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Rome Tour 2009

U18 Mermaids – the Italian job

The U18 Mermaids from Colwyn Bay RFC flew to Rome for their annual tour early on Saturday morning. They were determined to make it a tour to remember as several of the girls will leave the team to take up the challenge of senior rugby at the end of the season.

The tour was only possible due to the generous sponsorship of Chris at Ticketbooth – www.ticketbooth.org.uk – who not only supplied the tickets to the Italy-France 6 Nations clash, but also subsidised the accommodation budget, meaning that the girls spent 2 nights in a swish 4* hotel in Rome.

After flying in to Ciampino airport the team was chauffeured to the hotel and then on to Stadio Flaminio to watch an exciting game of rugby, which unfortunately the host country lost. The girls all enjoyed the game and immediately after went to Finnegan’s Irish pub to watch the England-Scotland clash and then the eagerly anticipated Grand Slam decider between Wales-Ireland. A party of (very) vocal and patriotic Welsh girls in a pub packed with Irish supporters certainly raised a few eyebrows, not to mention the noise levels!

After the tense and nail-biting finish, we all trooped off to a local restaurant for what we all agreed were the best pizzas ever. Sunday was spent on the move, with Chris from Ticketbooth giving us a guided tour of Rome, which included stops for ice cream and hot chocolate – deemed essential by the Mermaids to keep them going. The evening was spent in Alfredo’s – a (before we arrived) quiet, typically Italian restaurant. Here we were served with a wide range of local delicacies (the adults and older girls also sampled the local beverages!). The evening ended with a competition. The Mermaids were split into 3 groups. The first task was to give a rendition of the Italian national anthem, which the girls had been previously told to learn. The first group (Abi, Kumari & Loz) gave their own version of the anthem, having rewritten the lyrics to tell of their days in Rome: the second group (Joely, Sarah & Mwsh) had to enlist the help of one of the waiters but the third group (Anna, Emma, Ellie & Gemma) admitted that they had not learnt the anthem and instead gave a rousing rendition of Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau. The second task was a rugby related quiz, with questions concerning the Italy-France game. Points were then added for attendance at training over the season. It was a close contest but the eventual winner was Loz, who was thrilled with her prize – the unique ‘players only’ t-shirt worn for pre-match training by Italian player Mirco Bergamasco. It was a great end to a fabulous weekend and the tired party fell into bed ready for the journey home the next morning.

The tour party – Anna, Kumari, Loz, Ellie, Sarah, Abi, Emma, Mwsh, Joely, Gemma, Gill, Louis and Ann are extremely grateful to Chris at Ticketbooth for his friendship, kindness, patience, humour and generous support to the U18 Mermaids. The girls certainly had a tour to remember and all agreed that it was the best tour ever!

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Cardiff Tour 2007

Colwyn Bay Mermaids at the WWRU National Junior 7s Tournament

24th June 2007

The Mermaids travelled to Llandovery RFC to take part in their first ever 7 a side games on the second day of their end of season tour. Colwyn Bay was the only North Wales club represented with both U14 and U17 teams competing.

The girls had never played 7s before and indeed only had 2 training sessions before the day but they did Colwyn Bay RFC and North Wales proud with an outstanding display of skill and tenacity (despite having very little sleep in Cardiff the night before – but that’s another story…).

The U14s played 4 games in total and won 2, lost 2. They played against: Whitland (the eventual tournament winners), Radyr School, Newport A and Cynon Valley. Tries were scored by: Gwen Harries – 8 tries and 1 conversion, Ellie Evans – 3 tries, Kaya Harding – 2 tries and Kumari Tilakawardane – 2 tries. During the day Gwen Harries, Ellie Evans and Kaya Harding all stepped up to the captain’s role at some point while regular captain Kumari briefly left the field of play. All three girls filled the role admirably, leaving next season’s coach with a dilemma in choosing the new captain.

It would be impossible to choose one outstanding player as Player of the Day as all the Mermaids played some of the best rugby we have ever seen from them so it was decided to award the honour to the whole team – well done girls, you made us very proud today.

The U 17 competition was very strong, with teams from Ebbw Vale, Neath, Cardiff, Whitland and Cynon Valley fielding many experienced regional players. Of their five matches, Colwyn Bay won two, showing great commitment and some superb skills by all the players, tries coming from Abi Beards – 3, Yas Leung – 3, Emma Beaumont – 2, with Lois Evans and Gemma Pearson scoring one each. 

After the tournament there was an official presentation ceremony for the tournament and also the league and national awards. Colwyn Bay Mermaids were presented with trophies for being North Wales champions at both U14 and U17 level. The U14 award was presented to Kumari Tilakawardane in her last role as team captain and Emma Beaumont collected as captain of the U 17’s.  The North Wales players were also presented with a memento for representing their region – at U14 level the players from Colwyn Bay were: Kumari Tilakawardane, Ellie Evans, Gwen Harries, Kaya Harding, Amy Bird and Ellie Roberts (Sophia Hathaway also represented North Wales but unfortunately was unable to attend the ceremony).

At U 17 North Wales honours were given to: Emma Beaumont, Abi Beards, Rebecca Gray and Issy Jones, who was also nominated as Player of the Year but just pipped at the post by a Neath Athletic player. Louis Tilakawardane, U14 Mermaids Coach, was also presented with an award for his role in coaching the North Wales U14 squad. After the ceremony a very tired coach load of players and various adults set off home, looking forward to competing next year.

Cardiff Tour & National Sevens

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We came from the valleys where the grass is green Were the cutest girlies you've ever seen We tell no stories, we tell no tales We are the Mermaids from North Wales   North Wales champs are we Future Wales players to be Standing tall in pink, blue and white We are always up for a fight   Really good friends make us a great team When were on the pitch were really mean Stuck together through thick and thin We are the Mermaids, you know were going to win   Over the season we have to say a huge big thanks to Geoff, Louis, Jon and Ray Ann and the Merm-Mums made it the best trip ever Bring on next season 'Mermaids for ever!'   Jess, Kumari, Gemma: 2007

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