A SCHOOL’S Under-13 rugby players did well at the regional age-group contact festival.

Youngsters from John Kyrle in Ross-on-Wye managed three wins and a draw from their five games at the Gloucestershire U13 girls’ festival at Cheltenham Tigers RFC.

And captain Bethan Davies was presented with a trophy for excellent rugby skills and awareness at the end of the day by former Samoa and Gloucester star Terry Fanolua.

John Kyrle were invited following their attendance at several local “Pitch up and Play” events in the autumn, run by England World Cup winner Ceri Large, the community rugby coach at Cinderford and Drybrook RFC, which are designed to promote the link between school and club rugby.

Playing on a 4G surface, they won their first game against Chosen Hill by five tries to four with newcomer Florence Cook scoring her first ever try and Savannah Griffiths, Bethan Davies, Nayana Bundy and Gracie Harness also crossing the whitewash.

The second clash with St Peters was a real try fest with 13 tries, John Kyrle were just one score on the wrong side of the result, going down seven tries to six, with Savannah (3), Nonny Bruce (2) and Bethan going over the line.

A strong defensive Ribston Hall side saw John Kyrle pinned back in their own half for much of the third game, and a breakaway try by Bethan was John Kyrle’s only score in a 1-1 draw.

John Kyrle’s defensive performance improved greatly in the latter half of the day with impressive tackling across the field preventing Beaufort School from scoring, as tries from Flo, Bethan and Nonny secured a 5-0 victory for John Kyrle.

The team’s final match was against Mitcheldean’s Dene Magna, who were yet to be beaten in the festival.

John Kyrle took an early lead with some direct running from Flo, swiftly followed by another from Nonny and a brace of tries from Bethan Davies.

The opposition attacked with passion, but John Kyrle were determined to keep a clean sheet in their final game and, with Rose Clement spotting space on the outside, she outsprinted the defence scoring in the corner for her first ever try, while Ruby Burson finished off with the final try to make it a 6-0 victory.