that everyone gets a chance to really show what they can do, and also ensre that no-one gets missed out owing to injury etc.
• Trails for U18s will again be based on mainly game play - but probably not as club-based teams but on teams made up on the day (and probably with players moved between teams and positions).
• U15 trails - also on the same day - will follow whatever works on the day, depending on numbers. If there are sufficient numbers the U15s may also run two squads.
• The aim is to have squads that are big enough so as to allow them to run throughout the season - even after some girls move up to Region.
• We will probably be asked to host a county game at Letchworth.

Emerging Schools 2007/8

• A U14 event again next season, despite girls rugby moving up to U15.
• Clusters of schools WILL be allowed (so if there are not enough girls at your school you could combine with other schools in the area)
• Obviously no dates etc. yet for any county tournaments, though in practice this will almost certainly be after Christmas
• But don't delay - when you get back in September start working on your PE teachers
• This includes Beds schools as we are told that there will be Emerging School in East Midlands County next season as well.
• No idea what is happening in Suffolk, Sasha - suggest you ask.

U12s

• As some of you may know we have plans about U12s, which Heather outlined yesterday.
• This includes running an inter-schools competition in November (with probably a U14 competition as well). Local schools in Herts and Beds will be invited (and Highfield have already said "yes". Etonbury sound promising too).
• In addition there is still a plan to invite U12s from local clubs to the county days.

East Midlands forum

• We now have a seat on the East Midlands (county) forum as well as the Herts one, thus recognising our over-the-border ambitions. Fern's dad is off to the first meeting next Monday. More about that later.