We came together with a real mix of players and skill levels. A few players from 2021 were joined, with a bunch coming up from U9s as well as a group of brand new, first-time players eager to join the Cote community.

Right away, it was clear that we had the base of a good team, with the U11 veterans keen to share their previous years’ experience. The competition was really good for the girls, and they got up to speed as a unit quickly. There were some great wins, many tight tussles and a few days that were great for learning a few lessons.

The move up to Quick Rip for the previous U9s and the new girls meant learning and applying new skills, and all the girls adapted quickly, with Honor, Maisey and Cailin all confidently adding tactical kicking to their skill set, and Lucia and April ensured that lineouts were always a challenge for the opposition. Whilst brand new to the game, Harlow had a natural instinct for finding the try line and never shied away from running it straight. A big focus throughout the season was developing our passing and support game, and Shannon and Kendall were standouts by the end of the season. The defence was sometimes a challenge for the girls, but they all worked hard at learning and improving, and it was great to see Georgia and Amaia become some of our best defenders.

A big thanks to coaches Dave and Matt and tireless manager Paula for their commitment and teaching, and to sideline stat collectors Sheridan and Lauren. Thanks also to all the parents for making sure the girls were at training and games on time. Good luck to the girls moving up to U13s and to next year’s returning U11s. 14 weeks went by so quickly, and we're looking forward to 2023.