Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf won their third national rugby league trophy, and their first ever national female trophy, after their year 9 girls beat Hull’s Archbishop Sentamu Academy 18-8 in Newcastle Upon Tyne on Friday afternoon.
The match was played 11-a-side on a slightly thinner, but full-length, pitch in 20 minutes halves, and Glantaf took the lead in just the second minute. Lil-Nel Stevenson picked up a beautiful chip to score but Megan Jones missed the kick.
The second try came after six minutes. It was an excellent team try which culminated in Stevenson off-loading Grace Rayer who dived over. Jones again couldn’t convert.
Archbishop Sentamu hit back when Isobelle Platten went under the sticks from dummy half, but the conversion attempt was short.
The score was 8-4 to Glantaf at half-time, but a try in the corner from Ella Howe levelled things three minutes into the second half.
But straight away, Glantaf regained their lead. Elan Hall jinked beautifully to score near to the posts. Jones converted and the Welsh school were 14-8 up.
And they sealed it with two minutes to go with an outstanding length of the field set, which culminated when Hannah Charitos offloaded to Lily O’Neill who scored in the corner.
Louise Morgan, head of women and girls rugby league in Wales, said: “A big congratulations to the Glantaf Year 9 girls team on their fantastic win in the Champion Schools Final in Newcastle. This is fantastic for the girls game in Wales which continues to grow. Hopefully today, we’ve seen some future Coleg y Cymoedd rugby league academy and Wales international players.”
Enillodd Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf ei thrydydd tlws cenedlaethol ar gyfer rygbi cynghrair, a’r tro cyntaf i’r merched, ar ol i ferched blwyddyn 9 drechu Academi Archbishop Sentamu o Hull 18-8 yn Newcastle upon Tyne brynhawn ddydd Gwener.
Daeth yr ail gais ar ol chwe munud. Roedd yn gais tîm ardderchog a’r uchafbwynt oedd Stevenson yn pasio’r bel i Grace Rayer a’i glaniodd. Ni allodd Jones eto drosi’r cais.
Chwaraewyd y gem gyda 11 bob ochr mewn haneri 20 munud o hyd. Aeth Glantaf ar y blaen yn yr ail funud gyda Lil-Nel Stevenson yn codi’r bel i groesi’r linell, ond methodd Megan Jones y trosiad.
Sgoriodd Archbishop Sentamu gais eu hunain pan aeth Isobelle Platten o dan y pyst, ond roedd y gic yn aflwyddiannus.
Yn syth ar ol hynny, llwyddodd Glantaf i adennill eu mantais, gydag Elan Hall yn llithro drwy’r amddiffyn i sgorio o dan y pyst. Trosodd Jones ac roedd Glantaf ar y blaen 14-8.
Seliwyd y fuddugoliaeth gyda munudau i fynd gyda Hannah Charitos yn pasio i Lily O’Neill yn y gornel, hynny ar ol rhedeg hyd y cae.
Roedd y sgor 8-4 o blaid Glantaf ar yr hanner, ond daeth Ella Howe a’r gem yn gyfartal dair munud i fewn i’r ail hanner.
YSGOL GYFUN GYMRAEG GLANTAF: Megan Jones, Hannah Charitos, Gwennan Evans, Mabli Griffiths, Lili-Nel Stevenson, Grace Rayer, Erin Lia-Williams, Lily O’Neill, Olivia Rawnsley, Elan Hall, Alexa Fisher. Subs: Romilly Bennett, Genevieve Miles, Evie Collingwood.
Tries / Ceisiau: Stevenson (2), Rayer (6), Hall (26), O’Neill (38). Goal / Gol: Jones
ARCHBISHOP SENTAMU ACADEMY: Grace Antcliffe, Ella Howe, Amy Maslin, Lexie Hinds, Ria Potter, Amelia Molnar, Tilly Irvine, Tillie Hawley, Abigail Barr, Skye Phillips, Isobelle Platten. Subs: Alisha Beilby, Scarlett Jewitt-Holder
Tries / Ceisiau: Platten (9), Howe (23)