An excellent weekend in Norfolk!!

A pre-festival friendly fixture at North Walsham set the tone for the weekend of early starts, glorious sunshine, cold winds, and winning score lines!!!!
The Under 10s arrived fired up for a game of rugby.... maybe it was the singing on the coaches or perhaps their most recent win at Saracens Amateurs!
Team 1 started slowly and were lucky not to concede a try in the first few moments of the game, but some excellent supportive play across their attacking line meant that the tries for Cheshunt came quickly. Several chances were missed when Cheshunt bunched around the ball and didn't pass down the line, they were lucky to end the first half 10:0 up.
The second half of the game was much better with the Cheshunt players reading the game well and using all their strength and determination to run in a further 4 tries to finish the game 30 points to nil.
Try Scorers were:
James Anderson 2, Matt Lawton 2, kenny Campbell 1, Scott Sciara 1
Team 2 tried hard to follow in Team 1s footsteps but North Walsham were not deterred by their loss in the first match and came out fighting! For each try run in during the first half the opposition came back and levelled the scores and by half time it was a draw at 15 points each. Thankfully Cheshunt came back out after half time and ran in a try within the first minute of the game, but again North Walsham kept up their matching play and pulled back level....twice! Cheshunt however decided that they would up their game another level and ran in 2 more tries not giving the opposition a chance to handle the ball let alone score with it. A final score line of 35:25.
Try scorers were:
Jack Staines 4, Samuel Dervish 1, Aston Bush 1, James Smith(*2) 1

Well done also to Rob Bush, Gavin Dean, Darren Sharp and Andy Smith for taking part in the Dads game! Unfortunately North Walsham were unable to field a Dad's side however CRFC fielded two sides who played each other.

Festival Day dawned with glorious sunshine once again and off we set with every intention of bringing home some silverware!
The all important first game was a disastrous start with Thurrock running in the first try before Cheshunt had even switched on, the groans of the parents could have been heard back home!! Matt lawton sustained an injury to his left shoulder and had to be carried off but the boys lifted their heads and played their hearts out running in 2 tries within 3 minutes and defending tremendously for the final 7 minutes of the game. Great sportsmanship from Thurrock with concerned parents asking after our injured player! Final score 10:5
Game 2 against Northampton Yellows was a much sharper start with Cheshunt running in the first try and another 2 during the first half, however Northampton Yellows were very keen to keep their game flowing and ran in 2 tries just before half time. The scrum dominated the second half of the game with solid drives and excellent hooking winning every single scrum. Cheshunt ran in a further 5 tries in the second half. Final Score 40:10
The 3rd and final game in the pool was against Nottingham and saw Matt Lawton recovered from his shoulder injury and running in 3 tries within 4 minutes, excellent attacking play great defence and winning scrums once again led to a winning score of 30:5 and the anxious wait to find out whether the boys were through to the final.
The Cheer that went up when their place in the final was confirmed was far louder than the groan at the beginning of the day!!!!
Try Scorers
Samuel Dervish 4, James Smith 4, Matt Lawton 3, Samuel Gunkel 1, Scott Sciara 1, Joe Sharp 1, James Smith(*2) 1, Jack Staines 1.
The final was against the Northampton Reds who within seconds ran straight through the CRFC defence and over the try line. Their passing was excellent, the scrums strong and hard and at the end of it all Cheshunt were outrun and outplayed at the last hurdle. A great effort by everyone on the team but it just wasn't to be the winning trophy, however runners up in the final is a really good achievement lads.. Well done.

CRFC wish to send their very best wishes to the 2 young players, and their families, who were airlifted to hospital on Sunday during the festival.