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Guildford RFC Under8`s
Runners up again
The successful Under 8 A team pictured with coach James Spicer
On Sunday 2nd March 2003 it was the turn of Guildford RFC Under 8 A team to play in their home festival.
The first match against Worthing ended with a narrow 25-20 loss for Guildford, but they quickly followed this up with wins against Cobham, Windsor and a very impressive 25-15 victory against eventual festival winners London Welsh.
After victory against London Welsh this left Guildford needing victory against Haslemere to win the tournament. In a very exciting match and amidst lots of cheering from parents and supporters on the touchline Guildford managed to scrape a 10 all draw, hanging on stoically against a very strong Haslemere onslaught for most of the second half.
Once again runners up, but a very good display from all the players especially Matthew Venner and Daniel Ogle who stepped up from the B team at the last minute due to illness and injuries to help save the day.
Guildford RFC Under 8`s
Runners Up at `B` Festival
The successful under 8 B team pictured with coach Steve Simons.
On Sunday 16th February 2003 Guildford RFC under 8`s played in their own `B` Festival at Broadwater against very good teams from Sutton and Epsom, Cobham, Worthing, Teddington and Dorking.
The first two games saw hard wins against Dorking and Cobham. The third game was a different matter when Guildford came up against eventual Festival winners Teddington. A very creditable first half saw Guildford turn around 10 all. In the second half Teddington moved up a gear and won 25-10.
Our 4th game was also tough against a strong team from Worthing, which after a very tense game saw a 25-25 draw.
A win in the final game against Sutton and Epsom saw Guildford into a very good 2nd place behind a very well organised Teddington side.
Guildford RFC Under 7’s Win Waverley Festival
Having come runners-up at the Chobham Festival the week before, the Under 7’s moved into top gear to win the Waverley Festival held at Haslemere RFC on 6th October.
A tricky first match against the hosts Haslemere saw the lead swap hands several times before a try in the last minute by Ieuan Jones sealed a 4-3 victory for the Gees.
Next up were Farnham who provided a stern challenge in the first half, but were unable to cope with the slick rugby the Gees played in the second half and tries from Andrew White, Jan Outen and Robbie Thomas paved the way for a 6-2 win.
The final match against Cranleigh proved the most decisive with tries from Jo Wigmore, Matthew Hobkinson, Matthew McConnell and Robert Stevenson giving a final score of 5-0.
So the Autumn Festivals ended in triumph with an overall match record of 5 wins, 2 draws and only one defeat. Well done !!
Guildford & Godalming R.F.C. Under 8`s
Runners up at the Waverley Festival
Josh Hardy
Guildford & Godalming
Under 8`s
Player of the week
Waverley Festival
2002
On Sunday 6th October 2002 Guildford and Godalming R.F.C. mini’s went to the annual Waverley Festival this year hosted by Haslemere Rugby Club.
The under 8`s started against this years hosts Haslemere and fought out a very hard 15 all draw. In the next match against a very strong team from Farnham, both sides played very well and the match ended in a thrilling 25 all draw. Our last match was against a very spirited Cranleigh side and Guildford won 25 0 giving us runners up spot behind Farnham.
Guildford & Godalming U9`s unbeaten after two Festivals
The successful U9`s at the Chobham Festival pictured with
our Chairman and U9`s coach Rod Shea.
Guildford & Godalming U9`s have got off to a flying start to the new season remaining unbeaten after eight matches.
On the 29th September 2002 Guildford mini’s attended the Chobham A Festival where they played teams from Basingstoke, Ealing, Sutton and Epsom, Cobham and Chobham. The U9`s had hard fought victories against Sutton and Epsom, Basingstoke and Ealing following up with very tough draws against our old rivals Cobham and Chobham. This left Guildford unbeaten on the day but runners up to a very strong Chobham side.
Guildford & Godalming U9`s Success Continues
The successful U9`s at the Waverley Festival
Following their success at the Chobham Festival Guildford mini’s moved on to the annual Waverley Festival this year hosted by Haslemere R.F.C. on Sunday 6th October 2002. The U9`s played teams from Farnham, Cranleigh and hosts Haslemere.
Unbeaten from the week before the U9`s were determined to remain so and opened their account with a good victory against hosts Haslemere. With confidence high they then followed their opening win with victories against strong teams from Farnham and Cranleigh, this left them top of their league and overall winners.
No one in their right mind would refer to Phil Henry in the Operating Theatres at St.Anthony's, as miniature. The 'minis' in question are his charges on the rugby field at the Guildford and Godalming Rugby Football Club where he coaches the Under 7s. The club runs six mini teams for each year from Under 7 to Under 12 and, in addition, hosts successful mini-rugby festivals starting this February with teams from Sutton, Epsom, Chobham, Cobham and Dorking.
Sensitive readers whose experience of rugby is limited to watching the Six Nations Championships on TV will be relieved to hear that the little lads are not subjected to quite the same levels of aggression evidenced in adult teams. In fact there is a strict set of rules setting out what is permitted at each age group. Under 8s do not scrum and tackling is limited to a two handed touch under the waist. Scrummaging begins with the Under 9s but only with three people from each side; Under 11s and Under 12s are permitted five a side scrums. The more genteel nature of the mini game is best demonstrated in the general rule that applies to all age groups: "Games will be shortened if one team leads by 30 points. Swinging a player by the shirt is penalised as dangerous."
Just in case these precautions are not sufficient to prevent injury, St.Anthony's has sponsored a set of First Aid kits for the Guildford and Godalming Minis together with balls for the Mini-Rugby tournament. You can read below how Phil Henry's charges acquitted themselves.
