In addition to the eagerly anticipated Carnegie Challenge Cup Final between Huddersfield Giants and Warrington Wolves, next weekend also sees the climax of the biggest knockout Rugby League tournament in the world – the Carnegie Champion Schools competition.
The finals day will take place at RAF Uxbridge on Friday August 28 and will see schools from all over the country taking part in the Years 7 to 10 finals. The Year 7 Boys final however, between Castleford High and Outwood Grange, will not be played on Friday but on Saturday and will act as the traditional Carnegie Challenge Cup Final curtain raiser at Wembley.
RFL National Development Manager, Andy Harland, said: “The Carnegie Champion Schools Tournament has been a huge success again this season and I would like to thank all of the players, teachers, parents and volunteers from the schools that have contributed to this competition.
“They are committed to working well with the RFL and English Schools Rugby League and this is demonstrated by the progress of the competition.
“The tournament has grown and developed at a rapid rate and has given thousands of young people the opportunity to get active and participate in Rugby League for the first time.
“It also provides young players with the chance to enjoy competing together, learning new skills and generating memories that may well stay with them for the rest of their lives and Rugby League careers.”
Rugby League has seen an immense growth in schools over the last few years which will support the development of the sport in the future and this competition has played a vital role in introducing Rugby League to an ever increasing number of young people throughout the United Kingdom.
In this year’s tournament a total of 1,678 different teams took part in the competition, which is an increase from last year of 175 teams. The number of boys’ teams is up by 152 and the girls saw an increase of 23 teams.
Yorkshire had the greatest increase of teams compared to the 2008 season with an additional 88 teams, jumping from 551 to 639.
Other areas that also saw a dramatic rise in teams were London, Wales and the North West. London’s number of teams increased by 27, Wales saw an additional 17 teams and the North West had an extra 31 teams.
Overall, 27,537 students took part in this year’s Carnegie Champion Schools Tournament. This is an extra 2,911 players from last year and an increase of 22,369 players from when the competition was re-launched in 2002.
In 2007 a group of young players became the first teams to play Rugby League at the new Wembley Stadium after its re-opening. West Yorkshire schools Castleford High and Freeston High met in the 2007 Carnegie Champion Schools Year Seven Final.
Remarkably the same teams feature in this year’s Carnegie Champion Schools Year 9 Final at Uxbridge and for the third year in a row they will battle it out.