More than 1,100 kids and at least the same number of coaches, parents, grandparents, siblings and friends enjoying a glorious morning of rugby in near-perfect weather, on immaculate early season pitches.

We welcomed friends new and old from the minis sections at: Bank of England, Barnes, Battersea Ironsides, Hammersmith & Fulham, Hampstead, Kensington Tigers, London Scottish, London Welsh, Southwark Tigers, Sutton & Epsom and Teddington. It was so good to see them!

For the Under 7s and Under 8s, this was their first ever festival, and for the Under 9s it was one of their last tag festivals. The Under 10s were nervously, but excitedly, looking forward to their first ever tackling festival whilst the Under 11s, looking huge in comparison to the younger age groups, were eagerly anticipating the return to tackling matches. It was also refreshing to see so many girls playing across the age groups in both tag and tackling matches.

And so to the rugby. What a joy it was to see all the boys and girls proudly wearing their club kits, running with the ball in hand, faces a picture of concentration, as they sought out the opposition line, enthusiastically cheered on by their proud parents and coaches. One teenage sibling's sage advice to her nine-year old brother, who was having some challenges in his first tackling match: “just pretend you are tackling your older brother!” Brilliant!

The offerings at the pop-up cake stands - mouth-watering home-made cakes, cookies, cupcakes and banana breads, generously baked by Richmond minis families raising funds for the end-of-season minis tour – were often proving as popular as the rugby and more than once I heard coaches pleading with their players, “put your cake down, we’re on in two minutes!”

And after the rugby had finished, the cones had been picked up and stacked neatly in their respective colours (that won’t last long!) and the pitches cleared of coffee cups and water bottles (thanks!), it was time for more food, this time delicious smelling burgers, generously supplied and skilfully cooked by our club sponsors, Cantell and Co.

The coaches then retired to the bar to enjoy a well-earned pint in the early afternoon sun, whilst parents unsuccessfully attempted to extract their kids, knees muddied, proudly wearing their medals, from kicking stray rugby balls over the posts or climbing on the shed roofs.

Of course, minis festivals do not organise themselves and so I would like to thank all the volunteers and Richmond staff who helped make this joyous event happen. My first minis festival as the new Minis Chairman at Richmond has now been chalked off. Phew!

Finally, I hope all our players, coaches, parents and supporters from both Richmond and all our visiting clubs enjoyed the day and we look forward to welcoming you back to our Spring Minis Festival on Sunday 13th March 2022. Please save the date!

Please click here to view a few hundred photos from the day captured by our club photographer Dante Kim. Please feel free to browse and then contact Tom Soulsby via email if you would like copies of the images.

Thanks again,

Neil Darke
Minis Chairman, Richmond Rugby