Welcome to Ealing U12s

Minis & Youth Rugby - A RFU Gold Seal of Approval Club

This season we will be taking another major step towards “grown-up” rugby as we embrace some more changes for our age-group.

First off, we will field thirteen players per side with the inclusion of a No.8 at the back of the scrum and will also be incorporating some of the recently introduced ELVs (Experimental Law Variations).

There is another key change to the structure of the Middlesex “Festival” for our age group in that we will compete in the Middlesex Championship. This involves playing in three “rounds or heats” for both A and B squads in November, February and March, the outcome of which will determine the event we play in on Finals Day (at Wasps) on March 29th.

So in preparation for all these things, we are introducing three very positive additions to the way we do things: The Play Book, Individual Assessment Analyses and Classroom Sessions.

• The Play Book will give a description and graphic illustration of fifteen basic plays for the boys and girls to understand and memorise as the season progresses.
• Assessment Sheets which will be found at the back of the Play Books are designed to encourage each player to keep a record of their individual progress. Completing these sheets is NOT compulsory but for those that do, 1-2-1 review sessions will be made available for individuals with their coaches during which they can discuss specific areas for improvement and then implement plans to achieve these. Basically we’re saying to our players, “if you’re taking your rugby seriously, we coaches will return the compliment”!
• We also intend to introduce some appropriately timed “Classroom Sessions”, during which we will review video footage of the players in action. Typically, we will invite players to a nice warm room in the new clubhouse for around 11.00am the Sunday after a fixture and use the film to help review what we did right and wrong and how we can go about fixing it!

Last season saw further notable progress in our group and I believe that with a little more application in some areas – and considerably more commitment in others, we will continue to build on this. With your help we will endeavour to prepare our gang for the all-important step up to Junior Rugby this time next year but again with the emphasis on SAFETY, FUN and LEARNING.

I look forward to seeing you all as the season progresses.

Thanks and best wishes,

Rikki Clark (Lead Coach)