Read about how the LEEDS Gryphons student sports teams fared in competition last week (week beginning 12 March 2012).

Wednesday 14 March saw the last full day of fixtures for the 2011/12 BUCS season.  Notable results were seen by the Badminton Club with both the Men's and Women's First teams winning their respective leagues and securing subsequent promotion in the tier 1 programme next season.  The Women's Football First XI were also promoted into the BUCS Northern 1A division after beating Sheffield 7-0 away from home.  The Netball Club saw their Fourth team gain a promotion into the Northern 5B division after triumphing against Sheffield with an easy 56-25 win.

The day of sport was dominated however by the LEEDS Gryphons Men's Rugby Union First XV who played Leeds Met University for the third time this season in what was the teams' final game of the 2011/12 season winning 22-13.  The victory was a fitting send-off for our final year students most of whom will have played their last game for the University.

The LEEDS Gryphons started as they meant to go on.  Fast paced and ready for battle, James Robotham slipped through the Leeds Met defensive line to score an early try within seconds of kick off.  A slightly rattled Leeds Met responded quickly with a converted try to take the score to 5-7.  Leeds fought harder and winger James Twomey was the recipient of a well executed cross field kick scoring the Gryphon's second try of the afternoon, taking the score to 12-7 to Leeds.

LEEDS continued to turn the screw in the second half and despite conceding a further try managed to secure a 22-13 victory. On the final whistle it was an emotional goodbye to final year players Ellison, Pietraszewski, Jewers, Edwards, Hannam, Reville and Graff who have dedicated their time to sport whilst studying at Leeds.

Harry Edwards, First Team Captain and 2012 graduate commented after the game, "Epic! It is brilliant to beat Leets Met at home and to finish our season off on a great high.  The pack played brilliantly today.  It was a very physical game as it always is against Leeds Met.  Lots of aggression, lots of built up rivalry in Leeds always comes out on the pitch."  When asked whose performance stood out to him today, Edwards answered, "Brandon Hannon and James Radcliff in the back row with me played brilliantly.  Jack Gaff at 10, he's a fresher, he played fantastically as well. James Robotham on the wing, he came in scoring two tries which is great as well."

Men's Rugby Union Head Performance Coach, Hugh Gumbs was also sad to see many of his top players graduate this summer.  "It went well, it's good.  We have beaten Met twice now so we can actually say that we are the best in the City, first time ever, breaking records every time we play."  When asked his thoughts on next year's squad with many of his top players graduating this summer, Gumbs replied, "It's always hard saying goodbye to them because they have been with me all the way from the start, so that's really difficult.  But the future is good; we had 7 freshers out here with us today. We should finish third in the league, ground breaking really."

It was success all around for the Men's Rugby Union squads on Wednesday afternoon as the Third team obliterated Northumbria University, winning 50-5.  Following the game, reality hit home as final year students came to terms with having just finished their University Rugby careers.  Third XV Captain and 2012 graduate, Ben Seymour commented, "It's emotional obviously.  We have been promoted twice in two years, it's quite an achievement.  I have to hand it to all the players, they are absolutely fantastic.  I have made some brilliant friends that I will never forget and it is sad playing our last game.  I hope that I've left something for the team to build on.  They will be in a tough league next year but hopefully they will be able to stay up and build on what we have created this season.  I must mention club secretary, Tom Dias.  He has been superbly influential in the club's build up to the whole of this year and he has done so much for the club."

Our Women's Rugby Union team also had a fantastic afternoon winning at home to Teesside, 33-0 in a game that maintained their position in BUCS 1A.  The agile athlete scholar Jodie Cunningham scored an early converted try to put Leeds in a dominating position from the start.  The game was soon delayed by injury, but this did not distract the LEEDS Gryphons who stormed through to victory.  It was another game full of emotion as the girls said goodbye to many of their graduating players.

 

For a complete breakdown of this week's results, please visit the Sports & Physical Activity website.

 

 

The Gryphons

The LEEDS Gryphons are our University student teams and athletes who represent Leeds in competitive sporting fixtures against other institutions across the UK. The LEEDS Gryphons programme is supported through University alumni and is a partnership between the University, Leeds University Union and LUU sports clubs who have the aspiration and desire to perform at their highest level. It provides a training and competition environment that is conducive to sporting excellence and a sporting brand that is synonymous with performance sport at the University of Leeds that is to be recognised locally, regionally and nationally.

Gryphons webpage
Twitter account: twitter.com/leedsgryphon
Facebook account: facebook.com/leedsgryphons