Waking up at 6AM on a Sunday morning was definitely not the ideal start to a day of rugby for the Knights U11s, but the hour-long trip up to Tewkesbury for the long-awaited rugby festival gave the team time to focus, energise and mentally prepare for a gruelling 4 games of competitive rugby.....

We arrived at Tewkesbury with a great group of spectators and players alike - nothing would get in the way of the Knights proving themselves to the fiercest competition they had faced all season... after a quick warm-up, the games began.

Game 1: Kingswood vs Old Cryptians

A strong start to the festival was imperative for the Knights to gain momentum and confidence throughout the day, but the coaches and players knew that Cryptians were a good side, who would take a significant effort to overcome. Luckily, the very seasoned and experienced U11s team came through and delivered a great performance. Yoshi Black scored 4 tries in both an outstanding offensive and defensive effort, preventing even the toughest and biggest of players from breaking the Knights line of defence. Lily Williams, an addition at the beginning of the season, showcased her potential and determination in scoring 2 tries, breaking tackle after tackle and outrunning the entire Cryptians defence. Alongside the try-scorers, Rylee Kenyon and Jayden Jefferies battered the opposition line run after run, making the lives of their teammates much easier with stellar offloading and leg drive. Jack Gardiner, as always, darted his way in and between defenders, making the best defensive minds look clueless with his impeccable footwork. The game ended 6 - 3, in favour of the Knights. Try Scorers: Yoshi Black (4), Lily Williams (2)

Game 2: Kingswood v Cleve

Bit of a local derby this one. Having travelled up to Tewkesbury and to then see a familiar face in our pool was invigorating for the Knights, as they displayed a masterclass in ball movement and offensive output. Jayden Jefferies, our Jonah Lomu, after his impressive performance the week prior at St Brendan's, wasted no time in collecting another two fantastic tries in a well-rounded team performance. Max Vintiner was a man possessed, putting in multiple crunching hits against Cleve, much to the delight of his coaches and the Knights supporters, also collecting 2 tries for his incredible effort. Yoshi Black, again crossed the whitewash for a try, after an excellent attacking set by Kingswood, which saw the ball move through almost every set of hands on the pitch. Rocco Slade, a man small in stature but giant in courage and heart, had an absolute stormer, which saw him break multiple tackles, always ending up on the front foot of the attack, laying the foundation for each Kingswood attack and consequent try. Wilf Hacker, as seen in games throughout the year, used his aggression and poise to lay waste to the Cleve defence, scoring 2 tries with seeming ease, as he glided through opposition player after opposition player. Nyla O'Loughlin and William Davis-Tovey have also had giant strides in confidence since the Christmas break, and this was evident as they both put their bodies on the line, doing the grunt work for Kingswood, by making the hard yards needed to cement the win. Great win for the Knights who showcased their stellar progression from July 21 to this point in the season. Great work. The game ended 7 -1, in favour of the Knights. Try Scorers: Jayden Jefferies (2), Max Vintiner (2), Yoshi Black (1), Wilf Hacker (2)

Game 3: Kingswood v Tewkesbury

Hosting a tournament requires a lot of logistical effort, but at the end of the day, the team hosting is always going to be considered the favourite. Kingswood had seen the 2 great performances by Tewkesbury in their first 2 games and knew this would be the game of the day. The spectators were anxious to see the game kick-off. What a performance. The hosts as expected were fantastic ball carriers and ruck specialists, the North Gloucester grit shone through as they took an early lead. The Knights, knowing the game would be won and lost at the breakdown, diverted their attention to winning rucks and retaining possession, something which they have been elite at all season. Defence would be crucial in this game, and tackles from all sides of the pitch came thundering in. Samoree Touray, a man not necessarily known for his defensive prowess in comparison to his offensive skillset, made huge tackles up and down the pitch to withstand repeated attacks from Tewkesbury. At halftime, the coaches reminded the young Knights of the importance of determination and remaining positive and despite being 3 - 0 down at the half, the Knights strode back out onto the pitch with a sense of purpose and attitude, ready to play the second half. Kingswood jumped out to start the half with an impressive try from Jayden Jefferies, who blasted and boshed and battered his way through almost everyone on the Tewkesbury side, boosting the confidence of Kingswood to continue their run. The majority of the second half was spent camped on the opposition 5-metre line, but despite relentless attacks by Kingswood, the Tewkesbury defensive line remained firm and sturdy. William Davis-Tovey drove and drove his legs in multiple attempts to score for the Knights, but to no avail. The exhausted Kingswood team would unfortunately at one point late in the second half, turnover the ball to concede one last try to the hosts. Great performance by both teams, which saw Kingswood limit the opposition to only 4 tries, their lowest of the day. The game ended 4 - 1, in favour of Tewkesbury. Try Scorer: Jayden Jefferies

Game 4: Kingswood v Bredon Star

Disgruntled, disheartened and frankly exhausted are words capable of describing the Knights after their closely-fought loss to Tewkesbury, however, in doing their coaches, parents and the whole club proud, they were determined to go out on a high and defeat the undefeated Bredon Star, coached by former Welsh international and Worcester Warriors head coach, Jonathan Thomas. Kingswood was aware of the challenge ahead of them in this game, and with a reduced lineup due to concussion protocols for Wilf Hacker, the odds weren't in their favour. Completely unaware of these apparent odds stacked against them, the whole Kingswood team produced fantastic performances. To highlight a few, Samoree Touray was fantastic in attack, despite being injured halfway through the game, resulting in a superb try. Lily Williams and Nyla O'Loughlin were the only two girls present in the entire pool at Tewkesbury, but put on a masterclass in grit and determination, running rings around the boys on all teams, which gave Lily Williams another try to add to her tally. Jack, Max, Rylee, William and Jayden were superb in all 4 games, with all contributing massively both offensively and defensively. Yoshi Black and Rocco Slade were the benchmarks for greatness at the festival, setting high standards all over the pitch. Despite a grand effort, and thoroughly fatigued, the game didn't end in the result everyone had hoped for. The game ended 8 -3, in favour of Bredon Star. Try Scorers: Samoree Touray (1), Jayden Jefferies (1), Lily Williams (1)

Player of the Tournament: Rocco Slade

4 great performances by Rocco, where massive strides in confidence are evident in the way his tackling has progressed, but also his decision making on the field. After a string of good appearances for the Knights, it was very clear that he was the Player of the Tournament. An achievement to be proud of, and everyone is hoping for more of the same in the future. Great work Rocco, we're all very proud of you.