Girls’ rugby academy finishes third in inaugural season

Grŵp Llandrillo Menai’s girls’ rugby academy finished third in Wales in a historic first ever season for the team.

The academy was established this summer, offering girls across North Wales the opportunity to combine their academic studies with playing rugby at a high level.

Despite having trained together for just three months, the academy team finished third in the Welsh Schools and Colleges National Conference - the highest level outside regional rugby for the 16-18 age group.

That meant they qualified for the semi-finals - and they narrowly missed out on a place in the final following a heartbreaking 24-20 defeat to Coleg y Cymoedd.

After going 19-0 down to the Cardiff side early one, the girls produced one of their most rousing performances of the season, mounting a thrilling comeback to take a 20-19 lead.

However, a place in the final wasn’t to be as Coleg y Cymoedd scored a late try, meaning Grŵp Llandrillo Menai finished a very impressive third in their debut campaign.

Academy Coordinator and head coach Andrew Williams said: “I’m immensely proud of how far the girls have come in such a short space of time.

“At the beginning of the academic year our main focus was to get the rugby programme started and create a pathway for young girls to allow them to excel both academically and athletically.

“We didn’t dream we’d be 70 minutes away from a final. But what the girls have achieved as a group has been outstanding, and their performance against Coleg y Cymoedd exemplified that.

“This group of girls has paved the way for girls’ rugby in North Wales, and as we continue to develop the academy, it’s something that girls across the region will continue to benefit from.”

The Grŵp’s girls’ academy includes students from Coleg Llandrillo, Coleg Menai and Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor, as well as some learners from schools across the region.

The academy provides a link between college and the Player Development Centre at Eirias Park, creating a pathway to progress to playing for Rygbi Gogledd Cymru (RGC) and potentially for Wales under-18s.

Players receive technical, tactical and positional coaching, as well as strength and conditioning sessions in the academy gym at Coleg Llandrillo’s Rhos-on-Sea campus.

• Grŵp Llandrillo Menai’s boys’ rugby academy finished sixth in Welsh Schools and Colleges National Conference A, the top tier of college rugby in Wales. They secured their place in the division for next season after beating Cardiff & the Vale 29-10 in their play-off.

Would you like to combine your studies with training and playing for Grŵp Llandrillo Menai’s rugby academy? Email willia18a@gllm.ac.uk to find out more