An U16s cluster team comprising Old Grammarians and Enfield Tigers players had a red letter day after coming up trumps in the Plate Competition of the Middlesex Emeralds International Girls' Festival, played at the home of London Irish (amateur section) at Hazelwood, Sunbury-on Thames, last Sunday (April 14).

After an excellent display in the Pool stages they progressed to the Plate competition, which drew together the three runners up in the group stages, and they turned on the style by downing both Harlequins (5-2), and Old Reigatians B (6-3) in the sevens competition.

Enfield Tigers' coach Tom Mann said: "It was a fantastic performance from all the players. The girls again proved to be a credit to the club and themselves, having shown respect for the opposition, the referee and each other. Supporting each other brilliantly, they had a great and [very] successful day out."

Not that this was ever a breeze. The cluster side were up against tough competition from the start, and they laid the foundations for their ‘Plate’ success in the Pool stages by digging deep and variously beating Chobham (7-6), Reigatians A (7-4) and Basingstoke A (4-2).

They were also ahead in the game against Teddington which had to be abandoned after the opposition found themselves reduced to six players.

The only loss which prevented the cluster from completing a clear round was an agonising 7-6 loss to the eventual winners Eton Manor in a re-run of the National Cup showdown. A result in which the team did very well to come back from a 4-0 deficit, and they could well have tied the game had they not knocked the ball on in the final play of the game.

An excellent record of six wins in their seven games (if the Teddington game is factored into the equation) was achieved despite the cluster team picking up their fair share of bumps and bruises, but the depth of the squad enabled them to overcome any injury problems. Otherwise, the quality of their rugby and never say spirit underpinned an excellent display. Well done girls!

Old Grammarians and Enfield Tigers Team: Emily Mann (Ignatians), Selma Tivnann (Cpt) (Ignatians), Eliza Sibley (Ignatians), Anne Laetitia (Ignatians), Iza Luanaj (Ignatians), Daisy Webb (OGs), Cadence Gillic, (Ignatians) Chloe Sullivan (Ignatians), Chloe Sweeney (OGs), Faye Summers (Ogs), Georgia Georgie (Ignatians), Cassi Dowdall (Ignatians), Michaela (OGs), Annabelle (OGs).

(U14S) The U14s enjoyed a very productive Sunday morning (April 14) by lording their friendly 61-10 against the division lower Cheshunt at Donkey Lane.

Not that the season for this age group, with its burgeoning squad, as they face Fullerians at home on Sunday (April 21).

This will be the prelude to the May Bank Holiday tour on May 3-6. Around 75 people are due to make the trip to Kent which will feature games against Thanet Wanderers and Gillingham Anchorians.

A full report on the Cheshunt game will be published by our intrepid reporters in the coming days.

The U15s had a restful weekend in anticipation of a busy run-in to the season, which sees this age group travel to Essex for a Tournament at Colchester RFC on Sunday, 21 April.

They will wrap up their campaign with successive home fixtures against Datchworth and Aylesbury on April 28 and 5 May.