High Drama At Mini Rugby (Contributed)

DESPITE a very wet and windy day, the spirit of mini rugby shone through at Chinnor RFC on Sunday.
With over one thousand children playing in eighty nine teams from ten different clubs around the country, this festival has been a landmark success for the Thame based rugby club.
Local teams from Banbury, Oxford Harlequins, Bicester, Wallingford, Aylesbury, Chipping Norton and Grove were joined at Chinnor by Cheltenham RFC and two teams all the way from Chester.
Each team played in four pool games leading to age-group finals at ‘A’ and ‘B’ level.The results of these finals were as follows:
Under 7 winners at A and B level were Wallingford
Runners up were Banbury and Oxford ‘Quins respectively.
Under 8 winners at A and B level were Banbury
Runners up at both levels were Wallingford
Under 9 winners at both A and B level were Wallingford, beating Cheltenham into runners up slot at both levels.
Under 10A winners were Wallingford, beating Cheltenham in the final
Under 10B winners were Banbury, beating Wallingford into second place
Under 11A winners were Cheltenham, beating Chinnor on count back, as the two teams drew the final.
Under 11B winners were Chester, beating Cheltenham into second place
Under 12 winners at A and B level were Wallingford, beating Bicester and Grove respectively.

On this very wet day with so many children, the festival officials had to tend to three relatively serious injuries which required hospital observation. The first two gained the attention of two ambulances. The third, more spectacularly, saw a visit from Oxfordshire’s Air Ambulance. (Ed. The boy concerned is now back at school.)
So far as the organisers are aware the three boys concerned have not suffered serious injury and have gone home to recover.
The chief festival organiser, Ivan Cammack, said of the event: “To see so many children clearly enjoying themselves in this well organised festival gives me a great sense of pride. I am extremely grateful to the many volunteers who have made this event successful, and who support mini rugby throughout the county”.