Field were joined by 20 other sides from across the south and were pooled with Tadley, Bracknell and Old Colfeians. Field won their opening encounter with Tadley before drawing against Old Colfeians. In the true spirit of the game, Field lent Colfeians one of their players, Chinnery who not only scored a try, but set up anoth-er! Field needed a win against Bracknell to top the group and this they duly did.

In the quarter finals Field came up against another Tadley team. Tadley had a similar record in the pool stage so it looked like it would be a close game. So it proved until, with the scores level and time nearly up, F. Lowe popped up on the wing and went over in the corner to score the winning try.

Field’s semi-final started badly with Newport scoring a couple of tries, but the character of the squad came through as they fought their way back into the game. With the teams at 5-tries apiece, Newbury scored again to take the lead. Field had a chance to draw level again with the final play of the game, but were unlucky not to get the score they needed.

This loss to the tournament’s eventual winners meant that the U8s finished joint 3rd out of a strong starting 20. The squad showed fantastic teamwork, with each player playing their part in an amazing performance.

From the coaches’ perspective, the most pleasing element of the day was the teamwork, support play, discipline and ethos of sportsmanship.

With only a few weeks left of the season, the coaches’ aim to ensure that every one of the 40 strong U8 squad has had the opportunity to represent the club in a tournament, will have been achieved.

Squad: Hill, Mosley, Van Laun, Eldridge, Newton, F. Lowe, J. Lowe, Chinnery, Harris, Guthrie