Essex Inter Counties Junior Ladies Rugby Festival

Sunday 18th November 2007

Harlow Rugby Club hosted  the Essex County RFUW  the Annual junior inter county ladies festival at Harlow Rugby club.  With teams from Oxfordshire, Leicestershire, Middlesex, Eastern Counties and Hertfordshire taking part. this was a well organised and enjoyable day’s rugby, despite the bitterly cold wind. 

In the U15's competition the Essex girls lost just one crucial match against the eventual festival winners Hertfordshire.  However, the U18's Essex were able to turn the tables in an exciting final match against their arch rivals and friends from Hertfordshire.  Essex managed to score the vital try in a tense match to run out winners by 5 points to 0 and retain the trophy for the second year in succession. 

Harlow supporters had a particular interest in the under 18s competition with club member Natalie McClarnon captaining the winning Essex side. For Natalie who started the game some years ago in the club mini section and who will be eighteen in a few weeks time the win makes a great climax to her career in junior rugby as she moves on the senior game.  As a junior she has played at county and regional level, captained the regional under 18 side  and has trialed for the England squad. As a result of this she has been accepted onto the England pathway Talent Development Group (TDG) along with 2 other Essex Girls Emily Scott and Sophie Russell

During the presentations made by Ivor Smith the County Secretary, Phil Robson, Essex County RFUW programme manager, thanked all the teams for taking part, Essex County RFU for their support and Harlow RFC for their magnificent organisation in hosting the festival.

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