Burnley Rugby Club hosted the Year 7 & 8 Girls Festival with 11 schools and 12 Teams taking part. Organised by Helen Tyson the Burnley Schools Sports Partnership and supported by Community Rugby Coach Simon Finnan, and volunteer referees from the club - Howard Metcalf, Martin Churchill & Adrian Knowles, plus Mark Sutcliffe from the RFU, the day was a huge success for the youngsters and their schools.

The schools were from five different boroughs - Burnley, Pendle, Rossendale, Ribble Valley and Hyndburn. To my knowledge the biggest girls school event held ever in Burnley with over 100 girls taking part.

Placed in two groups this gave a minimum five games and the level of ability and skill grew as the day went along. The event, had an event with an event, as each borough needed a winner to move on to July and the Lancashire School Games, and on the day the top two in each group Qualified for a semi and final.

In group one Shuttleworth and Primet were successful in coming in the top two, with group two seeing Haslingden High One and St Augustine's making the last four. The semi's were keenly contested with a try separating both games but both group two teams moved into the final, with Shuttleworth going on to win the third / fourth play off. The final saw Haslingden win with the final play of the game.

Great all round afternoon from - Alder Grange, Blessed Trinity, Clitheroe Grammar School, Haslingden High One, Haslingden High Two, Hyndburn Academy, Pendle Vale, Primet, Shuttleworth, Sir John Thursby, St Augustine's Billington.

Let's not leave it there, Burnley RUFC at present runs successful girls teams any players who enjoyed the afternoon and feel like continuing their rugby at weekends get in touch and good luck to Shuttleworth, Primet, Haslingden High, St Augustine's Billington & Hyndburn Academy who move on and represent their borough's at the Lancashire School Games.

Simon Finnan
Burnley Community Rugby Coach
07988 122186.