Mowden Juniors

Over the Bank Holiday weekend, an amazing display of highly competitive boys' and girls' rugby centred upon the newly-built Commonwealth Games Stadium in Manchester.

Under-15 boys' county teams and Under-16 girls' regional teams played in ten-a-side tournaments in a range of satellite venues around Manchester on Sunday.

The top teams from these then had the privilege of playing in the Commonwealth Games Test Event on Bank Holiday Monday in the Commonwealth Stadium.

More than 70 teams from all over the country were involved in the first day of play.

Darlington Mowden Park Rugby Club had eight of its junior players selected for the Sunday games and four went on with their teams to play in the showcase finals in the Commonwealth Stadium.

Under-15 boys from Mowden Park who represented County Durham were: Ross Batty, Jason Todd, Jason Eliot, Chris Dodd and John Strickland.

Not to be out done, three Under-16 girls from Mowden were selected to play in the North East Girls' Regional Squad.

They were: Abby Blackburn, Ashleigh Wright and Rosie Mangle. (Sara Wood from Polam Hall School also played for the NE.)

Abby Blackburn, Rosie Mangle, Chris Dodd and Ross Batty went on to play with their respective teams - North East Girls' 1 and Durham Dragons - in the finals in the Commonwealth Stadium.

North-East Girls' 1 and Durham Dragons both came overall second in the finals in tough, skilful and entertaining games of rugby.

The girls were beaten 7-5 by the West Midlands and the boys lost 22-19 to West Yorkshire. These results show that Northern Junior rugby is amongst the best in the country.

John Zissler, Mowden Park's Under-15 boys' coach said: "It is excellent to see so many of Mowden's juniors playing at such a high level.

"This year has seen a record number of Under-15 boys being selected for county honours and this is especially pleasing as very few come from rugby playing schools.

"The success of the Under-16 girls is a reflection of the strength and emerging importance of girls rugby at Mowden Park.