Young rugby players are hoping to be the pride of Yorkshire when they run out in a prestigious under 18s final on Saturday.
The boys from Ripon Grammar School are set to meet old adversaries Ermysteds Grammar School, Skipton, in the battle for the Yorkshire Cup.
The match kicks off at 3pm at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Wakefield, which is hosting all the age group finals in this year’s cup.
Mike Garvey, head of boys’ PE at Ripon Grammar School, said: “We were extremely close to getting three teams in this year’s finals as our U13s, who won the Yorkshire Cup last year, went out as a result of a draw where the home team gives way. Our U12s went out in the last minute of the semi final, so all our hopes are on the U18s.”
Coached by Alex Margerison and Keith Miller, the boys are hoping the delivery of brand new kits will help push them on to win.
Mr Garvey added: “We lost by a whisker to Ermysteds in the Nat West Cup earlier in the year but the boys put in a high quality performance that we’re hoping to repeat on Saturday.
“It should be a very close final and we are hoping for fine weather and a dry ball. We hope to win enough possession from our small but mobile pack to feed our speedy backs in our customary free flowing running style.”
The U18s squad, who won four of their five games to reach the final, are: Harry Cleary, Elliot Fearn, James Woolfenden, Tom Newby, Sam Hudson, Harry Lamb, James McDaniel, Jamie Bowker, Quinn O’Connell, Will Ranson, Bentley Briggs, Mofe Omatsone, Tom Stringer, Harry Yates, Patrick Savage, with reserves Josh Finkill, Andrew Braithwaite, Angus Crampton, Charlie Yates, Tom Beaumont, Joe Pearman, Derek Van Der Westhuizen and Luke Robinson.
James McDaniel is an England U17 scrum half, centres Tom Newby and Harry Lamb, have played for Yorkshire and skipper James Woolfenden has played for North Yorkshire.
