Leeds City College Rugby League team recorded their first win of the season against a depleted Wilberforce College team at the Kirstall Academy Training Ground last week, to kick start their 2015-16 campaign
Leeds City College, coached on the day by stand in Sam Horner, were in irresistible form against their Yorkshire Division 1 counterparts from Wilberforce College, coming away with a resounding 70-0 victory and a good platform to build on for the rest of the season.
Losing out to Greenhead College 30-16 and Newcastle Thunder Academy 42-12 in the first two fixtures of the season, the team have been steadily improving and at the third time of asking, produced a dominant ten try display.
The team, coached for the first year by Leeds Rhinos Foundation Further & Higher Education Development Officer Russell Parker, came together at the start of the new academic year and will play in the Yorkshire colleges league alongside studying a range of courses at the college over the next two years.
Russell Parker commented on the win and the improvements in the side since the start of the year:
“It was great to get a first win with a clean sheet as well, Wilberforce were a bit depleted but the boys still had to go out and do the business. I’ve seen an improved attitude at training recently which has seen a renewed enthusiasm from the team and win can do a lot for the confidence going forward, so we will look to build on this performance.”
The result never looked in doubt at the Kirstall Training Ground after the Leeds City College team set off at a very fast pace, notching up 20 points within the first ten minutes of the game and keeping the game structure that head coach Russell Parker had been working on in training and through the side-line direction of Sam Horner, Leeds produced a professional display to produce a 70 point win.
Special mentions go to the full back Liam English, Winger Josh Johnson, Hooker Lewis Simpson, Second Row Oliver Brook and Standoff/Kicker Jack Carol, whose contributions to the game were huge but a team effort and a solid game plan saw Leeds City College control the eventual outcome.
Commenting on the programme so far and what is still to come this season, Parker added:
“We have been getting better each week and that’s what this programme is about, developing the right mentality and environment for these players to develop.
“We’ve had continued support from the Leeds City College Sports Academy staff and our sponsors Couch Perry Wilkes and Gusto Research so thank you to both parties, we will be displaying our new sponsors to the crowd at the upcoming Leeds Rhinos v New Zealand match at Headingley Carnegie Stadium.”
Next up for the Leeds City College team will be an away fixture at Hull-based St Mary’s College on Wednesday 14th October in the Yorkshire Under 19s College Division 1 league.