Year 10 Rugby team reach Yorkshire Cup Semi-Final and National stages!

The Sirius Academy Year 10 Rugby League team secured a 26-20 victory over King James (North Yorkshire) to reach the Champion Schools Yorkshire Cup Semi-Finals and also gain qualification to the National Cup stages for the first time ever as a team. The boys battled hard for their victory and upon reflection could have won more comfortably but the most important objective of been in the next round was achieved. The boys now look forward to facing a tough test in one of last season’s National Cup Finalists from the North West region in Round 1 of the National Cup and also a Yorkshire Cup Semi-Final match after the Christmas break.
The match started well for Sirius who forced a mistake early however early nerves and overplaying with the ball resulted in the first ten minutes of the match been scrappy as both team made numerous errors. For Sirius Year 9 student George Tyson-Wilson was immense, making several strong carries and defending well, ably supported by forwards Jon Mills, Tom Greenham and Ray Brown. As loose pass fell to the King James star player who raced the full pitch to earn a 4-0 lead. Sirius hit back immediately with Brad McLaughlin linking up with Kenan Stephenson to send Connah Oliver over out-wide for 4-4. Again King James took the lead through poor Sirius defence but back we came with Alec Beaumont putting Mills through a gap with Stephenson converting for a 10-8 half-time lead.
The 2nd half saw Sirius defend with more structure with Callum Magee and Ewan Malton making several strong tackles whilst Matty Taylor and Brandon Eastwood were taking the ball up at every opportunity. In the middle Year 9 student Kai Thorpe and Charlie Jackson continued the hard work with James Ducker adding extra strength out-wide. A smart play saw Stephenson kick long from the 1st tackle for Luke Salas who raced downfield with McLaughling finishing off with Stephenson goaling for 16-8. King James hit back again for 16-12 before Lochlan Fitzgerald showed his class by supporting a break and sprinting clear for a 20-12 lead. Stephenson grabbed a deserved try of his ow, dummying and stepping his way through with Thorpe adding the extras for 26-12. Credit to King James who snatched two late tries of their own however Sirius had already done enough to secure victory and their place in the next round.
Special thanks to Rachel Gay for her support with the team and Cosi Basile for dropping the team off for the match.
Please congratulate the following boys on their success, attitude and behaviour:
Kenan Stephenson, Ewan Malton, Callum Magee, Connah Oliver, Matty Taylor, Lochlan Fitzgerlad, Brad McLaughlin, Jon Mills, Alec Beaumont, Tom Greenham, James Ducker, Ray Brown, George Tyson-Wilson (Year 9), Kai Thorpe (Year 9), Brandon Eastwood, Charlie Jackson, Brandon Butcher, Luke Collingwood, Luke Salas.