[Q]ueen Elizabeth Grammar School U15 rugby team finished their season on Wednesday by winning the Cumbria Cup at Penrith’s Winters Park ground.
The Penrith side met Keswick in the final, a side that best QEGS comfortably back in the autumn.
The game began at a ferocious pace, with QEGS having the better of the opening period. After ten minutes the ball was moved wide by the QEGS midfield, and Ahmed Ghaith broke away to score. Five minutes later it was Ghaith on the end of another quick move, and he powered his way over for a second try. Captain Louie Johnson added the conversion.
The next QEGS score was just before half time, when a well-executed line-out move saw Charlie Crocker sprint 35 metres up the touchline to score a brilliant try.
QEGS were given a reality check early in the second half as continued pressure, and physical defence led to the ball being turned over, and Keswick ran in a converted try.
QEGS took a little while to find their rhythm in the second half, but once they did their interplay between backs and forwards took the game away from Keswick. The powerful running of Jacob Batey made deep inroads towards the opposition line, before the Keswick defence was finally breached and Batey crashed over for a converted score.
Johnson, now in control of the play, was next to score as the QEGS forwards turned the ball over in their own 22, and the ball was quickly moved to the captain who sprinted home to score from his own half.
The QEGS scoring was completed by Archie Rattray who, along with his back row partners Tom Hill and James McLeod, proved to be the difference yet again this season. All three were superb both at the tackle and with the ball in hand.
QEGS lifted the cup, which they now add to their U15s Sevens victory two weeks ago. The win finished a season which has seen a huge effort from all 29 boys in the squad.
