Sunday 6th October saw the first outing of the season for Lewes Minis. The Hastings and Bexhill Minis Festival is a key date in the Minis calendar. Festivals are a fantastic opportunity to assess the development of the team, gain valuable match experience and integrate new players.

Although scores and wins are no longer recorded, with the emphasis at Festivals on fun, participation and enjoyment, team performance is a important motivator for the players (and parents). The coaches have kindly supplied their team results and a summary of how they got on.

Under 8s
Stepping up to a larger pitch, more players on the team, and the enforcement of the offside rule proved no issue for the two U8s teams that Lewes took to Hastings. Both sides were organised in attack, showing some fantastic running and ball carrying, great communication and were solid in defence, showing that that 3 years of getting them to call 'the defensive line on me' is finally having an effect.

The Lewes Blues, started with a convincing win against Tunbridge Wells, fought two close games with Cranbook and Crowborough (a draw and a win) and finished with a win against a physical Eastbourne side. The Lewes Whites fought a tight game against Eastbourne and won the rest of their matches. All twelve players certainly played the game the Lewes way, with smiles on their faces and lots of fantastic team spirit. [Match report Jo-Anne Sunderland Bowe]

Under 9s
The Under 9s having shed their tags after the Great Yarmouth Tour, experienced their first games of full contact rugby. We smote all before us. We left no player untackled and no opposition tryline untouched. Played 4. Won 4. But it’s not about the winning....[Match report by Rob Moore]

Under 10s
The Under 10s took two teams who played some tight matches against tough opposition. Lewes 1 won 2 matches and lost 2 and the Lewes 2 won 2, drew 1 and and lost 1. The players welcomed some new players to the team and enjoyed scrummaging for the first time in Festival conditions.

Under 11s
Exciting early season festival at Hastings on Sunday 6th October, where the rain luckily held off. The team won 3 and lost 1 which was a very pleasing result for only a few weeks into the season. All the players played well and enjoyed themselves and they are looking forward to the next festival in Haywards Heath in a few weeks time. [Match report by Phil Lacy]