In the wind and the rain, rugby must prevail and prevail it did on Sunday as Sevenoaks hosted a festival for U8, U9 and U10 players. With teams attending from clubs near and far, the boys and girls were able to suitably stretch their legs and practice all they have learnt in training, hopefully sufficiently to provide a nice chilled afternoon for the parents once the customary loading of the washing machine, sometimes multiple loads if Mum or Dad are also a coach or got soaked through on the sidelines!

We would like to thank all those that attended, from players to parents, volunteers and staff at the club without whom we couldn’t host such brilliant experiences for the upcoming stars of the future. General feedback can be linked to words such as ‘fun/brilliant/awesome’ and that’s just from the parents!

Here’s to more in the future!!

U8s Gallery

U9s Gallery

U10 Festival Report

If you can keep your ball when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on the rain,

If you can trust your team when the opposition doubt theirs,

But take advantage for their doubting too;

If you can tackle and not be tired by tackling,

Or being run at, don’t take a step back,

Or being knocked over, don’t give way to rucking,

And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise

With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and all the mud that’s in it,

And—which is more—you’ll be a rugby player, my son!

For the U10 group, who have played together for six years, this was a first home festival. Some say that biblical rain, waterlogged pitches, a curtailed schedule, sodden spectators and cold winds would be a recipe for disappointment. And then you hear the voice of a ten year old boy, one eye squinting through a face caked in mud, above the throng of squelching tackles and with the scoreboard not in his team’s favour, utter the words ‘I love this!’.

From this two things are clear - this club has created a special home for our community, and the next generation of kids like many before are falling in love with this game.

Same again next year!

Comment