Harrogate rugby club’s under 15s have won the International Rugby Festival Tournament in Lisbon.
The ‘Harrogate Raptors’ won the event in Portugal, beating Welsh side, Cwmbram, 12-7 in the final.
Matthew Grant, Harrogate rugby’s under 15s group manager said:
“It was a life changing experience for the kids. They won gracefully and represented the club really well. There was no fighting or trouble and everyone was well behaved.
“It was great that we brought 25 players and everyone got some minutes.”
Harrogate under 15s after winning the tournament
The tournament saw Harrogate play five teams from Portugal and Wales, winning all of them.
Oliver Spence, Harrogate’s captain, was named player of the tournament.
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The final between Harrogate and Cwmbram was 7-7 after twenty minutes, which took the game into extra-time. Harrogate then scored the ‘golden try’ to win the tournament.
The festival was held over two days and featured teams from across the world. The games were livestreamed across Portuguese TV and featured 118 teams throughout all age groups.
Yorkshire Cup win seals success for Harrogate Grammar’s Rugby TeamHarrogate Grammar’s under 18s rugby squad are celebrating having been crowned champions of the Yorkshire Cup after beating Crossley Heath 19-12.
It is the first time the school has won the cup since 2007.
Tom Ryder, the director of sport at Harrogate Grammar, said:
“Winning the Yorkshire Cup was the icing on the cake of a fantastic year for the Sports Academy. They are a dedicated and motivated group who train hard and commit.
“The Yorkshire Cup final was an extra special occasion, as so many teachers, students, HGS Alumni, friends and family came out to support.
Student Freddie Yates scored two tries, whilst team-mate, Matthew Leatham, won the man of the match award.
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After two years of disruption, students have enjoyed a full season of fixtures across all years. The girls’ under 14 netball reached regional finals recently, as did the boys’ hockey team.
Neil Renton, the school’s headteacher spoke on the win. He said:
Harrogate’s director of rugby resigns“They are talented squad and their dedication not only reflects our values of commitment and excellence, but also inspires our younger students. The Academy is a unique asset to our school, championing success in netball and rugby and we want to attract students from all over the county.
“Our PE faculty works hard to organise so many fixtures, driving forward such successful teams and offering a tremendous range of sports to all our students.”
Harrogate Rugby Club has announced that its director of rugby is to step down at the end of the season.
David ‘Doc’ Doherty will resign from the position after being at the club since 2016.
He helped to rebuild the first team squad and secure promotion back to National 2 North in 2019/20, as well as establishing an academy. However, the first team is currently at the foot of the table with just three wins from 24 fixtures this season.
Doherty also took on commercial chair duties and helped to bring a number of new sponsors to the club.
– David Doherty – Director of Rugby. It is with regret that Harrogate RUFC announce that our Director of Rugby, David ‘Doc’ Doherty, has decided to resign his position at the end of this current season. https://t.co/c2edMeXCMm pic.twitter.com/VjBlSw7Uxj
— Harrogate Rugby Football Club (@Harrogate_Rugby) March 23, 2022
Speaking following the decision, Doherty said:
“I have always loved my six years leading Harrogate Rugby Club. I have consistently strived to leave the club in a better place than when I joined.
“We now have a long-lease on our land and have a sustainable business model, with the academy at the heart of what we do. This has already started to bear fruit with a huge number of players transitioning into 1stXV and senior rugby.
“Planning is well on the way for our ground redevelopment and the club can kick-on to future success, as we have created solid foundations.
“I would sincerely like to thank all the players, coaches and members who have supported me at the club during my time, and look forward to sharing a beer with them at the end of season dinner.”
The club are now reviewing options to replace Doherty, with an announcement on a new director expected by the end of the season.
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Former Harrogate rugby club chairman James Smithies dies
Former Harrogate Rugby Union Football Club chairman and president James Smithies has died.
The club released a statement this week saying Mr Smithies passed away on Monday following a long illness.
Mr Smithies spent over 10 years at the club and played a key role in negotiations to move from the old ground on Claro Road to the present site on Rudding Lane. The former ground has now been redeveloped for housing.
Mr Smithies was elected chairman in 2012 and in 2017 received the highest honour that the club can bestow when he was elected president.
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The club said he was a generous financial supporter of the club and ensured the success of the first XV.
The club’s statement added:
Harrogate Railway organises ‘rugby prom’ for charity“We send our condolences to his wife Chris, his son Edward and his family.”
Harrogate Railway Athletic Football Club is organising a rugby match in which the players wear prom dresses to raise money for charity.
The club is fundraising in support of former Leeds Rhinos rugby league player Rob Burrow, who has motor neurone disease.
It has already raised £6,200 but would like to achieve £7,000 to match the number 7 Rob wore on his team shirt.
Anne Mitchell, the clubhouse manager, came up with the idea as a finale to the charity walks the club has done for the MND Association.
She said:
“One of the most exciting things is the team names — the sugar plum fairies and the nutcrackers”.
Rob Burrow, who has been raising money for the MND Association since his diagnosis, is supporting the event:
https://twitter.com/RunforRobMND/status/1409262293909753861
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Players from different districts, including Leeds, York, West Park and Stanningley, are taking part in the match at Harrogate Railway AFC.
Details of the event are available on this Twitter account.
‘Legendary’ PE teacher retires from Harrogate Grammar School“Legendary” PE teacher Roy Mackay has retired from Harrogate Grammar School after 32 years.
During his career at the school, the Scotsman taught thousands of children sport — and is best known for his passion for rugby union.
He is a distinguished rugby coach, coaching countless teams of boys and girls at the school. He also coached North England, Scottish Exiles and Yorkshire junior sides.
Mr Mackay has coached thousands of students over more than three decades
Several of his former Harrogate Grammar School pupils have gone on to play the sport professionally, including Martyn Wood who represented England and played for Wasps and Bath.
Hundreds of pupils at the school have enjoyed the sports tours Roy has organised, to countries such as the Republic of Ireland, Holland, Canada, USA, Italy, Austria and Switzerland.
He was also pivotal in starting girls’ rugby at the school.
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Richard Sheriff, CEO of the Red Kite Learning Trust, said:
“Roy is dedicated, charismatic, compassionate and utterly dedicated to supporting young people in taking an active part in the game.
“Over the last four decades Roy has volunteered many hours of his time which reflects the sheer selflessness and endless enthusiasm he has brought to Harrogate Grammar School and wider community. Roy has been a father figure to thousands of students.
“He works with the same enthusiasm with beginners in Year 7 as he does with the elite of the first 15 in the Sixth Form. He seeks no personal glory or attention but quietly goes about his business giving countless hours of his own time in the service of young people and rugby.”
WATCH: Harrogate Rugby Club gets back to business
Players at Harrogate RUFC say it is “great” to finally be able to get back on the pitch.
The club is having to train in much smaller groups with the players focusing specifically on their fitness and ball skills. Despite not being able to play competitively yet, the players are getting match fit for when the time finally comes.
The players have enjoyed getting back into the swing of things.
Director of Rugby at Harrogate RUFC, David Doherty, told The Stray Ferret:
“It’s brilliant to have the players back. It’s obviously challenging given the government guidelines, but the boys have embraced it.”
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Training takes place on Tuesday and Thursday evenings with both the men and women playing in small ‘pods’ with no contact.
Harrogate Rugby Club reopens clubhouse doorsHarrogate RUFC welcomed back familiar faces and reopened its club house doors.
It was the “first time the club house opened since lockdown” and players and supporters enjoyed a BBQ and a long-awaited pint. Food was enjoyed outside and a one-way system was adopted through the clubhouse.
As well as this, the rugby club launched its “Ride to Rudding” scheme, which was originally due to have started before lockdown. The initiative encourages people to cycle to the club rather than drive.
Andy Annat provided the BBQ for the reopening of the clubhouse.
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Mike Cowling, commercial chairman for Harrogate RUFC told The Stray Ferret:
“We were always planning to launch the scheme officially, but lockdown delayed that. This is the start of something going forward, we had about a dozen people ride to the event at the weekend which is great.”
The club was given a small transport grant from Harrogate Borough Council which allowed it to install a bike shelter to further encourage players and supporters to cycle to the club.
In order to encourage more people to cycle, the club held a free prize draw for all those who arrived on bikes across the weekend. The winner was Woody Auld who plays for the U10’s.