Mersea Island
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we also staged in February this year the inaugural All Schools
Island Sevens Festival on Mersea Island, which saw some 20
teams over four age groups from nine local schools competing
over a two day period.
Under 14s Tour To France 4-7th May 2018
Over May Bank Holiday weekend our under 14s travelled
to Provins, France to compete in an international juniors rugby
festival involving teams from Czech Republic Belgium, France
and England. We took eighteen players, plus eight coaches
and parents, for what was the first ever Juniors tour organised
by the Club. The publicity leading up to the tour created
tremendous local interest for the Club and attracted huge
support in terms of both finance and community goodwill and
offered the players themselves a wonderful opportunity to
play and experience rugby abroad.
With the generous support of a group of local sponsors
all team members were provided with a brand new custom
tour kit and “stash” comprising tracksuit, kit bag, tee and polo
shirts, training shorts etc. They certainly were the best turned
out team at the Festival in kit designed by the lads themselves
and produced by RAM Rugby UK.
Blessed as we were with fabulous weather, we arrived in
Provins to something akin to a heroes’ welcome – with the
whole town (population 15,000) set aside to allow a grand
parade of all the participating teams through streets lined with
people and a shower of confetti.
Following a welcome from the Mayor of Provins and other
local officials the Festival got underway with teams split into
two “Pools”. In our pool, Mersea were drawn on Day One
with three other French sides and a team from Prague. The
venue was a fabulously equipped sports complex and Mersea
“I moved to the area from Glasgow when I was eighteen and at
the time Mersea didn’t have rugby team so I played for Colchester.
When Mersea Island did start I was happy at Colchester but agreed
to go along to a dinner at the club with fellow Colchester players
Danny Blacklock and Steve Haycock. After a few drinks we ended
up signing for the club!
At that point I was coming to the end of my playing days and so
helped set up the second team and captained them. My son Callum
now takes part in the Calbron Cup on the 27th December in his
sports wheelchair each year to help raise money for charity.
I have sponsored the club since 1995 and a few years ago the
school was struggling to teach rugby so I got my badges to help
out. The club announced that they were starting a junior section at a
similar time and Callum put my name forward to help coach a side.
I’ve coached for around four years now with the side from U12s to
U15s and thoroughly enjoy it. The team has been very successful,
winning some silverware along the way and they really are a joy to
coach.”
Tom Brennan, Brennan Group
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46 Issue 79