Mermaids V Sandbach

Mermaids 5 - Sandbach 5

Sunday's match

Don't forget - we have a match on Sunday - this is the last but one match that this team will play this season. Meet at CBRFC at 12.30.

Fundraising

We have big plans for our tour next season - but we need to do a huge amount of fundraising. We are not going to announce where we are planning to go until we know if it is possible to raise the necessary funds. A fundraising committee will be formed to sort out some activities to raise cash. Everyone needs to get involved if they want to come on tour.

Next match

Match V Sandbach at CBRFC on Sunday 26 April at 2pm - meet at club at 12.30. Sandbach are struggling for numbers so it may not be 15 a side - we will have to see how many players they bring on Sunday and decide then.
Important to get to training on Thursday so Louis can work out who is playing where. Also we are looking to see who is in contention to be the new captain next season - at this moment we are open minded - all will be decided in the next few weeks.

Looking to the future

We are already making plans for next season. We will lose a number of players due to age restrictions but we will gain some younger girls. However the new girls will not be as experienced as the current squad so lots of hard work ahead. Training will continue over the summer - not every week - squad members will be notified when and where.
Next season Louis will be joined by a new assistant coach - Anna Parkin, currently captain of Gogledd Cymru U18 girls, has agreed to stay on as assistant coach to the U18 Mermaids. Anna recently passed the Level 1 referees course with a near perfect score, so don't try and get any dodgy moves past her!

Next match

First of all - well done those who acted as ball girls for the international today - you did the job so well that the senior Gogledd Cymru team management mentioned that they would like to use you for future games - another chance to wear the fetching day-glo vests!

Fixture now confirmed for Sunday 26 April V Sandbach at Colwyn Bay RFC - KO probably 2pm - will confirm time.

International on Tuesday

Those girls who are acting as ball girls for the Wales V England U20 match on Tuesday - I will phone you with final details but remember the skills session with Jason Lewis will run from 10 - 12 before the match.

Esher V Mermaids

Final score: Mermaids 3 - Esher 36

A full match report will be posted as soon as possible but in the interim:

A very tough game against a very strong team. Unfortunately we were let down by a number of players who said they were coming and then never bothered to let us know that they had changed their minds. We only had 15 players on the day, one of whom - Tara Griffiths - had never played rugby before and in fact had only attended one training session - she thought she would just have a 10 minute try out on the pitch but bravely played for the whole match - Well Done Tara. Other players who joined the Mermaids for the day: Bethan & Elin Lloyd Jones (Bangor), Cara Bryan (Oswestry), Suzie Walker and Tara Griffiths (Llangollen), Charlotte Pirie (Pwllheli) and Jess McAuley (Coleg Meirion Dwyfor).

As usual the Mermaids were in second gear for the first 15 minutes, by which time Esher had capitalised on the mistakes and handling errors and scored 21 points. The Mermaids then began to play rugby and were very impressive in the scrum but, due to lack of match experience, fared badly in the line outs. Jess McAuley looked to be in perfect position to score a try but keeled over with an ankle injury and had to sit out the rest of the game. The game was further interrupted by injuries to 2 of the Esher girls in a scrum and they were taken to the local hospital to be checked out. The game was moved to another pitch while the girls were being dealt with and Ellen Jones scored 3 much needed points for the Mermaids with a penalty.

After the match there was much laughter and singing in the clubhouse before the Esher girls set off, first to pick up their strays at the hospital, then for the long trek back to Surrey.

Sunday's match

Bring your black Gogledd Cymru polo shirts to wear after the match, rather than your Mermaid shirts. We are meeting at the club at 12 - 12.15.