Children Tackle Tag Rugby in Fulham's Hurlingham Park

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St Stephen's come top in competition between 20 H&F primary school teams

A team of children from St Stephen's Primary School in Uxbridge Road in Shepherd's Bush have been declared champions in a tag rugby competition at Fulham's Hurlingham Park.

Twenty teams from primaries across the borough took part in the event, staged on a sunny autumnal morning last week.

By the quarter-final stage, the competitors had been whittled down to eight teams from six schools -  Fulham's All Saints A, St John’s A and St John’s B:  Hammersmith's St Peter’s and Stephen’s A, St Stephen’s B, , Miles Coverdale and Ark Swift, all from Shepherd's Bush.

In the semis, St John’s A beat All Saints A 2-1, while St
Stephen’s A defeated Miles Coverdale 3-1.

The stage was set for the grand final, with St Stephen’s emerging triumphant, beating St John’s 2-0, and being crowned the 2019 champions.

In the third-place play-off game, All Saints shaded it 1-0 against Miles Coverdale.

Calum Fairley, Hammersmith & Fulham’s school games organiser, was impressed by the quality of play. "The pupils enjoyed participating, the competition was good and the level of rugby skills was noticeably higher," he said.

" It’s probably because many schools have now placed rugby league in their PE and games curriculum, but it’s clear that pupils’ ball skills, teamwork and strategy have developed over the years."

He added that the six school games values - passion, self-belief, respect, honesty, determination and teamwork - had all been on display in Hurlingham Park… among players, staff and spectators.

"These values recognise how the experience of sport should be incorporated within primary schools and sports events to reflect the spirit of school games," he added.

Members of Hammersmith & Fulham’s sports development team helped organise the tournament, while the coaching body Shooting Starz provided the referees.

The St Stephen’s A team will now represent Hammersmith & Fulham at the London Youth Games finals on 26 March 2020 at Redbridge Sports Centre.

If you are interested in following the children's example and taking to the rugby pitch, Hammersmith & Fulham RFC play at Hurlingham Park in Fulham. The Hammers have five senior sides, a women’s XV, mini and youth rugby and are always happy to hear from newcomers, saying they pride themselves on being London's friendliest rugby club.

For more details visit the Hammersmith & Fulham Rugby or email info@fulhamrugby.co.uk.

You can see a gallery of action -packed pictures of this exciting day on H&F Council's Flickr Gallery.