Year 9 Girls Rugby Team impress in Yorkshire Carnegie Championships

The Year 9 Girls Rugby Team travelled to St Josephs, Huddersfield, to play in their Yorkshire Carnegie Schools Championships. Drawn in Pool B in a league of 6 teams, Sirius Academy managed four wins and one draw, seeing them top the league and go through to the semi finals against a tough Outwood Grange side. Unfortunately some decisions did not go our way, and the girls ended up losing out 18 – 12. But the girls can certainly hold their heads high after losing only one game in six throughout the tournament.
In the group stages Sirius had seen off St John Fisher 12 – 0 with tries from Esther Godwin and Megan Atkinson, who also converted both. Next up was Corpus Cristi, who had some very big strong players, but the defence was outstanding with Jordan Shakespear, Melissa Tulley and Jodie Shimmels not taking a backwards step. But it was Corpus Cristi who managed to get over the tryline from close range. With only 30 seconds on the clock remaining, from the tap restart Esther Godwin went the full 50 metres to make the final score 6 – 6 after Atkinson converted.
It didnt get any easier in game three, as Sirius took on another big, well drilled side in Ossett, but again it was the defence of the girls that impressed, even out wide when they tried to go around us Olivia Young, Jordan Longden and Emily Savage was on hand to make the tackles. In attack it was Carmen Coates that stole the show, scoring two fantastic long range tries, after some great work at acting half back from Megan Kay. Final score 12 – 0 to Sirius Academy. Next up for Sirius was the weakest team in the league North Halifax, this game saw Sirius run in three tries, two from Coates and one from the outstanding Year 8 Shauna Jones, who did not put a foot wrong all day at fullback, 18 – 0 final score.
Sirius Academy needed to win the last game of the group stages against Settle, who, like Sirius had not lost a game yet, so the winners of this one would top the league. Again the Sirius scrambling defence was sensational, the girls were doing everything they could to not let them in. In attack Megan Whittles took the ball up well, with Godwin also making some good yards. But the try of the day came two minutes from time, twenty yards out from the Settle line, on the last tackle Atkinson put up a superb crossfield kick, which Ebony Hepworth followed up, got a nice bounce and was able to put the ball over the try line, final score 6 – 0 to Sirius.
Semi Final: Sirius 12 Outwood Grange 18
In the winner takes all semi final, it was not to be for the Sirius girls. Carmen Coates again was superb in attack and made the score 12 – 12 with six minutes to go. From the resulting tap restart Outwood went over to edge them in front, and to everyones surprise after the conversion the referee blew for fulltime. The girls were bitterly diapointed to lose out at this stage, and probably didnt deserve it, but it was a fantastic effort and the skills on show were superb. Please congratulate the squad on their performance, behaviour and attitude:
Squad: Olivia Young, Carmen Coates, Jodie Shimmels, Esther Godwin, Ebony Hepworth, Megan Kay, Shauna Jones (Yr 8), Megan Whittles, Megan Atkinson, Melissa Tulley, Jordan Longden, Emily Savage (Yr 8), Jordan Shakespear (Yr 8).
Special thanks to Janice Hall for driving the minibus and her support throughout the day.