Evidence, if any were needed of the development going on with girls rugby at Sidmouth RFC, comes with the news that no fewer than 10 of the club’s junior players were invited to attend trials for the Devon Under-15 girl’s team.

Sidmouth Herald: (Left to right) Lottie Reed, Ellie Wood and Lucy Moore, three of the four Sidmouth RFC U15 girls in the Devon squad. Picture: SIDMOUTH RFC(Left to right) Lottie Reed, Ellie Wood and Lucy Moore, three of the four Sidmouth RFC U15 girls in the Devon squad. Picture: SIDMOUTH RFC (Image: Archant)

The trials took place over two weekends with the Sidmouth girls put through their paces along with 100 and all 10 made it through the second stage along with players from the length and breadth of Devon.

The second weekend was held in much improved weather and the trials at the second stage consisted of three 25-minute games with players picked randomly to play. All 10 of the Sidmouth girls played and all certainly impressed, indeed coaches present agreed that a case could be made for them all being included in the final squad.

However, in the final reckonings numbers were restricted and so Elllie Monro Higgs at flanker, Abi Alner at fly half, Daisy Grove at scrum half, Aimee Simpson and Tilly Wain in the centre, and wing Charlotte Starr, were all left out of the final cut, but had clearly demonstrated that they have reached the county standard. In terms Sidmouth girls that were included in the final squad; Lottie Reed and Ellie Wood, who both play flanker, Annabelle Bird at hooker and Lucy Moore at prop will all be involved in the Devon girls Under-15 team.

Meanwhile, there are also four of the Sidmouth RFC Under-18 girl's team that have made it through to the next stage of their county trials and they are Cleo Turley, Rebecca Fallows, Lucy Tanner and Lauren Chown.