LEIGH RU's Mini and Junior Section season opened with a curtain-raising tournament at Eccles.

In their respective pools, both teams were presented with tough opposition. The Under 10s had to face: Lymm, Eccles and Widnes. The Under 12s had to face Lymm, Aspull and Ashton-on-Mersey.

The under 10s kicked off first, with a hard game against a well-drilled Lymm team. The result was a 1-0 win for Leigh.

After much watching and waiting, the under 12s kicked off in a repeat of last year's final against Lymm. This was a tense affair, with neither team giving any room for manoeuvre. The game ended in a 1-0 loss for Leigh.

In the succeeding under 10s games, they played and beat Eccles 3-1; but lost 2-1 to a lucky Widnes side. This resulted in the Leigh under 10s team being knocked out on try difference.

In a similar vein the under 12s outfit played and beat Aspull 1-0. Leigh then went on to beat Ashton-on-Mersey also by 1-0. Again, try difference meant that the Under 12s were also knocked out.

But the U9s won their competition for a second year running.

Top defending and swift attacking brought them 95 points for and only 15 conceded in the tournament.

They beat Rochdale 25-0, Tyldesley 20-0, Stockport 20-5, West Park 10-5 and Widnes 20-5 in the final.