Last week saw the kick-off of the 2008/2009 Rugby League Carnegie Champion Schools competition in Wales, with first round of the year 7 and year 11 tournaments taking place across the length and breadth of the country.

Competitions will take place at all senior school age groups with the National Year 7 Final taking place at Wembley Stadium before the Carnegie Challenge Cup Final on Saturday 29 August 2009. The finals of the other age groups will take place in London on the day before with all finalists being invited as guests at Wembley.

The Year 8 and 9 tournaments kick-off in early December with the year 10 competition starting in January.

This year has seen an increase in the number of schools enter the competition, with over 100 teams taking part as Celtic Crusaders’ popularity and their admission into Super League doing wonders to boost the popularity of rugby league in Welsh schools.

The geographical spread of the teams also signals the message of rugby league is increasing all the time with schools taking part stretching from Pembrokeshire’s St David’s Comprehensive in the West to Newport’s St Josephs RC Comprehensive in the East.

Because of this, the competition has had to be split into four regions for the very first time with each year group boasting an East, West, Bridgend and Central tournament.

Wales Rugby League development officer Dan Clements said: “The response from schools for this year’s Carnegie Champion Schools competition has been great.

“Last year was a huge success for us but to attract more schools yet again suggests that the interest in rugby league is continuing to grow.

“To see schools wanting to play league from the city of St David’s in the west, up to Merthyr Tydfil and all the way over to Newport means the competition has a truly South Wales feel. It also means we get a chance to see school children competing from all areas, not just our traditional strongholds.”

With the tournaments being run by Celtic Crusaders and Welsh Rugby League staff, there has been a true Super League feel to the competition with player visits making the tournaments even more special.

Celtic Crusaders’ community development officer Matt Pritchard said: “Throughout the six week coaching programme and the tournaments that the schools have taken part in so far, the children have been very excited about Super League coming to Bridgend. We at the Crusaders are committed to providing young children with the chance to participate in rugby league.

“I have been overwhelmed by the standard of rugby on show; it demonstrates that the future of rugby league in Wales is extremely healthy”

The tournaments will continue into the New Year climaxing in a Welsh schools finals day at the Brewery Field in February to see who qualifies for the national knockout stages. This day will take place in the build up to the Crusaders first ever Super League fixture away at the Leeds Rhinos, so it promises to be an action packed week.

article by Ian Golden
28 November 2008