Leeds Rhinos Foundation Women and Girls Development Officer Lois Forsell ran the finals of the Leeds Inter-City girls schools competition on Friday for seven teams playing out both the schools league and cup finals and capping off another great year of school rugby league at the event hosted by Lawnswood school.
The finals returned for a second year with seven of the ten schools who had taken part in the ‘SuperLeague’ and ‘Challenge Cup’ competitions over the course of the year, all to establish the final finishing positions for the school season and crown the overall cup and league winners.
Huntington school were the convincing winners of the Super League final defeating Corpus Christi Catholic College 54-0 and Leeds West Academy were presented with the Challenge Cup Trophy after seeing off Brigshaw High School with a four tries to two victory of their own.
Also taking part in the league competition on the night to decide the final 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th finishing positions were Bruntcliffe High School, Roundhay High School and David Young Community Academy who played off against each other, with Bruntcliffe coming out on top winning both of their games to finish second.
The event was also highlighted by a Cheerleading performance from Huntington school who have worked with Leeds Rhinos Foundation Dance Development Officer Nicola Booth to create their very own cheer routine, performing after the finals in the lead up to the event presentation from organiser Lois Forsell.
The finals showcased many of the Leeds schools players that are also furthering their rugby league development playing in the local community clubs, something that Lois Forsell sees as one of the most important by-products of the school competitions:
“It’s brilliant how many there are that are linked to clubs now, they’ve all today received a poster we’ve put together telling them where their local club is, but there are a number of girls from Brigshaw already playing at Kippax, from Leeds West playing at Stanningley and the David Young Community Academy Girls have got lots of players at East Leeds with some Bruntcliffe girls now at Hunslet Hawks as well.
“It’s getting really good to see that, whereas before it was mainly girls just playing in schools, there is now schoolgirls playing rugby and now going to play club rugby as well, so it's making the club game stronger and the school game.”
Along with the presenting of the winners trophies to Huntington School and Leeds West Academy, three girls who had performed well in the finals were awarded player of the match and received a signed Leeds Rhinos poster, with awards going to Faye Stockdale from Brigshaw High School, multiple try scorer Micha Burgess from Bruntcliffe School and Jasmine Handley from Huntington.
To cap off the night, all the finalists were offered the opportunity to attend the Leeds Rhinos home fixture against Warrington Wolves and to take part in the half time pitch parade in front of 17,430.
The final finishing positions for the Super League Championship were:
1st- Huntington School
2nd- Corpus Christi
3rd- Bruntcliffe
4th- Roundhay
5th- David Young Community Academy
For more information on getting involved in Girls club rugby contact Lois.Forsell@leedsrugby.com
The video for the finals night at Lawnswood School can be seen below: