It really will be an A-Z of rugby with Waterloo Road abuzz with colour and vibrancy as the likes of Altrincham Kersal, Ballynahinch, Biggar, Burnley, Bury, Carlisle, Currie, Dudley Kingswinsford, Eccles, Harlow, Hinckley, Leigh, Lichfield, Linlithgow, Littleborough, Liverpool St Helens, Market Rasen & Louth, Macclesfield, Moortown, Newcastle (Staffs), Nuneaton, Old Laurentians, Ormskirk, Orrell, Oswestry, Preston Grasshoppers, Ramsey, Roundhegians, Ripon, Ruthin, Sheffield, Sedgeley Park, Shrewsbury, Sutton, Tyldesley, Waterloo, West Hartlepool, West Park (St Helens), Wicklow, Widnes, Wolverhampton and no doubt the odd Zebra or two set up camp! Players, coaches and parents alike will be looking to outdo each other in the fancy dress stakes.

On Saturday and Sunday Waterloo Road hosts the annual Mayday Bank Holiday Weekend Mini and Junior rugby festival in conjunction with Sports Tours. Now one of the largest and prestigious mini and junior festivals in the country with teams entered from U7 to U15 the Awards will be presented on Sunday by Ed Slater England Saxons and Leicester Tigers (Captain) who is travelling up from the East Midlands for the second year running.

On Bank Holiday Monday the festival this year has been extended for the first time to include a Girls (U13, U 15 and U18) and Ladies festival. The Awards will be presented by Harriet Millar-Mills current England International and one of three nominees for the O2 England Women's player of the Year.

Assistance from members and friends of the club will be greatly appreciated from Friday afternoon through to Monday evening, even an hour or so, to help manage the event with possibly 2000 people expected come rain or shine. Helping out is just as much fun as spectating so why not do both?

In the meantime also on Sunday Southport U16's contest the final of the Lancashire Cup against Fylde, at Fylde. This promises to be a great final and a real challenge for our boys playing a team on their own ground. Without wishing to drag people away from the festival it would be great to get as many to Ansdell as possible to support them, or welcome them home win, lose or draw later in the afternoon.