Sussex Staff 2008-09

Sussex Girls' Rugby will be run by the following people this season:

Coaches

Matt Kemp, Head Coach U15 and U18 Girls (U18 Backs Coach)

Matt has extensive coaching experience in the women's and girls' game over a 12-year period. He has coached at the highest of levels in the club game, most recently in the Premiership (England's top Women's league) at Henley Hawks and latterly Wasps as well at at U17 and senior Regional level and Performance Development Academy/High Performance Academy, Harlequins Academy (Schools of Rugby) and England U20 trials. A qualified RFU Coach Educator, Matt has led the Sussex Girls' coaching team for three seasons.

Steve 'Granny' Grantham, U18 Assistant Coach

Granny continues to work with Sussex Girls' Rugby this season following a successful and popular entry in 2007. He spent several seasons as a spectator watching his daughter go through the ranks. Granny still plays every Saturday and coaches extensively at Crawley RFC. He has coached at Regional level.

Mike Titheradge, U15 Coach

Mike is welcomed to the Sussex coaching team this season, bringing his quiet, calmly enthusiastic coaching to bear on what could be a rowdy bunch of U15 players!

Robin Gale, U15 Coach

Robin joins Sussex this season. His organisation and honesty together with his coaching will be of benefit to the players.

Anthony Beckett, U15 Assistant Coach

Anthony has been involved in Sussex Girls' Rugby for several seasons, assisting with the U14/U15 age group. His daughter is a rugby player, albeit at senior level. Anthony was previously Chair of Women's and Girls' Rugby in Sussex and Lead Coach of the South Sussex Barbarians.

Managers and Physio

Wendy Harwood, U15 Manager

Familiar with Sussex rugby for several seasons,2008 is Wendy's first year as a squad manager and she's taken the U15 job and players by storm. Her daughter is a member of the U15 squad.

Claire Byrne, U18 Manager

Claire came on board as a manager in the 2007 season. She has transformed the way the U15 and now U18 squads are managed with her frighteningly effective organisation skills, her enthusiasm and desire to do the best for the players. Her daughter is a member of the U18 squad.

Catrin Evison, Sussex Physio

Recently joining the management team of the two squads, Catrin brings enthusiasm and expertise to the job, providing rehab advice to injured players, strapping to those who require it, treatment at training sessions and pitch-side services at matches and training.

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The Players and management teams of the Sussex U15 and U18 squads enjoyed a successful awards evening at Tottington Manor, near Henfield on Friday 27th February. Organised by U18 manager Claire Byrne, the dinner celebrated the achievements of the players this season and awards were made to recognise their efforts.

	U15 Awards	U18 Awards
Most Improved Player Best Newcomer Outstanding Team Player Players' Player of the Season Player of the Season Captain Champagne Moment	Lydia Joy Ellie Megan Lavill Cassie Larcombe Deborah Harwood Deborah Harwood	Rebecca Harrison     Amy Grantham and Molly Byrne Nina Crowther and Alex Finch Rebecca Harrison Amy McCarthy (last-gasp try against Hampshire)

Photos to follow

Following trials held on Sunday 11th January at Gravesend RFC, the following Sussex players have been selected to represent their region:

South East U15s		South East U18s
Charlotte Bird Georgia Gale Martha Gosney Georgia Gray Deborah Harwood Zoe Joslin Lydia Joy Cassie Larcombe Megan Lavill Melissa Ruffell Rachel Titheradge Ellie Ambridge		Nina Crowther Yasmin Eager Alex Finch Amy Grantham Rebecca Harrison Siân Lewis Amy McCarthy Sereena Peppard Megan Rees Amy Wilson Hardy
Congratulations to those selected.

Last season we collected a lot of information from players and parents which enabled us to make things better in the Sussex squads this season - at least, we think we made things better. So we need you to tell us what you thought.

As usual the surveys are confidential - unless you choose to put your name there is no way we can identify you.

Because we can't work out who you are, it means that you can be totally honest and tell us things that you might otherwise not want to say. We'll appreciate it if you are totally honest, but please also be polite!

Bringing an historic season in which they played 10 games and won 8, to a close, Sussex U15 soundly defeated Hampshire U18 at Brighton RFC on Sunday 14th December

From the start the Sussex team refused to be intimidated by their larger opponents, in particular in the pack where their hard work in training paid off. The front row of Zoe Joslin, Georgia Gale and Megan Lavill put in an awesome performance taking an amazing 11 out of 16 of the Hampshire scrums against the head.

The ball was quickly spun out by half backs Mel Ruffel and Faye Kirby and the quick Sussex backs revelled in the amount of possession, spinning the ball out wide for incisive runs from Martha Gosney, Georgia Gray and Captain Deborah Harwood who cut through from full back and scored 4 individual tries, converting one of them herself.

The retention and ball carrying in the pack was also exceptional with ‘hard yards’ made from storming runs from number 8 Cassie Larcombe, resulting in a well-earned individual try. Second rows, Lydia Joy and Rachel Titheradge supported well, consistently making good ground and off loading in the tackle to keep up the forward momentum. This effort was well rewarded by an excellent scrum try scored by Rachel Titheradge.

As usual the tackling throughout the whole team was first class so that, even when they won the ball, Hampshire found it difficult to get over the gain line and frequently lost ground.

It was a fast game and the strong Sussex team spirit, support play and communication repeatedly paid off, culminating in a well taken score by Centre Ellie Ambridge taking an offload on the shoulder from Martha Gosney after a good break down the wing and breaking through for a classic try under the posts.

The final score was a win by 39-12 taking the total for the season to 10 wins out of 12 games. This must make this team one of the most successful that Sussex have fielded- certainly at this age group.

The girls now go on for regional trials in January after a well-earned Christmas break!

 

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Sussex U15 Nominations	Sussex U18 Nominations
Deborah Harwood Cassie Larcombe Rachel Titheradge Ceri Clarke Georgia Gale Georgia Gray Mel Ruffell Ellie Ambridge Charlotte Bird Lydia Joy Martha Gosney Zoe Joslin Megan Lavill Emma Reakes Lizzie Roe Faye Kirby	Katie Baurer Emma Bennett Molly Byrne Bethany Coleman Nina Crowther Meghan Curteis Yasmin Eager Alex Finch Amy Grantham Bex Harrison Amy McCarthy Nicole Meed Sereena Peppard Megan Rees Siân Rees Steph Walter Amy Wilson Hardy Siân Lewis Fizz Howes Yarlett Hannah Wood Liv Davis
At this stage players need not do anything. They will receive an email from the RFUW in due course, advising them what to do next. If having been nominated you decide you do not wish to go to regional trials, please let your squad manager know as soon as possible so that someone else can take your place.

Hot on the heels of Debs Harwood and Cassie Larcombe, three more Sussex girls have been invited to take part in the prestigious Harlequins Sussex Schools of Rugby.

Designed to develop core skills and game-sense through intensive, high-quality coaching in the company of the best players in Sussex, Georgia Gale, Ceri Clarke and Rachel Titheradge will join Debs and Cassie along with the best U14 boys in Sussex

Sessions take place on a monthly basis on Brighton's third-generation All-weather Training Pitch.

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