Slough RFC welcomes 650 rugby-playing boys and girls to Wynford Phillips festival

Caleb Donohoe

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Slough RFC welcomed 650 rugby-playing boys and girls from clubs across the region for the Wynford Phillips festival on Sunday. After two to three weeks of storms and seemingly never-ending rain, the skies suddenly cleared and conditions were perfect for the annual event. Each team played 5 games which were managed by coaches with Rugby Core Values of Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline and Sportmanship at the forefront.

Slough u7s had a brilliant day with some great tagging and wonderful tries by John Morris-Jones, Aarav Kumar and Ayaan Dube against Richmond Red in their first match while great teamwork between Beant Dhillon and Jasmehar Bedi led to scores against Windsor in their second. The u7s continued to play well in their next three games, showing amazing spirit throughout their first festival experience.

Slough u8s made a promising start to the day when Hasan Mughal opened the scoring against Richmond Red in their first game and Ameliah Bryant added a second try for a Slough win. A closely contested match against Rams RFC followed, Eshen Panesar managing to cross the line on the final whistle. The third game against Windsor saw great teamwork between Sara-Jayne Jack and debutant Malachi Makawa end in a try while excellent communication between Slough players against Richmond Black and Phoenix in the last two games led to more tries.

In the u10s, a quick footed Harvey Hitchings-Goswell opened the scoring for Slough against Rams in the first game, Caleb Donohoe running in a second try for a superb finish. Slough played some strong rugby against Richmond Black next before putting in a great shift against Staines, a fantastic race down the wing ending in a try for Sam Woolnough. Abbots proved to be formidable opponents in the fourth game, Slough unable to get a foothold in this game before finishing the day against Richmond Red.

Slough was also able to field an u9s team this year while Slough's u11s players formed a baabaa squad with Chesham and the u12s combined forces with Phoenix and Pinner for the day.

A spokesperson for the Slough RFC said it had been a great day for the club’s KIDS FIRST section: “The emphasis of the Wynford Phillips festival is for everyone, especially the children, to have fun, enjoy the rugby, make some new friends and go home wanting to play some more. We had approximately 650 children age 6-12 years old having a great time playing rugby at the club this morning thanks to the efforts and hard work of coaches, volunteers and parents.”

Teams attending the Wynford Phillips Festival 2020: Slough, Chesham, Fullerians, Hillingdon Abbots, Phoenix, Pinner, Rams, Richmond, Staines, Tadley and Windsor.