Due to waterlogged pitches and the very bad weather in November/December both trials had to be cancelled and our U20’s programme reviewed.  Please see the message below from Dean Cutting regarding the revised schedule.  

 Please note that the date of age qualification is U20 as of the 31^st December 2009. 

The new revised training dates for Essex 20s, are more or less on continuous Mondays but as you probably understand we need to get together as often as possible before our 1st game, all sessions will be at Romford and Gidea Park,  

6.45 - 7pm registration, 7.30pm warm up start,  

TRAINING DATES;  4th Jan; 11th Jan; 25th Jan; 1st Feb.  

MATCH DATES;  

7th Feb v Herts H 

14th Feb v Middx H 

28th Feb v Sussex A 

Finals Day @ Aldershot 14th March 

Any problems please contact me on details below, and regularly check Essex website, especially if we have had bad weather 

Regards Dean  Dean CuttingCommunity Rugby Coach - Essex - 60 High Street, Brentwood, Essex, CM14 4ANOffice 01277 260 055 - Mobile 07732 829 972 - deancutting@rfu.com <mailto:deancutting@rfu.com>  

The County is pleased to announce that the following players in our U16 Group have been selected to take part in the London and South East Development Squad.

We send them our best wishes in the hope that they are eventually selected for London Division in the Divisional Festivals in January 2010 from which the England U16 Group Development squad will be selected.  A big thank you also to all the management and coaching team as well as the Parents for their dedication in helping to get these players through this highly competative stage of the selection pathway.

Our commiserations to those players who did not get through, but this season, especialy in all the U16 inter county graded matches, I have been impressed with the standard of play displyed by everyone - Well done adn we look forward to seeing you at the next level - U17 and U18.

Players going through to the next stages:

Congratulations go to the following boys who have been selected to start in one of the four trial teams: - 

Femi Akinboboye
James Ayrton
Harry Branch
Alex Calvert
Tom Clarke
Max Crumpton
Tom Gannon
Alfie Hutcherson
Conor O’Toole 

With a total of 9 boys in the starting line ups, Essex come second only to Surrey (who had 12) in the number of representatives. 

In addition, congratulations are also due to the following who have been invited to join the reserves/replacements for Sunday’s trial: - 
Ashley Annansingh
Charlie Kingham
Charlie Simpson
I am sure everyone will join me in wishing our lads well and in congratulating the whole squad and coaching staff on a successful series of matches. 

Steve Johnson

The Essex County RFU Presidents dinner provided the ideal opportunity for the RFU President John Owen to boost his appeal to clubs to aid the Cumbrian flood disatster appeal.  At its annual Presidents Dinner, held at the Ivy Hill Hotel Margaretting,  Essex Rugby people generously donated cash and their raffle prizes to the the benefit of the fund.  Amongst the contributors were some of the stalwats of Chelmsford RFC who have received funding from the RFU in the past towards the development of their club and they were gracious in their contributions to the Presidents appeal.

The excitement and thrill of open play resulting in tries was not at Twickenham this weekend, instead it started of with another startling display by Barking at Goresbrook as they maintained their unbeaten run with a 32 - 0 win over Westcombe Park and Southend, were also in try scoring mood as they beat their hosts Canterbury 29 - 44.  Barking head the table with 45 points having been docked 2 points for not having enough front row players at Bridgewater earlier on in the season.  Southend are a credible fifth on 27 points.  Both teams have difficult matches next weekend as Barking go to Clifton and Southen host Dings Crusaders.

London 1 North - Westcliff proove they are worthy promotion contenders as they beat fifth palced Ruslip 5-23 to remain in second place to Civil SErvice who justified their leadership of this league with a  58 - 7 win over Woodford who remain in seventh place.  Chingford consolidate their thrid place with 18 -6 win over Brentwood who slip down to tenth.  Eton Manor remain towards the foot of the table in twelsth after loosing to sisth paced Letchworth by 10 points to 5.  Rochford meanwhile are finding promotion to this league a bit harder to face as they were pounded by fourth place Staines ninty-two points to nil.

London 2 NE - The highlight of the day was the top of the table clash between Thurrock and Braintree.  Thurrock manaaged tomaintain their unbeaten run with a 5-18 victory which opens up a four point gap over Braintree.  Romford remain in third place with a 15-10 win over Norwich at Crow Lane.  Saffron Walden move up to sixth with a 27 -20 win over fifth palced Colchester.  Sudbury stay in fourth palce having beaten bottom club Mersea Island 64-0.  Harlow stay just above Chelmsford with a 31-10 win over Ipswich whilst Chelmsford loose out to Enfield Ignations by 19-17.