Planning to take part in a 7s festival with only seven players was always going to be a challenge.
Losing a player to injury three days before the event posed an even bigger challenge.
In the last two years, Devonport Services U16 girls squad has lent girls to both Army Cadet teams and United Services Portsmouth RFC for the festival, so the (rugby) boot was on the other foot this year.
Borrowing two Army Cadet girls to face USPRFC in our first match, we managed a draw.
We were then joined by two USPRFC girls to take on Army Cadets 1, followed by Army Cadets 2, with wins in both matches. The draw and two wins were enough to get us into the final against USPRFC at half time, a huge achievement for such a small squad.

The final, played during the half time break in the men’s match, was hard fought by two well matched sides. The atmosphere was electric, and the noise deafening as much of the crowd stayed in their seats to watch the youngsters.
Our girls, supported by a couple of the Army Cadets, put up a valiant fight but, despite their grit and determination, eventually lost out to USPRFC by just one try. I am hugely proud of our super six players and how they played and conducted themselves throughout the day.

Maria.