Sparkling day for schools
12:51pm Tuesday 10th June 2008
TEAMS from Overton Primary and Sherborne House schools are a step nearer playing rugby before a big Twickenham crowd.
They were the winners of a primary schools tag tournament at Overton rugby club, who go on to take part in national finals of the Child Victims of Crime charity tournament at Rugby School.
The winners there will have the opportunity to play on the day of an England International at rugby's headquarters.
In the annual competition at Overton, 280 children from 28 schools competed in the Year 5-6 age group last Thursday.
The pool games resulted in semi-finals between Overton and Hatch Warren and Oakley and Whitchurch schools.
Overton won by a golden try after a thrilling game ended in normal time with seven tries each. Oakley beat Whitchurch by five tries to four in the other semi-final.
In the final, Overton beat Oakley by seven tries to five in a match that could have been won by either team.
On Friday it was the turn of the Year 3-4 teams and 24 teams took part. The semi finalists were Chalkridge against Sherborne House, from Eastleigh, while Oakley took on their school-mates, who formed the Oakley Otters team.
Oakley defeated Oakley Otters by five tries to four and Sherborne House beat Chalkridge by six tries to two.
The final was watched by London Irish mascot Digger, who had travelled to Laverstoke Park to support the event.
The final saw Sherborne House win by seven tries to four. In addition to claiming the trophy, the winners were invited to watch London Irish's first home premiership match of the new season.
Overton rugby club runs the tournament as part of their Sparkling Rugby programme, which sees club chairman Roger Filbey lead a team of coaches who go into local schools.
The Sparkling Rugby programme is sponsored by Basingstoke Police and the Basingstoke School Sports Partnership.