New boys open school fixtures

The ShockaSports Rochdale Schools Rugby League competition

The ShockaSports Rochdale Schools Rugby League competition got underway on Thursday (29 September) at St Cuthbert’s High School, with the new boys of the school, the year 7's, representing their new schools in the Champions Schools Qualifier.

Teams from hosts St Cuthbert’s, Oulder Hill, Siddal Moor and Middleton Technology were all in attendance for what proved to be a hard fought competition. The competition format saw all 4 teams play against each other once with 2 points being awarded for the win.

The eventual winners were St Cuthbert’s, earning the right to represent Rochdale in the prestigious Carnegie Champion Schools Qualifier.

The first game saw St Cuthbert’s take on Siddal Moor in what was an extremely close game, with St Cuthbert’s coming out on top 30-24 with a last minute well worked try.
Middleton Technology College and Oulder Hill were the next to take to the stage. With both these schools being fairly new to Rugby League it was really good to see some of the skills that are being taught by the community coaches and teachers finally put on show on the field. Middleton Technology just had the edge and ran out eventual winners 18-0.

Link4life’s Community Rugby League Coach, Danny Pyke, said: “To see the new boys take to the field is great, last year we had two teams at this event this year we have four showing the work we are doing as part of the Bolton, Bury and Rochdale Rugby League Development Group is working.

“It is also good to see some of the players that we have worked with in primary school programme last year come through and continue to play Rugby League in High School, the future is looking strong in Rochdale.

“We have our winter Service Area Player Development Centre starting up again in November and I’m sure that some of the players on show here will be able to make the step up and fit in well along side the more experienced lads from Mayfield and Cobras.”
The next date for the ShockaSports Rochdale Schools Rugby League competitions is Wednesday 12 October 2011, as the year 7 and year 9's take to the field at Firgrove playing Fields, home of the Rochdale Cobras.