U16 tournament returns to Rydal Penrhos Boys' U18 team crowned national runners-up
After so long without any prominent sporting activity due to COVID-19, Rydal Penrhos was thrilled to welcome schools and teams from across North Wales and the North of England for the annual RPS U16 Rugby 7s.
This was one of the first major rugby competitions since restrictions were eased and brought a significant amount of interest from across the community to New Field and Brackley.
The day was blessed with glorious sunshine as with teams competed in two separate pools before being split into Cup, Plate, and Trophy categories.
After a hugely competitive day of action, St Ambrose College emerged as the Cup and overall winners of the tournament thanks to a hard-fought victory over Stonyhurst College in the final.
Wirral Grammar School emerged victorious from the Plate section with a final win over Colwyn Bay Rugby Club, with Llandovery College taking away the Trophy section bragging rights with a convincing performance against Stockport Grammar School.
It was also an extremely worthwhile outing for Rydal Penrhos’ U16 squad, who were playing the 7s discipline competitively for the first time in two years and performed exceptionally well throughout, winning against Newcastle-under-Lyme School to qualify for the Plate event.
This saw the hosts come up against Colwyn Bay, which finished 17-17 with the same number of tries and conversions, leaving the outcome to be decided by a coin flip that went the Bay’s way.
The event was incredibly well organised, with Exile Sportswear and Edwards of Conwy also lending their support by sponsoring the competition.
Nicky Head, who is Head of Physical Education at Rydal Penrhos, said: “This was a marvellous occasion and it was great to see the school full of life during a brilliant day of Rugby 7s.
“We would like to thank all the staff, players, sponsors, referees and supporters for attending and we look forward to welcoming you all back in 2023.”
After triumphing in the recent Eryri heat, the Rydal Penrhos U18 Boys’ Hockey squad travelled to Newtown on Tuesday 5 April for a tilt at the Welsh Schools’ Championships. The school has enjoyed a wealth of success in this competition over the years, which is a testament to the expert coaching they receive on-site and how well they’ve performed as a unit upon returning to fixtures after COVID-19 restrictions eased.
Despite coming up against some top schools from across the country, this did not stop the Rydal Penrhos contingent from making their presence felt en route to the final, which saw them take on Ysgol Glantaf from South Wales.
As expected, it was a hugely competitive affair with both sides enjoying good spells of possession during what turned out to be a fantastic final showcase. Year 12 pupil and current Wales U18 international Alex Starling was the driving force for Rydal Penrhos and was ably assisted by some outstanding contributions from his team mates.
Although Rydal Penrhos were unable to take the overall crown following a narrow loss, to secure runners-up from the competition represents an outstanding achievement and one the team can look back on with a great sense of pride.
It’s been a strong start to the season for the group, who brought their skills and teamwork on considerably under the guidance of coach Dan Rippon. This is despite the significant lack of activity over the last two years and something each squad member deserves an exceptional amount of credit for.
We would like to congratulate our U18 Boys’ Hockey team on securing the Eryri championship and runners-up on a national stage. A fine set of achievements!
Rydal Penrhos U18 Boys’ Hockey squad: Alex Starling, James Gilman, Edward Altoft, Adam McGuigan, Jacob Cousins, Liam Farrell, Ollie Davies, Gabriel Speakman, Jonathan Osbourne, Laurence Richardson, Will Tavernor, Kosi Iwobi, Gregory Perry.
