Salisbury RFC Under 9's excel in first season of contact rugby

In their first season of contact rugby, Salisbury RFC Under 9's have established themselves as one of the strongest squads in the South through a series of exceptional Festival performances. With a festival win+draw record of 82% in 83 games across the whole squad, and the A team having only lost 3 out of 44 games, the squad have developed into a potent force that want to play attacking rugby that builds from a strong defensive platform. In terms of tournament top three positions (where the dreaded ‘countback' rules have plagued us all season!), the squad have achieved five 1st, three 2nd and five 3rd places. Fantastic!

Concerned about Fixture congestion in October (!), we sent a B team to the New Milton A Festival for the first experience of contact rugby and they did well to get into the Plate qualifying knockout stages. Meanwhile the A team took an additional week of training at the beginning of the season to try to hone their skills ahead of the prestigious, and very strong, Under 9 schools tournament held at Marlborough College. On a day when Moulsford School educated everyone on how to play the early season contact game, Salisbury did exceptionally well to finish the tournament in a very creditable 5th place with 3 wins and 2 losses.

From that early foundation, the squad have progressed enormously. Festival wins have been achieved at Saracens, London Welsh, Bournemouth, Bradford on Avon and Overton and runners up positions achieved at Chippenham, Winchester and London Welsh. Plates have also been won at Salisbury and Havant. In addition to many examples of individual skill and emerging talent, we have benefited from a strong squad ethic that has most noticeably strengthened their commitment in defence. Indeed, Salisbury won the Saracens, Bournemouth and Overton Festivals without conceding a try and only conceded a single try each when the A team won the London Welsh Tournament and the B team were runners up. The sight of the big green wall repeatedly bearing down on unsuspecting opposition is one of the enduring memories of the season, as is the number of all-or-nothing try-saving tackles made! Such phenomenal displays are most markedly represented by the A team stats: in 44 tournament matches played only 27 tries have been conceded while 123 have been scored!

So apart from huge success in competitions, what else has happened this year? A lot! Firstly, we had to cope with the RFU transitional game in neighbouring Hampshire. Six of the tournaments we went to were played in Hampshire in which our players were forced to unlearn their rucking, ripping and mauling skills. Well done to all the players who remembered which set of rules to apply in which game! Secondly, our age group organised and very successfully ran the Salisbury Festival in October at which hundreds of children and their parents enjoyed a feast of great rugby and equally great burgers/sausage! Thirdly, we were pleased that our squad was bolstered by a number of new players this season; some of whom had never played rugby before or had not enjoyed the tag game and wanted to experience the contact game. It is a credit to the coaching team that all the players have developed their rugby skills this year; some of the players making huge leaps in their contribution to the squad. Finally, it has been gratifying for the coaches and players alike that we have been able to rely on the depth of talent in the squad when selecting players for Festivals: for example 21 players have contributed to the ‘A team' success this season - a real squad achievement. As we move into the U10s and add in contested line outs and scrums, there is the opportunity for the players to further develop their front / back row skills and ensure that Salisbury remain a force to be reckoned with!

Many thanks to the coaches, helpers, First Aiders, festival committee, match reporters, photographers and all the parents and players that have contributed to make this season such a success.

John Chaddock (U9 manager)