Vectis RFC enjoyed a landmark weekend of youth rugby, with historic firsts, strong performances and valuable lessons across several age groups.
It was a busy and encouraging few days for Vectis RFC, as the club’s U12s, U12 Girls, U13s and U14s all took to the field in a series of competitive fixtures. Away from matchday action, the rest of the club remained hard at work on the training pitches, while new players continued to join the Vectis set-up across multiple age groups.
HISTORY MADE AS VECTIS U12 GIRLS TRAVEL FOR FIRST AWAY FIXTURE
The standout moment of the weekend came as the Vectis U12 Girls made history with their first-ever away match, travelling to Havant RFC.
After a nervy opening in unfamiliar surroundings, the Islanders quickly settled and produced a confident performance built on strong ball carries, sharp passing and committed defence. The squad embodied rugby’s TREADS values — teamwork, respect, enjoyment, discipline and sportsmanship — earning praise from the Havant coaching staff for both their attitude and skill level.
Vectis coach Lewy said he was taken aback by the performance:
“Unbelievable day, the girls were amazing. I will admit I completely underestimated each one of them. I had butterflies to begin with, but they totally fell into their stride — big carries, quality passing and hard tackles. Unreal.”
U12 BOYS TESTED IN PHYSICAL CONTEST AT HAVANT
The Vectis U12 boys also made the journey to Havant, where they came up against a well-organised and physically imposing home side.
Havant set a high tempo from the outset, but despite the decisive scoreline, the Vectis players showed resilience and determination throughout. Coaches highlighted the match as a valuable learning experience, underlining the importance of defensive alignment and decision-making under pressure, while praising the squad’s commitment to play until the final whistle.
U14S SHOW SECOND-HALF IMPROVEMENT AGAINST ROMSEY
On home turf, Vectis hosted Romsey RFC at Isle of Wight RFC in a physical encounter that featured uncontested scrums.
The adjustment removed one of Vectis’ traditional strengths and led to a fast-paced contest in open play. Romsey’s strength at the breakdown caused problems in the first half, but Vectis responded positively after the interval. Improved attacking structure and several well-worked passing movements stretched the visitors’ defence, with the second-half showing offering plenty of encouragement despite a lack of clinical finishing.
U13S STORM INTO HAMPSHIRE BOWL SEMI-FINALS
The result of the weekend belonged to the Vectis U13s, who travelled to Basingstoke RFC for the quarter-finals of the Hampshire Bowl Cup.
Vectis set the tone from the opening whistle, dominating the breakdown and building a commanding 6–1 lead by half-time. Although Basingstoke returned with renewed determination after the break, the Islanders remained composed, controlling the match through strong scrummaging and fluent passing to seal an emphatic 14–2 victory and a place in the semi-finals.
Tries were shared across the team, with scores from Tom Saunders, Ed Foster, Wyatt Lee, Luca Endacott, Jay Bexon, Theo Cherry and Louie Laidler. The squad also thanked Luke Goodall of Goodall Roofing for donating hydration bottles, which proved invaluable during the high-intensity fixture.
With progress on and off the pitch, the weekend underlined the strength and growing depth of Vectis RFC’s youth section as the season continues.
