From Worthing to Ventnor, the young players showcased incredible grit, teamwork, and sportsmanship this past weekend, setting the perfect stage for the massive end-of-season celebration coming up next week.

Before diving into the weekend's spectacular match reports, Vectis RFC is calling all rugby fans, families, and locals to join us for the grand finale of the season!

? The Massive Isle of Wight Rugby Festival
When: Saturday, 2nd May & Sunday, 3rd May
Where: Medina
Get ready for an unforgettable weekend as we host teams from across the UK for a massive youth rugby festival. It’s not just about the rugby—there will be a stage featuring live music, fully stocked bars, and fantastic food vendors. Come down, support the youth, and enjoy the ultimate end-of-season party!

Weekend Match Round-Up: Vectis RFC Squads in Action

Under 8s: Sunshine, Tags, and Teamwork at Worthing Festival

Under beautiful, sunny skies, the U8s faced some incredibly strong defensive lines from Worthing, Littlehampton, Petersfield, East Grinstead, and Edenbridge. It forced the team to play "proper" rugby, focusing on quick passes and finding space.

Coaches Chris and Tim were thrilled to see the team secure at least one turnover in every game due to reaching 7 tags, proving their defensive line is a force to be reckoned with.
A massive well done to Barney for playing his first-ever festival! Nathan scored some brilliant tries, Orla delivered fantastic quick passes, and Alasdair showed incredible speed on his tags. Meanwhile, Jamie pulled off the play of the day—tricking the entire opposition with a dummy run before changing direction to score a massive try.

Under 9s: Tackling Masterclasses and Welsh Tests at Worthing

Both U9s squads put in what their coaches described as their best performances of the season.

Coach Gareth with Vectis U9 (1) could not be prouder after his team faced a massive test against Caerleon, a touring team from Wales. After Caerleon won their previous game 7-0, Vectis stepped up, took an early lead, and battled to a physical, hard-fought draw. Caerleon even commended Vectis as the toughest game, they’ve played all year!

Coach Steve praised Vectis U9 (2) for consistent, high-level tackling and sterling runs into contact against Littlehampton, Edenbridge, Horsham, and Worthing. Milo and Louis delivered standout performances with some fantastic tries.

Both squads demonstrated excellent TREDS (Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline, and Sportsmanship), earning praise from opposition teams.

Under 10s: Six Wins and Special Camaraderie

The U10s brought two teams to the Worthing Festival and absolutely dominated, walking away with a phenomenal 6 wins out of 7 games. Coach Allan Bridges noted it was a fabulous day of competitive rugby played entirely in the right spirit.

Team 1 Standout: Casey led from the front with huge hits, massive runs, and destructive work in the rucks.

Team 2 Standout: Joshy stood tallest, epitomizing a never-say-die attitude.

Every single player scored a try, showcasing an extraordinary level of teamwork and confidence from a very special group of players.


Under 12 Boys: Gritty Efforts and Huge Progress at Watcombe Bottom

The U12s faced a tough Round Robin tournament but started with a bang, defeating Wanstead 6-2 in a highly polished performance. The forwards dominated contact, and the backs were incredibly slick, leading to a hat-trick for George and a try each for Albert, Jack, and Jacob.

After a tough 4-0 loss against a strong Salisbury A side, the boys bounced back with massive heart against Havant (Hants Cup holders). Despite injuries and Havant rolling on their A-team for a 6-2 loss, the first-half defense was phenomenal, and Albert secured two more tries.
Coach Steve praised the boys for sticking together, learning quickly from their errors, and understanding the importance of playing as a unified team rather than trying to be solo heroes.

U12 Girls (Wolf Cubs): A Howling Good End to the Season at Ventnor RFC

The Vectis Girls wrapped up their season with a fantastically fun and passionate friendly against a very strong Havant side. Despite a 6-10 loss, the girls put on a clinic in teamwork, bravery, and communication.

Captain Aitana led by example with 3 incredible tries, dodging and weaving to the line. Alba (Player of the Match) scored 2 excellent tries while getting stuck into every ruck and tackle. Lexi added a massive 20m carry for a try of her own, and Flic made strong carries despite a minor leg scrape.

Elsie was unbelievably brave in her debut game with some stellar stepping. Ylva, Arena, and Lidia were absolute tackling machines against much bigger opponents. Evie organized the defensive line beautifully, Eliza provided non-stop energy, and Annabelle brought pure passion and positivity to the pitch.

Coaches Nicole and Lewy were incredibly proud of the improved ruck speed and defensive resets, noting that everyone came away smiling after a brilliant end to the season.

Join the Vectis RFC Family at Medina! The season isn't over just yet! We look forward to seeing the whole community at Medina on May 2nd and 3rd to cheer on the future stars of rugby, enjoy some great food and music, and celebrate a fantastic year of youth sports.

About Vectis RFC
Vectis RFC is the only community youth rugby club on the Isle of Wight, providing coaching and competition for players from U6 through to Colts. We are dedicated to fostering a love for rugby, teamwork, and sportsmanship in a safe and supportive environment. We pride ourselves on developing the next generation of rugby talent and supporting the 3 mighty Island Senior Clubs Isle of Wight RFC, Ventnor RFC and Sandown & Shanklin RFC.
• Website: www.pitchero.com/clubs/vectis2
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/VectisRFC