\n St Bede\u2019s and St Joseph\u2019s Catholic College in Bradford has now won three consecutive national titles in girls\u2019 rugby league, claiming a third consecutive championship in the Rugby Football League\u2019s (RFL) Champion Schools tournament.\n<\/p>\n
\n The Year 9 team secured the 2026 title on June 30 with a commanding 50-4 victory over Liberty Academy Hull at the Castleford Tigers\u2019 stadium, believed to be the first girls’ side in the competition to win three titles in a row.\n<\/p>\n
\n Victory marks not just a winning streak, but the rise of a formidable force in the sport.\n<\/p>\n
\n A spokesperson for the college said: “To defend a national crown is difficult, but to do so three years running marks us as a true legacy in the girls’ game.\n<\/p>\n
\n “We have officially joined the elite ranks of the nation\u2019s greatest sporting programmes, such as the legendary boys’ squads at Castleford Academy, setting a new benchmark for excellence.”\n<\/p>\n
\n Action from St. Bede\u2019s & St.Joseph\u2019s Catholic College against Liberty Academy Hull (Image: Martin Taylor)\n<\/p>\n
\n Farida Mak, captain of the Year 9 side, scored five tries in the final, capping a season that the college believes has redefined expectations in the girls\u2019 game.\n<\/p>\n
\n The spokesperson described the team as “a modern legacy”, saying: “The girls’ game has grown rapidly, and by winning three years in a row, we are defining the standard for the modern era of girls’ rugby league.\n<\/p>\n
\n “We can confidently state that our team has achieved a level of dominance rarely seen in the history of the competition.\n<\/p>\n
\n “While the final score shows our dominance, the real story is where these students started.\n<\/p>\n
\n “Ninety-nine per cent of our students had never played rugby, nor had they even seen it or watched it on TV.\n<\/p>\n
\n “It was a completely new sport when the Community Lions Foundation introduced it to the girls, and they have gone from strength to strength.\n<\/p>\n
\n “To say they came from a zero-rugby background makes me incredibly proud of what they have achieved for three years running.”\n<\/p>\n
\n The team’s journey has inspired the wider community, with several players now representing West Bowling and being identified for professional development.\n<\/p>\n
\n Of the team\u2019s rise, the spokesperson said: “I don\u2019t just see students; I see the future of Yorkshire rugby and the next generation of England internationals.”\n<\/p>\n
\n Success has also relied on community support, with the college recognising contributions from parents, staff and coaches.\n<\/p>\n
\n Thanks were extended to West Bowling coach Joe Simpson and the head of PE at St Bede’s.\n<\/p>\n
\n Looking ahead, the team is aiming for a fourth consecutive title in the 2026\u20132027 season and is currently seeking sponsorship for a new kit.\n<\/p>\n
\n Anyone interested in supporting the team can contact the Community Lions Foundation at saimaclf07@gmail.com or 07980 933224.\n<\/p>\n
\n The spokesperson said: “Congratulations to every single player, every coach, and every supporter who has poured their heart into this.\n<\/p>\n
\n “You have set the gold standard and you have made us all incredibly proud.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"St Bede\u2019s and St Joseph\u2019s Catholic College in Bradford has now won three consecutive national titles in girls\u2019…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":682006,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[5903,101,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-682005","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-rugby","tag-rugby","tag-sports","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/682005","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=682005"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/682005\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/682006"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=682005"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=682005"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=682005"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}