On a sunny bank holiday Friday, nearly 250 of Esher’s finest braved the M4/M5 traffic jams to head to familiar west country climbs for our third venture to the LWTL annual Burnham-on-Sea rugby festival.
As the evening wore on, a sea of yellow and black descended upon the park, the beach, and yes, even the bar (where a few parents might have been spotted). The excitement was palpable as friends reunited and the anticipation for the weekend's rugby action grew.
Saturday morning kicked off with early buses and much-needed coffee. The mighty E’s, from U7 through to U11 (with the U13s nearby), arrived at the rugby club, set up their gazebos, and the games began. Everywhere you looked, Esher’s distinctive tour shirts were scoring tries, tagging tags, and making tackles. With bright, unmistakable neon orange orange tour socks, it was impossible to miss the impact Esher was making. You could say "Esher's on fire" - a song curated by two of our younger tourists, and taken on with gusto my the whole touring party. Our defence really was terrifying (in the good sense!)
Famous players were spotted, and kids had the thrill of “bumping into” Toby Faletau. On Sunday, they were presented with their many awards by none other than England and Bristol's Harry Randall.
Saturday evening saw a massive “cook out” on the grass terrace overlooking the beach. Music, laughter, and the occasional “has anyone seen (insert child names)?” filled the air, creating a festive atmosphere.... "tour courts" for most age groups... The judges showed little mercy, handing out "punishments" ranging from "yum or yuk" jelly bens, through to freeze dried crickets and pickled chillies (all age appropriate- and the coaches took much of the blame for things).
Sunday brought another epic day of matches at Burnham Rugby Club. Each Esher age group won awards for their on and off-pitch performances. A particularly touching moment occurred with the U9s and their long-term friends/rivals Glynneath. Glynneath presented Esher with an engraved Welsh slate featuring a message from Club President and Welsh legend Max Boyce. Esher reciprocated with a tour shirt signed by future grand-slam winners (possibly) from Esher’s U9s. It was a true rugby family moment.
Sunday night featured a communal curry night with age group awards and tour thanks. Weary travellers then hit the motorways on Monday for the journey back. Memories were made, songs were sung, and fun was had. Well done, you Eee’s!
