Selby Under-16 Girls progressed through a tough semi-final, seeing off a talented and committed Sandal side to reach the final of the Yorkshire Cup for the second year running.

A fiercely contested first half saw Selby turn around with a 19–15 lead. Tries from Leila Twort and Emily Cooper-Illingworth, along with an impressive goal-kicking display from Elsie Carpenter on her return from injury, gave Selby the edge. The lead was built on committed defence, powerful running and a fantastic team spirit.

Mollie Boulton and Lucy Force were inspirational leaders, rallying the squad before kick-off and leading by example throughout. Their determination spread through the team and Selby showed real grit during a hard-fought first half.

Leila Twort and Izzy set themselves a target for turnovers and were everywhere at the breakdown. Emmi Buckle switched into “beast mode”, carrying strongly throughout, while the powerhouse front row of Mila, Lucy W, Emmi and Grace dominated up front, driving Sandal off the ball and providing an excellent platform.

In the backs, the new centre pairing of Lucy and Sophie combined well, and with some slick training-ground moves orchestrated by Anya at fly-half, Selby looked dangerous whenever they had possession.

Selby stepped up another level in the second half. Moving the ball wide and benefitting from quick distribution from scrum-halves India and Isla, the pacey back line began to find space. Emily Cooper-Illingworth showed great strength and footwork to score a superb try, beating multiple defenders. On the opposite wing, Charlotte and Sophie caused havoc with some clever interplay, with Charlotte finishing a brilliant move to extend Selby’s lead.

Momentum swung further in Selby’s favour when Sandal’s impressive number 12 received a yellow card. Selby took full advantage of the extra numbers, building phase after phase of powerful carries before releasing Emily for another try.

Back to full strength, Sandal rallied and managed a score to spark hopes of a comeback. However, Selby responded immediately, piling pressure deep inside the Sandal 22 and adding another try to push the score to 45–20.

From the restart Sandal kicked the ball out of play and the referee blew the final whistle.

The Selby squad showed exactly what a talented and determined group they are. Every player contributed, with strong performances from both the starting line-up and the bench, maintaining continuity and intensity throughout the match. There was also huge credit due to some of the unsung heroes doing the hard work that often goes unnoticed, with Ruby Emma B putting in countless tackles and clearing out breakdowns to keep Selby on the front foot. Mollie Boulton also having one of her best games in a Selby shirt Collectively, it was arguably Selby’s best team performance of the season, setting a new standard for the group moving forward.

Opposition Player of the Match was awarded to Mila for her dominant performance in the front row. Selby’s Back of the Match went to Emily Cooper-Illingworth after a powerful attacking display and multiple tries, while Selby’s Forward of the Day was awarded to Leila Twort for her relentless work rate and outstanding performance at the breakdown.

Selby now look ahead to the Yorkshire Cup Final with confidence.