Crowborough were the top Sussex club at the 30th Worthing Minis Festival.

They won the under-eights section and were runners-up in three other age groups in an open event which featured about 1,500 players.

Crowborough minis chair Judith Clinch said: "Worthing is a big festival, the standard is very high, but every boy who played for us won a medal. It is a tremendous achievement.

"It shows the depth of talent we have. We're incredibly proud of the players."

Crowborough defeated Gravesend 15-5 in the under-eights cup final.

The team reached finals at the Bromley, Hastings and Bexhill and Harlequins festivals this season and lost the lot.

Coach Andy Coe said: "It was a big relief to finally win a final away from home. We'd won our own festival but a sign of a decent team is to be successful on its travels."

Leading try scorer was Ben Jones and outside centre Ben Sears and centre Zach Coe impressed.

Crowborough lost 30-20 to Windsor in the under-sevens final and 5-0 to Braintree at under-tens.

Sussex champions Hove overcame Crowborough 15-0 at under-nines in the only all-Sussex final.

Tom Gearing (2) and George Fry scored the tries.

Coach Rob Brown said: "The team have had a great season and this latest success was extra pleasing because of the way we defended. We got through without conceding a try. We have a very talented team."

Hove B were runners-up in the consolation shield and their under-tens won the plate.

Sussex champions Brighton shared the under-11s' cup with Old Elthamians after a 5-5 draw. Craig Holland scored for Brighton who overcome Worthing, Horsham and Upminster on their way to the final.

Current England internationals Jonny Wilkinson and Jason Leonard have played at the festival when it was considered the biggest of its type in the world.

Organiser Gavin Chatfield said: "Numbers were reduced from more than 2,000 because London Irish put on a rival festival, But we are building it up again. It is a huge event and we intend to keep growing.

"Crowborough were overall the best club from Sussex although Hove did well too."

Crowborough under-eights: Ben Jones, Tom Nicoll, Ben Sears, Zachary Coe, Oscar Baldry, Harry Dobson, Henry Groenen, James Bows, Finn McGowan, Hove under-nines: Jack McCarthy, Cameron Golding, James Marsh, Harry Garth, Josh Both, Hugh Richards, Gus Smith, Jake Sutcliffe, Tom Gearing, Edward Kiltoe, George Brown, Jessie Simmonds, Toby Ward, George Fry, Sammy Bath, Ben Towner, Ollie Charles, Rhys Darrish.

Under-sevens Cup winners: Windsor, runners up Crowborough. Plate winners: Gravesend, runners up Old Elthamians.

Shield winners: Crawley, runners-up Brighton.

Under eights Cup: Crowborough, runners-up Gravesend. Plate: Heathfield, runners-up Windsor. Shield: Windsor B, runners-up Worthing B.

Under-nines: Cup: Hove, runners-up Crowborough. Plate: Windsor, runners-up Braintree. Shield: Beccehamians, runners-up Hove B.

Under-tens: Braintree, runners-up Crowborough. Plate: Hove, runners-up Windsor. Shield: Upminster, runners-up Upminster B.

Under-11s: Cup: Brighton and Old Elthamians shared. Plate: Gravesend, runners-up Beccehamians. Shield: Crawley, runners-up Heathfield.

Under 12s: Cup: Cobham, runners-up Beccehamians, Plate: Crawley, runners-up Worthing. Shield: Hove, runners-up Gravesend.

Crowborough won the under-12s event at the Uckfield Festival. Their under-11s suffered an early exit with Tristram Reims (broken arm) and Antoine Reed (dislocated finger) hospitalised.

HOVE lifted the Sussex Under-16s League title when Crowborough refused to play the play-off final at Horsham.

Crowborough insisted the pitch was unsafe, Hove disagreed and organiser Wayne Pritchard adjudged Crowborough had conceded. Pritchard said: "It was nonsense. Other games were played on the day."

Hove coach Andy Ward added: "It felt a flat way to win. We were fired up to play."

Crowborough coach John Sayer said: "We were willing to play on a safe pitch. Safety is more important than silverware. We considered the long, dry spell had made the pitch too hard. We had a bad spleen injury to one of our players, Lloyd Pettet, a year ago."

Crawley defeated Eastbourne 23-14 in the under-14s final on the same day at Horsham. Tries by Richard Cork (2), James Sinclair, Tom Roberts and David Keyte, plus a penalty, secured Crawley's points.

Crowborough claimed the under-18s crown for the first time with a 27-12 victory over Eastbourne at Heathfield.

Tries by Chris Pantry, Tom Connor, Paul Adams, Joe Blann, who also kicked a conversions, and Tom Carruthers sealed the triumph.

Hove recently pipped Haywards Heath 10-7 in the first ever under-13s final.

SUSSEX under-16s won six of their seven matches on tour in Canada. They lost the other game by one point.