Today was an absolutely brilliant day at StoneX. A bit of traffic on the way in for everyone, but it was all well managed once we arrived. The Saracens set-up put on a fantastic show for the kids and parents — I turned up expecting to referee, only to find that all their top coaches were already there, along with the young players involved in RFU development across North London. The organisation was spot-on.

The sun was out all day, the tannoy and DJ kept the energy high, and (thankfully!) the coffee hut and indoor spaces were open for everyone. We made our way to our base in the North Stand and settled in before the matches kicked off.

Across the morning we had 8 under-7s, which is a brilliant squad for that age, and nearly 20 under-8s, which is an incredible turnout. We entered two teams for the under-8s — more than any other club — and every single child had loads of game time.

Every 30 minutes or so another one of our teams was out on the pitch, with parents watching from the stand. The boys and girls were superb: respectful, supportive and displaying all the rugby values we want to see. They won the majority of their fixtures, though the results didn’t really matter — the enjoyment, effort, and attitude were the real highlights.

We wrapped up with most of the group heading over to the South Stand for the main event, enjoying the bouncy castles and playground before settling in to watch Saracens v Bath: Owen Farrell versus Finn Russell in a great match to finish the day.

All in all, it was a fantastic experience for everyone involved. We can’t wait to do it again — and we’d highly recommend other age groups take part next time the opportunity comes around.

Matt Hastings

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