Under 8s
Welcome to the U8s at Rosslyn Park
(for children born after 1st September 2004 and before 31st August 2005 – Year 3)
At U8s we play tag rugby. This is in line the the RFU Continuum, which is a playing pathway to introduce the game of rugby to young players. There are 3 stages starting with tag rugby for U7/U8s, mini rugby for U9/U10s, and midi rugby for U11/U12s, so that by U13s the players are ready to play the full 15-a-side game.
Sections of the U8 Website
- Training
- Joining U8s
- Guiding Principles
- Results this Season
Training
We train once a week in Richmond Park on a Sunday morning starting at 9:00am for 2 hours, with festivals and friendlies throughout the year for all teams.
We have a large playing group this year for the U8s with over 100 registered players of varied ability split into 10 squads with around 70 turning up each week. The players are moved up and down our squads as they learn and progress at different rates. We are also very keen to see new faces joining the club throughout the season.
We have a number of qualified coaches, first aiders and RFU qualified referees for our U8 set up. We encourage parents to get involved, and will support those who want to take qualifications, so there are enough for all the players to have a great time. All first aiders, coaches and referees are CRB checked.
Joining the U8s
For details on joining please look at the Joining Page.
If you have any specific questions around joining the U8s at Rosslyn Park please contact the Head Coach – Pete Bellamy.
U8 Guiding Principles
As a group of players, coaches and parents we have evolved the following set of principles for how we approach our rugby.
Culture
- Ensure a competitive, fun environment
- Build a strong sense of teamship within the player groups
- Build a strong sense of identity with Rosslyn Park Football Club
- Treat players, coaches, referees and parents with respect at all times
- Recognise and celebrate successes in a positive, supportive environment (from a good pass to winning a tournament)
Development
- Looking to grow the squads and players towards contact and 9-a-side next year
- Focus on running, passing, catching and tagging skills to create rounded players
- Send as many teams as possible to tournaments so all players have these great experiences
Selection
- Competitive selection with the best players in the best squads, selected on form
- If players play well we will look to move the play up through the squads
- If players are absent for a tournament they will not be automatically put back into that squad
- Movement between the squads enables players to develop in different environments and roles (leadership and responsibility as well as team positions)
U8 Tournament Results
Our A team has enjoyed another year undefeated picking up both the Middlesex and Surrey county titles winning a string of A festivals along the way. Our Bs competed in the main Middlesex A festival only conceding to Rosslyn Park A in the County Final. Our other squads have enjoyed numerous festival successes.
