Year 9 Girls Rugby League Friendly v St Wilfreds

[20 Nov 2013]

The Year 9 Girls played in a friendly match against St Wilfreds School, Featherstone. Both teams had been evenly matched earlier on in the year at the Yorkshire Festivals, so it would be a good test for both teams and also give them some more rugby league experience. It was new to the girls as it was a 25 minute each way game, and not short games that they have been used to at festivals.

The St Wilfreds team were a big, strong outfit, and took full advantage of the Sirius defence, who were not moving up together and got two quick tries. Sirius Academy were looking good in attack and keeping the ball well, in very wet conditions. After some good work from forwards Demi Leak and Megan Jordan to get the Sirius team into some good field position, it was Jordan Shakespear who ran strong and hard, crashing through some tackles and going over. Sirius got another try to level the game, when some quick thinking from acting half back Ellie Hewitt saw her scoot over for a try. It was then a game of cat and mouse, with both teams looking good in attack, but a little weak on the defence. Influential captain Shauna Jones was running the show, not only in attack, but making some great tackles from marker. Sirius then took the lead when Carla Manuel crashed over from close range. St Wilfreds equalised, but Sirius replied with a Jordan Shakespear long range try to make the score 4 – 3 in favour of Sirius.

Just before the halftime break Shauna Jones got a nasty bang to the head and was unable to take the field for the second half, which was a massive blow for the Sirius team.

The defence looked a bit lost in the second half without their leader, and St Wilfreds went over for three more quick tries. Year 8 Saffron Jones used her experience in the middle of the park and got a try of her own, Emily Savage also showed her pace and strength to go over in the corner after some great footwork from Paige Fletcher. Aimee Harris was introduced for her rugby league debut and really got stuck in .St Wilfreds were kept out on a number of occasions, with some great cover defence from Natalia Butler, Ellie Mae Norrie and Georgia Cator. But it was Jordan Shakespear who rounded off the scoring for Sirius, after a superb run from Shannon Thornton. The Sirius attack looked good on the day, with not one knock on throughout the full match, but St Wilfreds ran in 9 tries to only 7 from the Sirius team, but it was a great experience for the girls and they have certainly improved from this match.

Special thanks to Janice Hall for driving the minibus and her support throughout.

Please congratulate the squad on their effort, attitude and behaviour.

Jordan Shakespear, Ellie Mae Norrie, Aimee Harris, Paige Fletcher, Demi Leake, Natalia Butler, Megan Jordan, Shannon Thornton, Braxton Adams, Carla Manuel, Ellie Hewitt, Emily Savage, Shauna Jones, Saffron Jones (Yr 8), Georgia Cator

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