MINI MATTERS Week 16 Sunday 17 th December - Christmas Rugby! Hello Datchworth Mini Section Coaches, Managers, Players, Parents and Supporters, Last weekend was our Christmas weekend at the Rugby Club. On Saturday, we hosted Welwyn for a keenly fought local derby clash, (that sadly we lost), and on Sunday morning we hosted Santa Clause for some festive fun. Last Sunday was the last rugby for the mini section in 2017 and we will resume with training on Sunday 7 th January 2018 for all age-groups other than the U9s who are visiting Harpenden in a single age group fixture. Santa Visits Datchworth December 2017! Mini Mid-Week Training: Will Resume for the Mini Section on Wednesday 10 th January The Mini Mid-Week Sessions have now finished for 2017 and will resume in the New Year on Wednesday 10 th January, timings and pitch allocations will be unchanged in January. Next Mini Arrangements: Sunday 7 th January 2018 On Sunday 7 th January the Mini Section are all at home, (other than the U9s), for our first training session of 2018. There will also be most youth age groups training. The U12s are on Parking Duty.
Christmas Jumper Saturday - 16 th December 2017! Christmas Jumpers - December 2016! Christmas Jumpers - December 2015! Christmas Jumpers December 2014!
End of Year Christmas Sessions Match Reports from some age groups: U7s Xmas Training @ Datch Our final session for 2017 was a very cold one, but with the lure of Santa making a guest appearance, we still had a fab turnout of u7s. With frost in the air, we wanted to keep the kids running, warm, so had a short, high energy session. We started with a warm up passing the ball whilst running round the outside of the pitch. We then split into two teams for a relay obstacle course where they had to run in and out the cones, hit the tackle pad, jump the tackle bag, run back to the start and pass to the next person. It was very even with both teams fully committing. We moved this onto a skills session where the kids had to run at a tackle bag (as a defender), side step and pass the ball. This was carnage at the start, but once the kids had got into a rhythm, it was great to see everything working. Very impressive We finished with a final game of bulldog before heading in to see Santa. Well done to Kyron, Martha and Lenny who all had fab sessions and also to this week s player of the week, Max who has showed great listening skills and consistency, and is really getting stuck in. A big thank you to all the parents who continue to support the kids week on week. U8s Xmas Training @ Datch Well Xmas cheer was in full effect with coaches Pip and Nick the only coaches to be wearing Xmas jumpers. The children completed a rugby assault course focusing on key rugby skills with a bit of added competition. We then had an inter-age group tournament with all teams having a festive name. Well done to the Christmas cupcakes who came out winners. The children then enjoyed a visit to Santa. Thanks as ever to the club for providing these opportunities. A fun festive day for all.
U9s Xmas Training @ Datch 22 players pitched up this weekend for our final session of the year. We have a busy fixture list in the New Year so as well as a bit of fun, wanted also to do some passing drills. It wasn't the best conditions for passing perhaps and there were plenty of cold hands which resulted in quite a few dropped balls and some interesting interpretations of how to pass from plenty of our players that clearly can - perhaps a bit of last session of the year and Santa excitement had crept in! We will need to switch on in the new year against some very credible opposition. Bulldog was a welcome finishing game - been ages since we did that - and we opted for the 'take the beanie hat off the player' to get them out, to avoid too much physical stuff! Some good sport from the U8s with Pip being "pants'd" by Coach "Big Nose Snr" Danny and some great contraband as our boys hoovered up their pitch cones whilst they were seeing Santa!! Halfway through the season already - wow! Have a great Christmas and New Year - looking forward to 2018! U11s Xmas Training @ Datch Today we had another great turnout of 19 players for a fun Christmas session on a cold morning. It was great to welcome another new player trialling: Matty Lennon. After a warm up and some passing drills, we played Rob The M&M Nest followed by Catch the Santa Ball, ending with a Chase The Celebrations game of speed and skill. Then we gave up and went off to the clubhouse to warm up, after forming a guard of honour to say goodbye to WIlliam Jones. William has played for us continuously for a couple of years and made a great contribution - we hope to see him in the future when his family return. U12s Xmas Training @ Datch The U12s had a slightly disappointing turnout this week with only 11 boys coming down for an overdue pre-xmas training session. With the group broken down into a small group of backs and forwards we worked with the players on some areas of our game play that has been found wanting against the better sides. The group of backs worked hard to learn a core set of moves and calls to help give structure to their game play; we also looked at defending against sides employing a kicking
game, (Tabard). The forwards worked hard with their rucking and driving. The eleven boys who came this week were our collective players of the week! Well done to them all and we look forward to seeing everyone back in the New Year. The Xmas Eleven Players of the week were Oli G, Mackenzie, Luke, Owen, Alex D, Alick, Thomas H, Morgan, Jack L, Jack I and Kyle!!! Mini Section Fixtures Plan 2017/18 Season: Week Date Datchworth RFC Mini Section Provisional 17/18 Season DRFC Parking Duty 17 24-Dec Xmas Eve NO RUGBY - Winter Break N/A 18 31-Dec New Year s Eve NO RUGBY Winter Break N/A Training at Datchworth U7 / U8 / U10 / U11 / U12 19 07-Jan U12 DRFC U9s Away Vs Harpenden (Single Age Group) Hertford & Saracens 3 Way Fixture 20 14-Jan DRFC U10s / U12s Vs Hertford & Saracens (at Datchworth) DRFC U7s / U8s / U9s / U11s Away Vs Hertford & Saracens (at Hertford) U10 21 21-Jan DRFC Minis Vs Barnet at Datchworth U11 22 28-Jan DRFC Minis Vs Stevenage at Datchworth U9 23 04-Feb DRFC Away Vs Enfield Ignations at Enfield TBC Youth 24 11-Feb Training at Datchworth TBC 25 18-Feb DRFC Away Vs Letchworth at Letchworth Youth 26 25-Feb Charles Morris Cup Weekend Vs Welwyn RFC @Datchworth U8 27 4-Mar DRFC Minis Vs Chess Valley at Datchworth TBC
Closing Notes & Roundup While the First XV result on Saturday afternoon was a bit disappointing the spirit in the Club was clear to see with another fantastic afternoon at the Club with players and fans from all sections enjoying the game and Club camaraderie. With the Christmas break now upon us we will be looking forward to 2018 for some more great Rugby, another Holt Tour and our Dinner and Dance. Have a great Christmas and New Year Break and see you all in 2018. Best wishes, Andrew Andrew Howard Chairman Mini Section