Harrogate Grammar School’s Boys’ U18 Rugby 21/22 team were recently crowned the Yorkshire Cup champions. It was the first time the school have won the cup since 2007 and a sweet victory after a triumphant first year for the Sixth Form Sports Academy.
On 15 March, the team met Crossley Heath. Their opponents initially managed to get a foothold in the game, but Tommy Carswell brought the scores level. Crossley Heath went into half time 12-5 up, but as the second half kicked off, Matthew Leatham set the tone for the Harrogate Grammar attack. His charging run demonstrated why he was the deserved man of the match. Freddie Yates scored two amazing tries and increased the pressure, while Barney Horberry was able to add the two extra points for each of Freddie’s tries, bringing the final score to 19-12.
Tom Ryder, Director of Sport at Harrogate Grammar School, 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.
We also recently took part in the Senior Boys Rugby 7s tournament at Rosslyn Park, where the quality of play was exceptional. Then last week, our U14s boys’ rugby team won the Ilkley Grammar 7s cup. The U15 girls’ rugby team have just competed in the final of the Yorkshire Cup coming runners up. We are really proud of them all.
The team is made up of Sixth Form Academy players, who enjoy a timetabled programme of sport that fits in with their academic subjects. There are 26 boys participating in the rugby academy programme. The Academy also has a girls’ netball team who are enjoying similar success, again proving that sport can be an integral part of post-16 study.
The success of the Sixth Form Sports Academy is part of a wider passion for sport that runs throughout school. After two years of disruption, students have enjoyed a full season of fixtures across all the years. The girls’ under 14 netball reached regional finals recently, as did the boys’ hockey team. The renewed focus on team sports is also attracting younger students, who are busy joining clubs and adding to the thriving, inclusive sports culture at Harrogate Grammar School.
Neil Renton, Headteacher at Harrogate Grammar School, said:
Congratulations to the U18 team who brought home a cup after 15 years.
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.
