Head Coach Rob Hill reflects on a successfull campaign.
Our Under 18s had a new lease of life this season with James Clark added to the Coaching Team after coaching the U15s last season; along with Rachael Barker who took over as Team Manager. Steve Nichols provided the link between the county and clubs, giving his invaluable insight in to all the girls from their club games as well as coaching on match days.
Last year was the first year of a new programme and we knew that this season would be the benchmark going forward; and what a County Season it was. With the most of the girls playing alongside each other at club level, this was demonstrated in our intensity at training and willingness to take on new ideas from the coaching staff and progress and develop even more.
Against Cornwall RFU at Banbury RUFC, we came away with a convincing 51-5 win. Everything that was worked on in training was there to be seen with great support and continuity from all the players involved; that not only happened in this game but the following 2 as well.
Away in Camborne for our second County game against Devon RFU, for the Year 13 and Year 12 girls it was a chance to see how far they had developed after losing heavily the year before. Well, all the team stood up and took it to Devon from the start and secured a hard fought 31-7 victory. This demonstrated to the other counties that Oxfordshire are now a team that are on the up.
Finally to Drybrook RFC to take on Dorset and Wilts RFU. With the added pressures of school exams affecting training beforehand, it was a bit a stop start game. The girls did not necessarily produce a performance that reflected the two previous winning displays. We still came out 38-22 winners and for the first time our Under 18s Girls won all three of their games for a tally of 119 points for and 34 against.
Rob Hill, Head Coach was delighted with the campaign, "I would like to thank Clarky, Rachael, Steve, Gary Morris, the parents and of course all the girls who have all taken on board what we are trying to do at county level. They have given their all to what we have asked. We say thank you and goodbye to the Year 13 girls; but I know that with the team we have left and the older Under 15s coming up to us next season we will be a team to be watched again."
Oxfordshire RFU would like to extend our sincere thanks and congratulations to everyone involved in the 2017-2018 Under 18s Girls season.
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