Year 10 Rugby team move to within one game of National Final!
The Sirius Academy Year 10 Rugby team moved to within one game of achieving their long-term aim of reaching the RFL National Cup Final, after an impressive 46-20 victory over Lancashire Cup champions St Peters (Wigan). The team who have won local and county championships as a school team have only ever made it through to the Semi-Finals of the National competition once before, and hope that this season they will go one further and reach that elusive Final. The team will now face the winners from St John Fisher (Wigan) and Hinchley Wood (London) in their Semi-Final clash.
Sirius started the match in fantastic fashion, completing dominating their opponents with a strong defensive set led by captain George Tyson-Wilson and Kai Thorpe. On their first attack of the game Sirius showed their speed, with good hands from the excellent Harry Whittles and Josh Jarvis sending Brett Dorley clear who gladly raced 90 metres to score with Whittles goaling for 6-0. Not letting their opponents settles, Sirius were back on the attack and it was Whittles who sent Jarvis away to sped in from 50 metres for 12-0. Peters hit back quickly with an opportunistic try for 12-6, but from that point it was all Sirius for the remainder of the half, using great skill and speed to open up the opposition. With Whittles and Jordan Richmond bossing the game, finding Brad Elliott, Jarvis, Josh Lomax, Ryan Addinall and Josh Atkinson wide-out, with Thorpe, Jay Kirkland and Tom Jordan working well around the rick which was well controlled again by the impressive Callum Whilsher. When called upon Atkinson and Luke Moss dealt with kicks bravely and returned them with great speed. Quick hands from Atkinson sent Dorley away from 90 metres again for a replica try, before a Thorpe break was followed up by Atkinson who dived over. Jarvis was next over showing great strength to outmuscle his opponent to scoot over with Whittles adding his 4th goal before Peters hit back right on half-time for 28-12.
With the challenge set to keep their performance levels up, Sirius could not have started better, with a Whittles high kick causing havoc which Elliott duly dealt with to stroll over for 34-12. Lewis Hewitt came on to add some energy around the ruck, with Connor Cape-Melbourne putting his size to great effect with some strong carries. Tyson-Wilson continued to work tirelessly well supported by Declan Jackson, with Mikey Lewis coming on to display some neat touches on the edges. Cape-Melbourne was next over off a delayed pass from Richmond, before Elliott finished the Sirius scoring with another strong carry and finish. Peters refused to give in and finished strongly with two tries to take the score to 46-20 but it was Sirius who move to within one game of the Final.
Special thanks to Rach Gay for her support with the team and to 6th Former Harry Brigham for his help.
Please congratulate the following boys on their success, attitude and behaviour:
Josh Atkinson, Brett Dorley, Josh Jarvis, Ryan Addinnall, Luke Moss (Year 9), Jordan Richmond, Harry Whittles, Kai Thorpe, Callum Whilsher, Jay Kirkland, Brad Elliott, Josh Lomax, George Tyson-Wilson, Tom Jordan, Declan Jackson (Year 9), Mikey Lewis (Year 9), Connor Cape-Melbourne, Callum Whilsher.
