The future of Basingstoke rugby looks bright as the club’s under-7 squad celebrate the end of a very strong season.
On May 8, the youngsters closed their season with Colours Day at Down Grange, with each youngster picking up a certificate of achievement. Since November, the stars of the future have played in five tournaments across the county, winning three, being runners-up in one and semi-finalists in another.
On November 21, the youngsters scooped the top spot at the Winchester Emerging Players Festival. On February 21, they again won the Havant Emerging Players Festival and on April 10 they were undefeated in the Havant Festival of rugby.
Head coach Andrew Birch said the team’s strength lies in having 30 enthusiastic players and not relying on two or three stars to lead the team.
Using a rotation system, the entire squad saw significant pitch time, giving each youngster crucial match experience.
“This has been a fantastic season for the children, they are a real credit to the club,” said Birch.
“We coach the fundamentals of rugby with a focus on the fun aspect and the children have really grasped it. They have quickly developed a huge range of rugby skills, but best of all is the team ethic. They all support each other on and off the pitch, which is critical to developing a successful rugby team.”
