Action from the match between Academy and Belfast Harlequins on Saturday 5 April 2025. Photo: John McMurtry. © FRU SPORTS 2025.

Club Rugby: Academy Host U16 Club School Blitz.

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I caught up with the School/Club Window U16 Blitz at Academy RFC, Roughfort, early Saturday morning.

The competition featured Teams from Academy (2), Ards, Belfast Harlequins, BHSFP, CIYMS, Lisburn and Randalstown which was broken down into 2 pools of four teams for the pool round robin stage.

There was a final playoff round where 1A played 1B, 2A played 2B etc.

I caught up with all the pool matches on the main school pitch at Roughfort and the final match featuring the two pool winners. The matches were of 20 minutes duration with no breaks.

Pool Matches

Round 1: Academy 10 Ards 12

Academy opened the scoring after 2 minutes with a try from No 8 Rory Brooks. Ards hit back four minutes later with a try from Ryan Reid and a crucial conversion from Matthew Wilson.

Brooks bagged his second try just past the half way mark to give Academy a 10 – 7 lead but a Noah Lack try two minutes from time gave Ards a 10 – 12 . . .

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