A girls' rugby academy team made history by winning their first-ever fixture in a national conference.
Grŵp Llandrillo Menai’s team triumphed 65-21 against Cardiff and The Vale College on October 4 in the Welsh Schools and Colleges National Conference.
The match at Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay, marked the first competitive game for a college team from North Wales in women's 15-a-side rugby.
Lois Owen, Leah Thomas, Saran Jones, Lucy Powell, Elsi Jones, Izzy Jones, and Mabli Grieves-Owen scored tries for Grŵp Llandrillo Menai, with Saran Griffiths converting five.
The Welsh Schools and Colleges National Conference is the highest level of rugby for the 16-18 age group in Wales, outside of the regional game.
The academy provides a link between Grŵp Llandrillo Menai’s college campuses and the Player Development Centre at Eirias Park, creating a pathway to progress to playing for regional side RGC and potentially for Wales under-18s.
Players will receive technical, tactical, and positional coaching, as well as strength and conditioning sessions in the academy gym at Coleg Llandrillo in Rhos-on-Sea.
For more information on joining Grŵp Llandrillo Menai’s girls’ rugby academy, contact academy coordinator Andrew Williams on willia18a@gllm.ac.uk.
Rugby academy co-ordinator Andrew Williams said: "The inaugural girls’ academy fixture is a historic first for the college. The Academy is an opportunity for girls aged 16-18 across North Wales to play the game at the highest level of schoolgirl rugby.
"We’ve got players from across the Grŵp’s colleges, from girls who are playing for RGC and Wales, to those who have been given an opportunity to play and fall in love with the game for the first time.
"The team is competing on a national level in the Welsh Schools and Colleges National Conference. We’ve seen how much exposure our Academy set-up has given the boys over the last 10 years, having that partnership with RGC and providing a higher level of competitive rugby.
"To be able to replicate that with the girls is vitally important, and it’s an exciting development for the game in North Wales."
Samantha McIlvogue, Coleg Llandrillo Assistant Principal, said: "Today is an exciting milestone for Coleg Llandrillo, the Grŵp and our wider community.
"The girls’ Academy team not only represents the athletic talent, but also embodies the dedication of our students. Their participation in the regional rugby talent pathway highlights their commitment to excel at higher levels of competition."
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