Champion Schools Finals next weekend
Castleford will be represented in this year's Champion Schools Finals next weekend at Kingston Park by local school Castleford Academy!
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Castleford will be represented in this year's Champion Schools Finals next weekend at Kingston Park by local school Castleford Academy!
The inspiresport Champion Schools Finals return to Kingston Park, the home of Newcastle Thunder, next Friday (July 7) for a bumper day of schools Rugby League – and the Our League cameras will be there to capture all the action.
Inspiresport Champion Schools is the RFL’s flagship schools' competition for girls and boys at years 7 to 11 which first began in 1981, contested in just the U16’s age group in it’s first year.
Friday’s event will include six finals from Year 7 Girls to Year 10 Boys, with the Year 10 Girls already being decided at St James’ Park earlier this month when The Brooksbank School overcame a brave challenge from Cardiff’s Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf in the first match of Super League’s Magic Weekend.
The action at Kingston Park will kick off with a highly-anticipated Hull derby, when Malet Lambert take on Archbishop Sentamu in the Year 7 Girls Final (KO 1.45pm.) Malet Lambert formed its very first Year 7 Girls team in 2021 – and since then the team has gone from strength to strength, reaching the Champion Schools finals in successive seasons. The current Year 8 team were outstanding in defeat last year against St Peter’s and the Year 7 squad this year will be looking to go one step further this week against Archbishop Sentamu who earned their place at Kingston Park with an impressive semi-final win against St John Fisher, which included three tries from captain Lilly Robinson.
Reigning Year 7 Girls Champions – St Peter’s RC High School – are next on the fixture list when they face Trinity Academy Leeds in the Year 8 Girls Final (KO 2.45pm). This season hasn’t been as easy for the team – their third-place finish in the National Festival meant a repeat of the 2022 Year 7 Final in the semi’s against Malet Lambert. Nevertheless, St Peter’s turned their form around and defeated their Hull counterparts once again 30-22. Their opponents, Trinity Academy Leeds, made history earlier this year when the team progressed all the way to the Yorkshire Cup Final for the first time and now they will be looking to add a national title at Kingston Park.
Attention will then turn to the Year 8 Boys when Castleford Academy take on Bridgewater High School, with the teams facing each other for the second year running (KO 3.45pm). The Warrington side were defeated in the Year 7 final last season, but they have bounced back and continued in fine form this year with impressive wins against teams such as St Benedict’s and Sirius Academy West. As a school, Castleford Academy have enjoyed great success in the Champion Schools competition over the years, and this Year 8 squad continued that success last year when they overcame Bridgewater in the Year 7 final. They will be hoping that standout performances from the likes of Josh Woodhead, Nathan Anaman and Archie Lunn will lead them to a second successive title.
The Year 9 Girls Castleford Academy team are another of the Wakefield outfit’s sides defending their title in the 2023 finals. Last year, a breath-taking hat-trick from Beau Owens helped the team come from behind to claim the Year 8 title against Friday’s opponents Malet Lambert (KO 5.00pm.) The two sides have already met at the National Festival earlier this season, when Paz Cooper opened the scoring after an incredible run to make it 6-0 to Malet. But once again, Castleford fought back and went on to win 8-6. Whatever the result at Kingston Park, this fixture is sure to be another exciting showdown.
Bridgewater High School’s second team at Kingston Park is the Year 9 Boys who face Standish Community High School (KO 6.15pm). Standish have been dominant in local and regional competitions over the years and last season this team shared the spoils in the Year 8 Final against Ryburn Valley High School – a late try and conversion from Matt Halton saw the game end at 20 points apiece and 2023 could be another impressive year for the Wigan side. They will face tough competition in Bridgewater High though who got their tournament off to a strong start back in April when they hosted West Lakes Academy, before victories against Outwood Academy and Ryburn Valley earned them a place in the final.
The days final fixture will decide the Year 10 Boys title when St Peter’s Catholic High School play Castleford Academy (KO 7.30pm.) This will be the third of Castleford Academy’s teams playing to defend their title on Friday, having claimed the Year 9 Boys crown last year defeating Archbishop Sentamu Academy in convincing style. However, their Wigan counterparts are enjoying an impressive season which has featured victories against some of School Rugby League’s biggest competitors – including Bridgewater High and Archbishop Sentamu Academy.
The Year 7 Boys title will be decided at Wembley Stadium on August 12 when Archbishop Sentamu Academy of Hull take on Leigh’s Bedford High School in the Steven Mullaney Memorial Game – alongside the finals of both the Men’s and Women’s Challenge Cup and the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup Final. Tickets for Finals Day are on sale now via the RFL website. Fans can take advantage of an Early Bird offer of 25% OFF all tickets, with prices starting from only £15 Adults and £7.50 for Under 16s.
Coverage of the Champion Schools Finals Day will be on Our League from 1.45pm – and if you don’t have an account, you can sign up here.