CLITHEROE Grammar School upset all the odds to qualify for the North West under 12s rugby union finals after just five practice sessions!

For the school was one of four teams to qualify from the North Lancashire heats and they beat the much fancied Carnforth High School in the quarter finals to claim a place in the last four.

They now join Hutton, Morecambe and Ripley St Thomas in the North West finals which will take place at Preston Grasshoppers on Friday, March 19.

The school's success was even more remarkable as they had struggled through the group stage and only a narrow victory against St Bede's enabled them to qualify for the quarter finals as runners-up.

Clitheroe also beat Preston school Ashton but lost to eventually group winners and fellow North West finalists Ripley St Thomas.

However Clitheroe grew in strength as the tournament went on and caused the shock of the day when they beat the previously unbeaten Carnforth 10-0 thanks to tries from Thomas Donald and Daniel Bush.

But it was their dogged defending and tireless tackling that really won the day with the Briggs twins Chris and Thomas and centre Daniel Sharples in magnificent form. No other local school managed to make it to the quarter final stage but Norden High came very close. Only a narrow 15-10 defeat against Rivington in their last group game of the day denied them a place in the knockout stages.

Queen Elizabeth Grammar School enjoyed mixed success on the day but two early defeats against Hutton and Carr Hill cost them their quarter final place.

However the side showed true spirit by bouncing back to win games against Garstang and Skerton.

And St Bede's can count themselves unlucky after winning their opening game against Ashton, the lost to Ripley St Thomas and were pipped at the post by Clitheroe.

St Theodore's were another school who could only manage one win on the day when they beat Our Ladys but lost against Carnforth and Baines.

Martin Jones, North Lancashire rugby union junior development officer, said that the standard of rugby was very high despite the fact the teams are not been playing the sport for very long.

He said: "These were teams from schools who do not have a tradition for playing rugby union. However the standard of play from all the teams was very good and I would hope to think that they have now been bitten by the rugby union bug.

"My congratulations have to go to Clitheroe Grammar School who did exceptional well to qualify for th e North West finals. At one stage it looked like they were going to struggle but they got better as they day went on and their win against Carnforth, who are a very good side, was well deserved.

"Praise also has to go to Norden High who were very unlucky not to make it into the quarter finals. I have been working with the side since September and considering they had not picked up a ball before then they did well."

Now all the players who took part will form the backbone for their respective borough sides in the Lancashire Youth Games which take place in Blackburn on June 26 and 27.

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