Harrogate Grammar School‘s boys’ first team has been crowned under-18s national rugby union champions.
The team beat St Peter’s High School, Gloucestershire 31-20 to win the Continental Tyres Schools Bowl at Saracens’ StoneX Stadium in London. A total of 125 schools entered.
It was the first time in the school’s recent history that the under-18s reached a national final.
Coached by former Scotland International Tom Ryder, director of sport at the school and Stuart Vincent, former captain of Ilkley RFC, six of the team the team have represented Yorkshire Academy this season.
Mr Ryder said:
“This was a fantastic performance from the boys, they’ve worked very hard all year so I’m really pleased for them that it was such a great game.
Try time for HGS
Captained by Matthew Leatham, who plays for Yorkshire Academy under-18 team and vice-captained by Sam Parsons-Bastiman, who was selected for the North of England under-18 squad, the team scored five tries in the final, which was live-streamed on England Rugby’s YouTube channel.
Matthew said:
“The squad would like to thank Mr Ryder and Mr Vincent for their coaching, mentoring and encouragement throughout the season; not forgetting Michelle Farnhill, our strength and conditioning coach, who helped us keep the intensity throughout the game.
“The players would also like to thank all the travelling supporters, it certainly made a difference hearing the singing, drumming and trumpet playing.”
Kicking for glory
Harrogate Grammar’s sixth form sports academy is only in its second year, with 30 boys currently in the rugby programme.
This, along with twice-weekly gym sessions and weekly fixtures, has cultivated a more professional approach to school sport.
Evading a tackle
Headteacher Neil Renton said:
“This is an outstanding achievement to be very proud of and a reflection of their dedication, commitment and unity as a team. We are delighted to be crowned national champions.
“The academy is a unique asset to our school, championing success in netball and rugby, and we want to continue attracting students from across the county to our sixth form.”
Photographs by Leo Wilkinson Photography
Harrogate Rugby Club launches foundation to ‘tackle all barriers head-on’The Harrogate Rugby Club has set up a foundation to help make the game more accessible to people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds.
The Harrogate Rugby Club Foundation will promote physical activity and teamwork amongst all age-groups and aims to benefit a thousand people by 2024.
It will host free tag rugby sessions for schools, as well as community fitness classes, walking rugby programs and mixed-ability rugby sessions.
The rugby club has acted as a social hub since its foundation in 1871.
The project’s mission-statement outlines its aims:
“From primary schools to retirement home, we are here to keep people physically and mentally fit throughout their life. Using rugby as a means to access areas of inequality, deprivation and hardship, we will ensure that everyone in the Harrogate community has the opportunity to benefit from the amazing game that is Rugby Union.”
The foundation will launch officially on Saturday 18th February, at a match between the Men’s 1st XV and Sheffield Tigers.
Local schoolchildren who have already got involved in the rugby club’s free tag rugby sessions will be pitch side at the weekend, taking up the role of ball boys/girls for the match.
Entrance to all matches this weekend will be free.
The rugby club has created a crowdfunding page for the foundation to raise money for free coaching in schools, as well as equipment.
To support the fundraising campaign, visit the crowdfunder page.
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Ex-Leeds Rhinos coach Brian McDermott escapes driving ban
Former Leeds Rhinos head coach and Harrogate resident Brian McDermott has escaped a driving ban after arguing he needs his car to scout players.
McDermott, 52, of Knox Mill Close, was in York Magistrates Court yesterday after being caught driving his BMW above the 60mph speed limit on the A59 close to Bolton Abbey last year.
The coach, who also represented England and Great Britain during his playing career, pleaded guilty but asked the court to waive the three points as it would take him to 12 points and an automatic ban.
In a submission to the court, Mr McDermott said he unexpectedly found himself out of work for 18 months after his previous club Toronto Wolfpack went out of business due to covid in March 2020.
During this time he had been living from savings, which were now close to running out.
In October 2021, he took a job as head coach at Featherstone Rovers who play in the second-tier of the sport.
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McDermott said he drives over 40,000 miles a year for the role, which involves work in the community, travelling to amateur clubs and scouting players.
He said he was the only person at Featherstone able to watch players from other clubs.
Without the car, he said he could potentially lose his job, which would mean he’d struggle to pay child support and rent.
Special reasons
Magistrates said they were satisfied that Mr McDermott had ‘special reasons’ for contesting the penalty points.
However, they said the reasons given were not appropriate “in all of the circumstances” so they issued the three penalty points, taking him to 12 overall, but allowed him to continue driving.
He was also fined £307 and asked to pay a victim’s surcharge of £34 and costs of £85 to the Crown Prosecution Service.
Ex-England player appointed director of rugby at HarrogateHarrogate Rugby Club has appointed Martyn Wood as its new director of rugby.
The former Harrogate Grammar School student will replace David ‘Doc’ Doherty, who announced he will step down at the end of the season.
Wood joins Harrogate following a long playing career with Wasps, Bath and England. He also had coaching roles at Hull Ionians and Yorkshire Carnegie.
The club will end this season bottom of National League 2 North.
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The club has also announced that Sam Fox will continue as head coach next season.
Fox was appointed to the role at the start of this season after previously being head coach of the academy.
Aled Jones will take up the role of head of rugby transition.
Jones will be responsible for supporting young players as they move from the academy to senior rugby and will manage and coach the Georgians next season.
Harrogate rugby to face local rivals in final home gameA bumper crowd is expected at Harrogate Rugby Club today for the last home game of the season.
The club will welcome local rivals Wharfedale RUFC to Ruddling Lane in what is expected to see the largest crowd in more than five years at the ground.
The match will also be David “Doc” Doherty’s last home game after six years’ service. Doherty will step down after serving as director of rugby, as well as a player and coach.
Harrogate and Wharfedale faced each other just five weeks ago, when the latter ran out 23-21 winners.
As well as the first team match, the day will also see touch rugby and a mini-tournament take place ahead of the local derby.
A spokesperson for the club said:
“Besides the first XV match, there’s lots more happening on Saturday. At 1pm it’s the tap-off of Harrogate Touch Rugby team’s first game of their season versus Catterick. Seen as an area of considerable future growth, Pitch 2 has been specially marked out for Touch Rugby matches over summer. New players of all ages are very welcome.
“At 1.30pm on Pitch 3, Harrogate’s U13 Boys kick off in a three-way round robin mini-tournament against touring side Chester and local rivals Moortown.”
Adult entrance to non-members is £10, all juniors have free entry. Kick off is 3pm.
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