October arrived on Sunday, bringing with it Henley RFC's Famous Minis & Juniors' Festival of Rugby.
This popular annual tournament was supported by our neighbours Marlow, Maidenhead, Reading Rams and Reading Abbey but also visitors from further afield, including Alton, Bracknell, Tadley and Saracens.
Over 1,500 children aged between 6 and 12 played almost 250 games of rugby, cheered on by a further 2,000 coaches, parents and supporters who all enjoyed the famous Henley festival experience.
Age group reports below...
U8
Henley U8s entered 3 teams, with 19 teams across 9 clubs in total.
Some excellent performances against all our rivals, in particular local club Rams. Stand out performance from Henley Team 1 with a nail biting final game against Bracknell attracting a big crowd as we wrapped up the day's fun.
U9
The under 9's enjoyed their first full-contact tournament and competed fiercely against 14 teams from across the counties, with an aggressive defense and lightning attack.
Conlin Lock, Rorie Cumber-Lynch, and Austin Colby led the tackle counts, while the biggest tackle of the day went to Noah Snowdon showing that it's heart, not size, that matters. Thea Strode proved the girls are just as good as the boys by sprinting 30 metres to make a try-saving tackle in the corner.
Over 20 different players ran in tries with Teddy Baxter, Alfie Mortimer and Leo Franklin topping the group.
U10
Henley Hawks U10s fielded 3 teams in what was a fantastic opening tournament of the season. This season has added the complexity of both scrummaging and contest at the breakdown; and all teams adapted well in bringing what they’ve been learning in training into the intense conditions of a tournament.
All the games were particularly close, but one stand out game before the close between Henley and local rivals Marlow had even the neutrals applauding.
It was, as ever, a phenomenal team effort from all three teams, with standout performances from Tatty Campbell for quick hands and stoic defence; Theo Day for his tackling; and Will Lamacraft and Will Leppard for the number of times they crossed the whitewash.
U11
Henley U11s also fielded 3 teams against some very tough opposition which only saw Henley rise to the occasion and one team go unbeaten across their 6 games.
Oli Cook, Miles Pickford and Jack Starmer-Smith all ran in the tries while Sam Mercer, Alexander Jewell and Bodhi Gyoker kept things secure at the back with some big hits and aggressive play at the breakdown.
Eli Heywood deserves credit for a complete display; using his scorching pace to score several tries, while making tackles that Courtney Lawes would be proud of.
Rugby is a game for the brave, and for anyone unsure of its definition, they need only open the dictionary at "B" for Ben Tomkins! Ben inspired his team with a momentous, try-saving-tackle that inspired his team mates and turned the course of the match.
An exciting afternoon of rugby was capped off by a thrilling final game vs Alton which ended with a last-minute try, scored by Jack Starmer-Smith after a tank-busting charge by the imperious Harry Venn.
U12
It was another exceptional festival of rugby for the U12s age group at Henley RFC on Sunday.
Two balanced Henley U12 teams played some great rugby against strong opposition from Maidenhead, Newbury, Reading Rams and Bracknell amongst others. The age group is developing well with a number of potential future stars.
Louis Savage and Monty Thomas captained the teams well and there were strong performances throughout, notably from newcomers Caspian Hutchinson, Harry Sedgewick, James Lovelock and Albie Tomlinson.
We are looking forward to an exciting season ahead and have added some strong new players to the squad this season, in particular from Gillots school.
If you are the parent of a potential U12 player, we would love to see you at Henley RFC, no prior experience required.
