By Gavin Williams, RDO Berkshire Sports Partnership

Berkshire’s Emerging Schools Rugby Festival has grown from humble beginnings, when four schools competed, to a recent competition for 17 schools at U12 and 15 schools at U13 levels. The festivals, hosted by Redingensians RFC, are now a popular part of the calendar.

Local Premiership club, London Irish, supported the event and provided tickets for the winners to attend Premiership matches, including the St Patrick’s day match versus Bath. At the U13 Festival, London Irish stars Chris Sheasby and Rob Hardwick were there to lend their support and were very impressed by the standard of rugby on display. Chris was even brave enough to take up the flag and act as touch judge for the final between Charters School and Waingels Copse. Charters came out as winners after a closely fought match that went into extra time. Charters will now go on to represent Berkshire at the National Final on Saturday 1st May.