Under 8s
We had an away fixture at Hitchin and the sun was shining, and the pitches were in excellent condition. We were up against a very well put together Hitchin team and we put out two teams of six.
Team 1: Logan, James, Liam, Harrison, Flynn and Joe
Team 2: Noah, Lily, Fred, Will, Dylan and Jan.

There was plenty of excellent rugby on display but It took a while for us to get going in some instances but once we got going, we were fire.

Points of improvement to address first.
There were some stray passes that I feel we can iron out. The easiest pass is almost always the best pass. Some long, lofted passes were being thrown. There was a little bit of hot potato syndrome and some loose hands which led to the ball being dropped.Nothing too concerning though as these points can be addressed at our next training session.

Now for the fun part. There were some excellent phases in play today: quick hands, good catches, and fast jinking runs. Tagging and defensive play was excellent. Special shout out to Noah who dived horizontally to snatch a tag. Most most impressive was the team's spirit and energy. There were some tired legs but they didn’t stop. Well done kids. You should be proud of yourselves.

The player of the match today was Will. He left everything on the pitch today. He linked up well with his team and his energy is always positive. A real leader by example. Well done lad. Milo is in good hands.

As always, we continue to push the ethos of T.R.E.D.S. - Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment,
Discipline, Sportsmanship

Thanks to parents and coaches as always for your dedication. News for next week will be on the rugby chat.. Enjoy your week everyone.

Under 9s
What a great morning for rugby. The Under 9s were eager to get going and they didn't disappoint. Hitchin came loaded with enough for four teams and it was great that we managed to get at least two games for each side.

In attack over the four games played against the well drilled opposition, the supportive parents saw some great runs through their defence and players offloading in the tackle. When the ball went to ground, players were quick to take the ball forward and into contact.

In the first game for one of the Blue and Golds' teams, the defence took a bit of time to warm up, and the importance of the defensive line sadly showed with Hitchin breaking through on a number of occasions. However, over the remaining games Enfield grew in confidence with players putting in some great tackles and with a strong defensive line Hitchin found it more difficult to break through.
Saoirse was recognised for her determination and skills by being awarded this team's Star of the Week.
Team: Saoirse, Imogen, Rian, Cian L, Joey, Noah B, Max

For the other Blue and Gold team, there was similar determination and a significant improvement in both the tackling and the support play. Both of these were needed as Hitchin themselves had some strong runners and were determined in defence. The team are also learning to look and pass before taking the tackle. There were some great tries from both teams but there was moment of controversy when Coach Martin disallowed a try for Charlie, ruling that Charlie had run into touch in goal before grounding the ball. Later video evidence prove inconclusive but there were some strong words over supper that evening.
It was great to award George the "Star of the Week" was his real improvement and understanding of the game.
Team: Katie, Sophie, Robyn, Cian, Brodie, Ollie, George, Charlie.

Overall some great rugby played today by both clubs.

Under 10s
Enfield Under10s were back on the road again, depleted in numbers compared to recent weeks, with some players on the injury bench, others who were unwell & some enjoying a break over the half term. And this was the week we came up against Hitchin who were able to field four sides to our two. The commitment shown by our players, however, more than made up for the difference in numbers as we played four games to ensure all the opposition got a chance to face us.

The team overseen by Barri, had strong runners who showed off their power in attack but he was particularly proud of the technique shown at the ruck and that more and more players are putting their hand up to make a tackle. He highlighted the development shown by Elliott, who has long been known for his elusive running, but today was looking to pass before contact or going to ground to allow the ruck to develop. It was Anthony, however, who was awarded Player of the Week - he had been carrying an injury all week but showed all of his resilience to deliver a typically intelligent performance.

The team overseen by Jeremy, didn't get off to the best of starts in the first game and it looked like it might be a long morning. He needn't have worried, however, as they soon put this behind them and got stuck in, in both attack and defence. (Some of the players may be feeling a little sore after the effort they put in.) There were strong performances by all with a range of players getting on the score sheet and Oscar seemed to play like a boy on a mission. So, it is a measure of how well Megan played that she walked off with the second Player of the Week award.

Well done to Anthony & Megan!

It was a great morning of rugby and all coaches, both home and away, were incredibly proud of the skills shown by the kids and the sportsmanship they displayed.

Thanks to Hitchin for being great hosts.

Team 1:Anthony, Benjamin, Elliott, Emily, Joseph H, Joseph T, Rayyan, Sienna & Sonny
Team 2: Eddie, George F, Isla, Jonny, Joseph W, Megan, Oliver, Ollie, Oscar & Ted