The event was held in Coleraine Rugby Club and was organised by Des Reid, a member of the club, with the help of Ulster Branch CRDO, Benjy Van der Byl. Although only the two schools competed on the day, organisers are keen to make the event an annual one, in which more teams will compete.

Before the match began, the pupils, all of whom are secondary school age, took part in a series of fun warm up exercises and games, to prepare them for what was to be a very closely contested match with impressive scores from both sides. While ultimately it was Sandleford who put the most scores on the board, it was decided that a Sportsmanship award be shared between both schools as a result of the enthusiasm, skill and teamwork they both displayed.

Commenting on the day's events, one of the judges, Mervyn Dunlop commented:

"The overall skill demonstrated by these children was extremenly impressive- they would certainly provide stiff competition for any school or club in a competition."
 
The enthusiasm shown by all the pupils taking part on the day was infectious, and both schools have expressed their interest in experiencing contact rugby next year.

Organisers would like to pay tribute to the tremendous work of Mr. Bonnar-Clarke, a member of staff at Sandleford, in preparing the pupils for the competition. Thanks also go to Ulster's Andrew Trimble who paid a visit to Sandleford several weeks before the competition to share some of his rugby skills and tips with the pupils ahead of their competition. Andrew's tips undoubtedly came in useful for the Sandleford side, not only in their match against Loughan, but also in their recent win at the Tag Rugby tournament hosted by the Newforge Taggers.

Click here to see more photos from the match