NORTH Waltham Primary School and St Mary Bourne Primary School claimed victory in Overton RFC’s Sparkling Rugby tournament.

The team from North Waltham won the year three and four competition, while St Mary Bourne were successful in the year five and six event.

A total of 71 teams and more than 800 children took part over the two tournaments, which were run by Overton and supported by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and Hampshire Constabulary.

The year three and four tournament was keenly contested, with 35 teams split into five pools. North Waltham were undefeated in their pool games and an extra-time win in the quarter-finals set up a meeting with Sherborne St John School in the last four. Again it was North Waltham who won through to reach the final, where they beat Ashford Hill Primary School by four tries to one.

Jeff Maidment, head teacher at North Waltham, said: “I’m very proud of the children in the team and the way they played.

“They only had three weeks of practice and for some it was their first taste of rugby. They showed tremendous team work in supporting each other during the games and all played with huge smiles on their faces.”

In the tournament for older children, the 36 teams were split into five pools, with the winners and three best runners-up reaching the last eight.

Oakley Church of England Junior School, North Waltham, St Mary Bourne Primary School and Chalk Ridge Primary School won through to the semi-finals, with Oakley beating North Waltham 3-1 and St Mary Bourne winning 5-4 against Chalk Ridge.

North Waltham claimed third place, beating Chalk Ridge 5-2 in the play-off, while a close final was won by St Mary Bourne, who beat Oakley 5-3 to lift the trophy.

Roger Filbey, president of Overton RFC, said: “The club receives excellent feedback from schools about how much the children enjoy themselves and we hope that a number of them will want to continue playing following this introduction to the sport.”