Thursday 5 April 2012 In a thrilling final at the hallowed ground of Twickenham, The Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL) won the prestigious Daily Mail RBS U15 rugby union cup from the 2010 and 2011 holders The Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe. The first half was fast flowing with the holders scoring an early try to take a 5-0 lead after failing to convert. However, it was soon game on when 12 minutes in Leeds came back with a powerful try by Tom Gorman, which captain Sam Ward converted giving GSAL a 5-7 lead. Ward strengthened the lead with a penalty kick in the dying minute of the first half, making the score at half time 5-10. The second half started off with some great kicking by fly half Jonny Haslem to the accompaniment of drumming from many GSAL supporters in the stand. Seven minutes into the second half flanker Will Shepherd scored a text book try right in the centre, which Ward easily converted, pushing the score to 5-17. The defending champions fought back bravely but an impressively strong tackle by full back Gorman stopped the determined High Wycombe attempt in its tracks and showcased the excellence of the Leeds defence, which was evident throughout the match. RGS was not defeated yet, although time was running out. In the last few minutes before injury time, they scored a hard won try, which they managed to convert but the stamina and Yorkshire grit of the Leeds squad paid off and saw them lifting the cup with a final score of 12-17. The day might have been overcast at Twickenham and in Leeds but the hearts of the GSAL players and their supporters, both those who had made the 400 mile round journey to London and those still at school in Leeds watching on the big screen in their lunch break, were full of pride. Team coach Owen Edwards said, “The character showed by the team throughout every round has been faultless, they couldn’t have been more deserving. They are a great bunch on and off the rugby field. It was a superb Twickenham debut – to beat RGS who have such a strong record at Twickenham is amazing.” It was the culmination of challenging battles which saw an undefeated GSAL up against strong squads, such as Whitgift in the quarter finals and Trinity College Croydon in the semi -finals. The squad are captain Sam Ward (Bramhope), Jeremy Huitson (Shadwell), Luke Powderly (Harrogate), Harrison Brown-Raw (Bramhope), Tom Megson (Harrogate), Chris Bridge (Alwoodley), Will Newett (Linton), Ed Collins ( Alwoodley) ), Elliott Bloodworth, (Harrogate) Jack London (Linton), Gerard Ellis (Alwoodley), Ben Townsend (East Keswick), Harry Bolser (Addingham), Harry Francis (Adel), Simon Phillips (Shadwell), Jonny Webster (Thorner), Charles Etchells (Shadwell), Harry Mawer (Wetherby ), Joe Hunter (Thorner), Will Shepherd (East Keswick), Tom Gorman (Bramhope), Max Kay (Harrogate), Dom Hardman (Alwoodley), Jonny Haslem (Alwoodley). General Senior School News
