Bristol will have its first representatives in the Carnegie National Champion Schools Rugby League competition, as Bristol Brunel Academy (pictured) and St Mary Ratcliffe Temple (below in action against BBA) progressed into the Regional Finals this week. Over 80 children took part in the WESPORT area competition, held at Aretians RFC, the home ground of the Bristol Sonics Rugby League Club.
Club officials and Rugby League Community Coaches were on hand to put the young players through their paces. These are exciting times for Rugby League in the South West, with Bristol City Council considering a bid to host a match in the 2013 World Cup, and the Sonics preparing to announce an exciting junior initiative for the summer. Meanwhile, Leeds Rhinos will travel to Bristol to take on South West Students, coached by Karl Fearnley and Dom Swann, at Filton College on 27th February.
BBA and SMRT will go to the regional festival at North Petherton on 15th February, where they will face schools from Devon and Gloucestershire. The Carnegie National Champion Schools Rugby League competition is the largest rugby league knockout competition in the world, with its Year 7 boys final taking place at Wembley Stadium as the curtain-raiser to the Challenge Cup Final. The regional winners will be just four games away from taking centre stage at the National Stadium in August.
