The first ever U15 NatWest Bowl Champions are Beths Grammar School, after they beat Pocklington 37-27 at Worcester Warriors’ Sixways Stadium in the final.
It was an extraordinary game, with both sides scoring a hatful of points, producing the sort of entertainment that is often missed in these high-pressure finals.
Beths skipper and number 8, Daniel Ademola, was the undoubted star of the show, scoring a wonderful four tries in a display of power, pace, and skill that was unmatched by anyone else on the field.
Two of those tries helped his team to a 20-15 lead at the half time break, but it was in the second half where the game truly kicked into life.
Pocklington, showing great determination, scored first to take a 22-20 lead before a further two tries from Ademola were key for Beths as the upped the tempo and the passion over and over. The noise from the crowd kept on building further, and there was a real party atmosphere at Sixways as Beths took a 32-27 lead.
This Pocklington side is a good one though, and they were not going to let their Sixways dream fizzle out, and with five minutes remaining on the clock, they scored a crucial try to close the gap to 32-27.
The Yorkshire support was now in full voice, and their team suddenly looked like the one with the belief to go all the way.
Perhaps they would have against another side, but this brilliant Beths group held their nerve, recovered their composure, and sent left wing Ishmael Mansaray away down the left hand touchline to score the try to seal the game with just seconds left on the clock.
It was a wonderful end to a brilliant game of rugby. Both teams showed extraordinary spirit throughout, but in the end Ademola and his support cast were just a bit too good for Pocklington, and so impressively composed at the end to seal the victory in style.
Full Time: Beths Grammar School 37-27 Pocklington
| U15 NatWest Bowl Final Teams | ||
| Beths Grammar School | Pos | Pocklington |
| Tom Sealy | 1 | Edward Hasdell |
| Liam Schiess | 2 | Archie Raper |
| Harry McGurik | 3 | John Wright |
| Joshua Joseph – Iyanda | 4 | Michael Smith (c) |
| Nathan Grant | 5 | Freddie-Bickley Parton |
| Nathaniel Ticehurst | 6 | Cameron Adams |
| Fin Nichols | 7 | Afonso Spencer |
| Daniel Ademola (c) | 8 | Henry Hughes |
| Laurence Ticehurst | 9 | Harry Jones |
| Ted Burrows | 10 | Louis Sangwin |
| Ishamel Mansaray | 11 | Ben Maycock |
| Dan Mitchell | 12 | Sam Dyson |
| James Powell | 13 | Harry Matthews |
| Lucas Nathan | 14 | Edward James |
| Spike Weekes | 15 | William Dare |
| Replacements | ||
| Martin Ryan | 16 | Tom Duggleby |
| Niall Schiess | 17 | Tom Quirke |
| Muhammed Mohamed | 18 | William Watts |
| Ryan Nyathi | 19 | Alfie Hall |
| Dan Cunningham | 20 | Harry Cowan |
| Josh Howard | 21 | Kobby Fofie |
| Jerry Adegoke | 22 | Oscar Hawksworth |