Hertfordshire's county teams produced faultless performances at a four-county tournament on Sunday at Grove in Oxfordshire.
Oxfordshire had clearly gone to great lengths to put the event together at very short notice - four weeks ago it wasn't on anyone's calendar at all! The loss of Herts proposed fixture with Bucks was the spark, and Oxfordshire's agreement to step into the breach - combined with the willingness of Essex and Middlesex to relocate their fixture 100 miles or so west - resulted in an excellent afternoon's rugby.
And it was our girls who dominated the day - which is remarkable when you consider that most of their opponents have been playing together competitively for some weeks, or even months in Essex's case, whereas this was Hertfordshire's first competitive matches.
At Under 17 level a brave Oxfordshire side were unfortunately no match for the speed and flair of the Herts team who ran in some 40 unanswered points before an injury forced an early closure in the second half.
Essex were expected to be a tougher opposition - with their pack looking particular big. But after their initial attack was repulsed Herts gradually increased their dominance and eventually ran out 15-0 winners.
Herts U14 Girls deservedly won their four County Tournament by first class defending which achieved a shut-out against the three sides they played. The team was well led by Clare Shutler who was presented with the winner's trophy afterwards.
In the first game Herts beat hosts Oxfordshire 22-0 with tries from Clare, Emma Wilson, Sam Voyle and Alice Nee, the latter two also making notable crunching tackles on the opposition. Clare also converted a try.
In the second game against arch-rivals Essex, Clare was the key difference and her try gave Herts a hard fought 5-0 win.
In the final game Herts were 0-0 at half-time with Middlesex, until Courtney Arberry took the game by the scruff of the neck with her exceptional tackling and then scoring two tries. Becky Dawson added a late third try and the game ended 15-0 to Herts.
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This was the first fixture for the Herts girls in their new kit, launched with the help of Saracens RFC in October. A photograph from the launch is attached.
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All of these teams will meet again in a 10-county featival at Westcliff RFC in Essex on 3rd December
