Whitworth High School rugby team in national final

Whitworth Community High School's Year 8s rugby team recently made it to a national rugby final.

Rugby has only recently been reintroduced at the school with students from year 8 and year 9 taking part in the after-school sessions as well as playing matches against other schools in Rossendale.

Team member Caden Bielec, 12, said: “We got the place after taking part in a knockout competition at Wright Robinson College in Manchester.

“At the national final, there were three groups with seven teams in each. It was really hard and we won one game, drew the next and then lost three.

“After lunch, we found we had been seeded to play in the afternoon and we drew the first, but then we played a team who had not lost a game.”

Although not winning the final, held in Warrington, the experience has spurred the players on.

The after-school rugby club started at Whitworth last year and the team currently tops the table in a mini-league in Rossendale.

There is just one more set of games to be played at Whitworth in July against The Valley Leadership Academy and All Saints.

In the last fixtures Whitworth played All Saints twice and won both games and they also won one and lost one to The Valley.

The club now has its own rugby shirts after Head of PE Will Cawley got the kit sponsored by Vita Foam.

Harry Baron, 14, who also plays rugby for Littleborough Rugby Union Club, said: “We were turning up for games in our school PE shirts like the rest of the schools, but, now thanks to Mr Cawley, we have our own kit and he has managed to get us games.”

Mr Cawley said: “Rugby has taken off within school this year and we now have teams in Years 8 and 9. The kits from Vita Foam really make the boys look professional and means that they feel part of a team.”

Also helping with the club is Chris Lawrence, from the pastoral team, who used to play the sport and former religious studies teacher James Carter assisted in setting up the club.

Harry said: “Mr Lawrence has really helped the team and given us the confidence when we are going into matches.”

Other members John Buckley also plays for Littleborough while Jack Ashworth plays for Rochdale and Oldham Rugby Union Clubs.

Joe Copley, 14, said: “We are looking forward to rugby posts being installed onto one of the existing sports pitches at school.”