The Leeds and Hunslet Schools Plate Competition, which started at the beginning of November for schools unsuccessful in the local Leeds stages of the Rugby Football League’s national Champion Schools Knockout competition, was completed last week with winning teams in each school year group now qualifying for the Cup competition taking place this week.
Morley Academy (Year 7), Cockburn (Year 8), Carr Manor (Year 9), Pudsey Grangefield (Year 10) and Brigshaw (Year 11) were all crowned winners in the Plate Competition and will now take on teams who were successful in the earlier Leeds qualifying rounds of the RFL's Champion Schools Tournament.
Leeds Rhinos Foundation restructured the format for the Leeds and Hunslet Schools competition last year to allow more competition and opportunity for development for schools in the city, who now have more opportunity for game time after the conclusion of the RFL's Champion Schools competition in October.
Organised by Leeds Rhinos Foundation Competitions Coordinator Lois Forsell, the competitions have provided the chance for schools who were unsuccessful in their bid to represent Leeds in the RFL Champion Schools national knockout competition, with a chance to compete in more fixtures against their Leeds school counterparts during the school year.
Under the new format, the winners of the Leeds and Hunslet Schools Plate competition progress to play Leeds schools who advanced through the RFL's Champion Schools Leeds qualifiers earlier in the term and then the chance to become Champion of Champions at the finals at John Charles Centre for Sport.
The schools will now compete the Leeds and Hunslet Cup competition at local venues with the top two teams qualifying for the finals event hosted by the Leeds Rhinos Foundation at John Charles Centre for Sport on the 10th November and 7th December.