Tag team are county champions
A YEAR 5 and 6 tag rugby team from St Peter’s Primary Academy in Market Bosworth have been crowned county champions.
Following on from their victory in the Hinckley and Bosworth championships the school’s team represented the borough in the Sainsbury’s School Games Super Series County Finals at Leicester Grammar School, competing against winners from the other county districts.
They coasted through the early group stages with wins over Melton and Belvoir (7-2), North Charnwood (11-5) and West Leicester (9-4).
The final group game against last year’s champions Blaby and Harborough ended 5-5 but as Blaby and Harborough had drawn one of their earlier games St Peter’s qualified for the final by two clear points.
Also vying for the title were the team from Glen Hills Primary representing Oadby and Wigston, who were clear winners of their pool.
St Peter’s PE co-ordinator Ryan Pegg said: “The game started at a frenetic pace, with both teams playing some fantastic attacking rugby. However, in the second half both team made a few nervous errors and the game finished a very tense 8-8.
“This led to two minutes of extra time with captain Leah winning the all-important coin toss to ensure that St Peter’s attacked with the ball first. They converted at the first attempt to make it 9-8 and then defended like lions to force an interception by Rees, who sprinted through to score the winning try to make it 10-8 and seal the championship.”
The performance was watched by, among others, School Games ambassador and former English rugby union prop Matt Hampson, who became tetraplegic after an accident at a training session in 2005.
It was the third county final win for the Market Bosworth based academy this year, following victories at the Sainsbury’s School Games table tennis and sports hall athletics finals.
Mr Pegg said: “To win a third county championships is a feat that will be difficult to surpass.”