Young rugby stars in Hartlepool celebrate successful season

Clavering Primary School’s A Team won their cluster competition for the sixth year in a row before going on to be crowned champions at the Hartlepool Town Finals held at West Hartlepool RFC.

The pint-sized players then represented Hartlepool at the Tees Valley Finals at Middlesbrough College.

The school also participated in a cluster festival aimed at giving a larger number of pupils the opportunity to compete in rugby.

This led to the B, C and D teams all finishing unbeaten against the other schools with the, Clavering Wallabies being crowned overall champions.

And Clavering’s girl team triumphed at the North Hartlepool Family of Schools’ girls-only competition.

Deputy headteacher, Neil McAvoy, who directs the PE and Sport Programme, said: “Although we are understandably delighted by the success that our five different teams have enjoyed in cluster, town-wide and county-level competitions, it is the manner in which they have conducted themselves that has most impressed me.

“The Rugby Football Union emphasises five RFU values that define the game: teamwork, respect, enjoyment, discipline and sportsmanship.

“These are five values that I have seen in abundance in all of our boys and girls throughout our PE lessons, additional training sessions and competitions and they should be incredibly proud of what they have achieved.”

Mr McAvoy said the school’s rugby success has attracted a great deal of praise on social media.

Headteacher Helen O’Brien said: “The huge success of our five teams reflects incredibly well on the outstanding quality of our PE curriculum.

“None of the 33 children who have competed for us this year play rugby outside of school, so I am very proud of the quality of teaching and coaching that the children have received that has helped them to become champions across various competitions and represent Hartlepool in the Tees Valley Finals for the third year in a row.”