As Easter was very early this year, we had to hold the Tournament a week earlier. Schools would have broken up for the Easter Holidays and even if the Independent Schools decided to have Easter at school, we could not have played matches on Monday Thursday or Good Friday.

We worried about the weather as the Tournament was a week earlier but as it turned out the long term forecast was completely incorrect. Wooden Spoon had provided huge shelter marquees for the teams which did not get used (for this purpose!)

We are indebted to Wooden Spoon for all their support of the Tournament. Wooden Spoon is rugby’s charity supporting disadvantaged children and young people, and our partnership is an very apt one. For details about becoming a member of the Charity or ideas for fund raising through your school or college, please contact Tony Richards at tony.richardsws@btinternet.com or by telephoning him on 01823 421267.

Diary for the Tournament Week

Friday 11^th March

6 a.m.

At Grounds to ensure marquees/tracking/pathways all being placed in situ as arranged – things do go wrong at this time!

4 p.m.

Everything gone well – few hitches in organisation but all in place. SCHOOLS PHONE UP TO SAY THEY CANNOT PLAY. We are not very impressed with this as reserves then have to be contacted at the last minute. However, all is done.

Sunday 13^th March

Last minute organisation with PA system (squirrels tend to eat cables overnight! coupled with local hooligans who just like to disrupt things). The Army arrives so all is OK – wonderful soldiers and very capable of dealing with any situation with no fuss.

Meeting with Met Police who have kindly offered their services as Traffic Control/Parking/ and any other situation.

A few Exhibitors arrive and are directed to their marquee to unload and set up for the Monday morning.

Monday 14^th March

6 a.m. Walking the pitches with the Groundstaff and meeting the Exhibitors arriving in their droves at this time. Met Police Officers arrive.

8.30 onwards

Schools arrive and are directed to correct grounds – there is always one member of staff who has left everything at school and hasn’t got a clue where he is meant to be and when.

Wonderful lady (Shelley) in Information Marquee sorts people out and gets things moving

10.20

First match on all grounds – wonderful feeling that 51 weeks of preparation is actually working and on time!

Webb Ellis Trophy arrives in Wooden Spoon Marquee for photo opportunities.

Catering/paramedics/ambulances/bars/controls/referees etc etc (not in any specific order) all in order (with slight reservations!)

Check that the Police Officers are happy with vehicles access/parking. One of them stopped a car without an official pass. Driver wound down window. Officer is completely overwhelmed as the driver is his “rugby hero” – namely Bill Beaumont who has come to watch his son play! The driver is allowed a parking space!

Schools dropping out for the next few days of the Tournament – numerous phone calls to “reserve” schools – why don’t they give us mobile numbers. We ask on entry forms but some are reluctant to divulge these. Those who cannot be contacted are obviously not going to be competing

18.00

All now calm after first day. Security in place. Weather OK

Tuesday 15 March

All in order with Controls so organisation is going OK

Still problems with schools dropping out but problems resolved eventually

Nothing seemed to go wrong with the Prelims for the Festival Tournament

Brilliant final rounds at Rosslyn Park for the Juniors and Preps.

Juniors Schools Final: Cwm Rhymni 34 Brynteg 0

Prep Schools Final: Sedbergh 19 Millfield 12

Presentations made by David Allen, Chairman of Wooden Spoon

Wednesday 16^th March

“All Ok with the Prelims of the Colts”

Future Hope from Calcutta - second visit – were superb with their presence. All the boys were so polite and full of enthusiasm with loads of supporters from the UK and the Netherlands. One boy suffered an injury to his elbow but in the ambulance was still smiling and full of life and support for his fellow team mates – what an example to everyone else? Our thanks as always go to Tim and Erica Grandage who look after these lads in Calcutta.

The International School from Nyon, Switzerland were also very enthusiastic as was the Swiss Consul from the Embassy who was invited to the official lunch in the Wooden Spoon Marquee. Our thanks go to Carl Williams who trained and brought over these boys and also to Cecilia Lawrence at DHL who found herself organising the trip.

As a result of a school withdrawing at the last minute and not being able to find a reserve, the master i/c rugby at Windsor Boys School said he had a team from Canada staying with them and after numerous telephone calls, these boys participated in the National Schools Sevens. Our thanks go to them and hopefully they will compete in future years

Finals at Rosslyn Park of the Festival

Wellington College 31 Barnard Castle 11

This was a repeat of the 2002 Final when Wellington College beat Barnard Castle by 19 points to 5.

There were some tough matches in the final rounds. Cheltenham College and Epsom College as well as Welbeck College and Taunton School had nail biting quarter finals which could have gone either way. In the end, Wellington College’s pedigree in this Tournament told in a tight final against Barnard Castle.

This was Wellington College’s 8^th win in 14 years and it was subsequently described by Coach, Kenneth Hopkins, as his most satisfying of them all.

Presentations were made by David Allen, Chairman Wooden Spoon and by members of the London Irish Academy

Thursday 17^th March

Prelims of Open and Girls Tournaments

Finals rounds of the Colts Tournament

We had decided for numerous reasons to hold the final rounds of the Colts at the RE grounds rather than at Rosslyn Park. The place was packed with supporters and the atmosphere was wonderful with not only people supporting the U16s but also the prelims of the Open and the Girls Tournaments. The presentations were made outside the Wooden Spoon Marquee in glorious sunshine by David Allen, Chairman of Wooden Spoon

Finals of the Colts Tournament

Sedbergh 12 Millfield 10

Presentations made by David Allen, Chairman Wooden Spoon

Friday 18^th March

Eight hours of continuous rugby in the sun. No entrance fee. So what better way to spend a Friday?

By the time play started at Rosslyn Park virtually all the marquees at Wimbledon and Richardson Evans had been struck and there was no trace of a Tournament ever being played there. Even the pitches look fantastic!

Some good rugby at the Park. Both runners up in the Girls and the Open last year regained their revenge on the reigning champions.

Finals of the Girls Tournament:

Rickmansworth 36 Wycombe High School 0

Finals of the Open Tournament:

Millfield 41 Ivybridge 7

The Millfield Old Boys Challenge Trophy Match

Wellington College produced a fine seven for the Old Boys Match v Millfield (how on earth did their Zurich Premiership players manage to get their clubs to release them for the day?) and Millfield were not able to match them for pace or power

Wellington College Old Boys 40 Millfield Old Boys 7

Any Old Boys side is welcome to challenge Millfield Old Boys in future years. The team MUST be comprised of players who attended the school or college for at least two years. Contact Alan Burns at millfield.academy@virgin.net for details.

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