NORTH Midlands girls’ under 18s won the Midlands Counties Rugby Tournament at Lutterworth in Leicestershire.

Worcester players made up 90 per cent of the regional team, who competed against East Midlands, Notts/Lincoln/Derby, Staffordshire and Cheshire.

In their first pool game against Notts/Lincoln/Derby, North Midlands cruised to a 33-0 victory with Cara Clarke, Megan Varley, Martha Farnworth, Sophie Hancock and Sophie Richards scoring tries.

Farnworth added four conversions.

In a tight, low-scoring game, East Midlands scored first but Brooke Clarke replied only for their opponents to record a 12-5 success.

The semi-final was against the winners of the other pool Staffordshire.

Despite a spirted defence by a team largely filled with Lichfield players, North Midlands won 15-0 with tries from Hancock, Richards and Laura Thomas.

The final was a second game against East Midlands, which was a prospect relished by the North Midlands players and supporters keen to reverse the previous defeat.

North Midlands retained the ball and moved it well with quick attacking play, solid defence and counter-attacking from their own 22.

The biggest problem for them was back-chatting to the referee, which cost several penalties.

Despite this, North Midlands emerged victorious 19-5 to win the Midlands tournament.

Try-scorers were Roisin McBrien, Hancock and Varley with two conversions kicked by Farnworth.

Other players in the squad were Hannah Parker, Megan Willoughby, Jessica Ball, Annabel Andrews, Lara Wallace, Sarah Kilmister, Rebecca Batchelor, Connie Bradshaw, Annabel Maxted, Monaswee Milward-Brookes, Ellen Ramsbottom and Zoe Warrington.

North Midlands under 15s girls are still young for the age group and inexperienced, having lost a number of players to the under 18s this year.

They gave a good account of themselves against bigger, older and more experienced opposition.

The try they eventually scored against Staffordshire in their tournament was more than deserved.

Meanwhile, Worcester Wildcats boys’ under nines played Old Halesonians in wet, muddy and windy conditions.

The city youngsters took it all in their stride and won two games, narrowly lost one and drew one.