COUNTY CALL-UPS: The Barnard Castle 1st XV have been scoring for fun. The side have 13 players selected for the county and nine are involved in the Newcastle Falcons Academy
COUNTY CALL-UPS: The Barnard Castle 1st XV have been scoring for fun. The side have 13 players selected for the county and nine are involved in the Newcastle Falcons Academy

Rugby

THIRTEEN senior players from Barnard Castle School have been selected for the county’s U18 rugby squad.

The youngsters will join up with players from across the region for fixtures in December and January, following a successful U18 County Rugby Assessment Day.

Barney’s 1st XV has enjoyed a strong season so far, scoring 373 points and running in more than 60 tries in nine games, while conceding only 56 points, with 29 different players representing the team this season.

Nine of the school’s players are also part of the Newcastle Falcons Academy.

Second master in charge of rugby Martin Pepper said: “We are incredibly proud of all the boys who have shown great determination and team spirit over the course of the year.These most recent county selections are testament to the success that this team has enjoyed and highlights the great strength in depth we have at Barney.

“The team has been brave week in, week out and played an exciting brand of rugby, with plenty of flair.

“A lot of the success can be attributed to the positive attitudes within the squad, as well as the togetherness and bond the boys have.

He added: “It has been a work in progress developing this strong side, starting with last summer’s pre-season tour of South Africa, and we are incredibly proud of their progress.”

Barnard Castle RUFC

THE 1st XV suffered a heavy defeat away to Northern in their latest Durham/ Northumberland 1 fixture. The hosts ran out 78-7 winners.

The second team’s planned home fixture was cancelled.