3 Two handsHarrow Way Community School, alongside Aster Communities and Andover Rugby Club, organised and ran the 9th Andover and District Tag Rugby Festival recently. One of the largest tournaments in Hampshire, it welcomed over 400 children from local primary schools who enjoyed more than 130 matches!

Split into two age groups, mixed Year 3/4 and mixed Year 5/6, school teams from Amport, Anton, Andover CE, Balksbury, Broughton, Clatford, Endeavour, Hurstbourne Tarrant, Kimpton, Knights Enham, Portway, Rookwood, Shipton Bellinger, Smannell and Enham, St Johns, Vernham Dean, Vigo, Wherwell and Whitchurch arrived at Andover Rugby Club, excited to be taking part in this eagerly anticipated annual tournament.

Former Harrow Way students, Silver Ambassador Jonathan Akehurst and Sports Leader Steph Jackson, supported organiser Rhonda Salmon, Harrow Way Sports Coordinator, by running the Y3/4 Barbarians team and pitch marshalling. Both did a fantastic job!

After a day full of excellent rugby and brilliant sportsmanship, prizes were awarded to ‘Players of the Pools’, schools who had earned the most points for their ‘Fair Play’ and to winners and runners up of the Cup, Plate and Bowl competitions.

Winners’ trophies and medals were presented by Test Valley Mayor Jon Lovell with runner up medals presented by Hampshire Constabulary’s Sgt Steve Parker.

Harrow Way Community School would like to thank Andover Rugby Club for providing the venue, as well all the wonderful volunteers who supported the tournament: the Andover Rugby Club referees, the RFU, Sparsholt College students and former Harrow Way students.

2015 Competition honours were as follows:

Year 5/6
Cup Winner – St John the Baptist
Plate winner – Vernham Dean
Bowl winner – Hurstbourne Tarrant
Fair Play winner – Vigo Junior
Runner up – Clatford
Runner up – Broughton
Runner up – Vigo Junior

Year 3/4
Cup Winner – St John the Baptist
Plate winner – Vernham Dean
Bowl winner – Shipton Bellinger
Fair Play winner – Kimpton
Runner up – Smannell & Enham
Runner up – Portway Junior
Runner up – Anton Junior