This was the first fixture for the under 12s as youths and the girls were really looking forward to playing against another team after the summer of training. There were a few surprises before we got there, like the unexpected news that they had to change into smart clothes after the game, to be fair this caught their new coaches off guard as well! All of the girls were there early, even before the Sidcup coach had arrived to set up the pitch and set about warming in the traditional way of 11 year old girls, running about noisily in between drills organised by coach Lance Lewis.

When the girls from the two other teams arrived, not quite between them having as many as the eight from Medway, the session got under way. The girls were mixed together and put through their paces with drills designed to promote physical and mental skills and most of all to have fun.

After the games, the girls played a game of touch rugby as mixed Sidcup and Medway teams before the part that the Medway girls had all been looking forward to most, a full contact game together against the combined numbers of both other teams. Because of the relative inexperience of the other team, it was a pared back game limited to tackling only. It took the girls a while to adapt to the different rules, but they were soon playing well together. No one kept score but it’s fair to say that the greater experience of the Medway girls shone through with our experienced players and debutants alike running in tries and making tackles. All the girls played well but highlights included 7 tries for Imogen Lewis and 5 for Ashleigh Ellis as well as 2 for debutant Amy Head with superb strong running. There was also some clever thinking with Freya Haynes spotting that the defence was loaded to deal with the threat of the Immy guided missile at the restart and putting Ashleigh through on the blind side. Grit and determination demonstrated by Annabelle Cooper coming back on after a nasty knock. To complete the team performance Senna Merrick Bethan Cox and Rosie King made great tackles and worried the defence with direct running.

After the game they all took part in the guard of honour for the men’s teams before going to get changed ready for their second favourite part, the free food!

It was a really enjoyable afternoon for everyone, and the girls represented Medway and girls’ rugby really well on their first trip out and are looking forward to the next one. The team will continue to grow in numbers and experience and will be a force to be reckoned with as the season continues.