They're never too young to enjoy rugby, at least as far as Colchester Rugby Club is concerned.

The club invited four north Essex schools to send along teams to contest a tag rugby tournament as a curtain-raiser to the London League division three north match at Mill Road on Saturday.

With all four teams playing each other on a league basis it was a close-run affair, but Friars Grove, from Colchester, remained unbeaten and were declared the winners.

Rolph School, from Thorpe le Soken, Millfields, of Wivenhoe, and Mersea Island School also took part.

Colchester went on to record a crucial 21-20 win over Eton Manor.

Four of the victorious Friars Grove team

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.