The Young Guns Academy was absolutely delighted to be associated with Maidenhead Rugby Club’s annual Youth Rugby Tournament Festival in the role of lead Gold Sponsor.
It was particularly appropriate as Maidenhead was James Haskell’s original club where he cut his teeth learning to play rugby and where in the mid 1990’s his father Jonathan was Chairman of the mini section. In fact in 1994, Jonathan in conjunction with the then Mini section secretary Mike Peterson set up the very first Maidenhead Junior Tournament. So it is very fitting that some 14 years later James, as a fully fledged England International was able to return to his home club and through his training Academy, The Young Guns, be able to sponsor this year’s Tournament.
The standard of rugby and the commitment shown by all the teams across all the age groups was its usual very high standard and parents and supporters alike thrilled to see very close and hard fought encounters. Some 18 teams participated from near and far, including , Aylesbury, Grasshoppers and Oxford Harlequins. However it was the teams from Tring and Henley who rather dominated proceedings across a number of the age groups in both the A and B competitions’.
Despite the tournament kicking-off to a heavy, clawing mist which persisted well into mid morning by mid day the arena was bathed in glorious sunshine, which brought even more of a sparkle to the standard of rugby on display.
The winning teams across all the age groups received a fantastic surprise when London Wasps, Saxons and Young Guns Star Dominic Waldouck turned up to present all the teams with their medals. A special thanks must go to Dominic, who despite sustaining some painful ligament damage to his knee in the EDF cup match against Gloucester Saturday week ago, stayed the course to ensure every winner and runner-up from each section within all the age group competitions was able to shake his hand and have Dominic put a medal around their neck and have their photographs taken with him. A lasting memento of an exciting day.