Schools from across Barnet, Enfield and Haringey came together yesterday to compete in the North London Year 8 Carnegie Champion Schools Tournament at New River.  Christ’s College Finchley, Oasis Academy: Enfield, Aylward Academy, Park View Academy, Woodside High School and Highgate Wood all competed in a brilliant day of rugby league. The teams were divided into 2 pools, with the winners of each group going into the final.  Oasis Academy, playing in their first ever competitive Rugby League tournament, won Group A, although its wasn’t easy for the Enfield school.  Their first game against Park View finished 16-6. Park View then went on to draw with Highgate Wood, leaving the final game to decide who would progress to the final. Oasis came out winners by 30-0 but Highgate persisted throughout and made Oasis work for every point.

In Group B Christ’s College were victorious, but their opening game against Aylward Academy was a tight affair, the pace of Christ’s College’s wingers being the difference helping them secure a 16-4 win.  Woodside then took on Christ’s College, but again the pace out wide of the Barnet School was too much and the game finished 26-0 to Christ’s College Finchley.  In the final game in Group B, Aylward Academy took on Woodside High School, with Woodside edging the result 10-4.

The final promised a classic with Christ’s Colleges pace, and Oasis Academy’s raw strength pitted against each other. Oasis Academy got the better of the early exchanges and scored first.  Christ’s College fought hard to get back into the game but Oasis defended well and closed down Christ College’s speedsters.  The final score was 20-0 to Oasis Academy, who will now go on to represent North London against the winners of the Hertfordshire competition after Christmas.

The two finalists can be seen pictured above, with Christ’s College on the left and Oasis on the right