Settle Middle School’s Year Seven girls’ team have qualified for the Carnegie Champion Schools' national Rugby league finals to be held in London on Friday, August 26.

In the group stage, they beat St John’s School from Bishop Auckland 16-0, Fel-tham from Middlesex 10-8 and Holy Cross from Lancashire 8-4 and drew 8-8 with Wade Deacon from Halton.

These results put Settle through to a semi-final against St Wilfreds from Wakefield, which Settle won 16-8 to earn the right to face Castleford High School in the ‘big smoke’.

Settle will travel down to the capital the day before their match for a tour of Wembley Stadium.

And, after playing the national final on the Friday, Settle – and the other finalists – will parade around the pitch on the Saturday in front of the Rugby League Challenge Cup final crowd.

This is the second successive year that Settle Middle School have qualified for the national finals, with the 2008-09 Year Eight girls becoming national champions.

Meanwhile, Settle College’s Year Ten girls’ team travelled to St Cuthbert’s, Wigan for their qualifiers.

Comprising five players who contested last year’s final in London, the team travelled with some experience of the big occasion under the captaincy of Lauren Stallwood. In the group stages, they beat Whitehaven, Wade Deacon and St Wilfrid’s to win their group, with Rosie Rushton and Ellie Fullalove playing pivotal roles and inspiring the younger players in the team.

Of these, Amber Duxbury, Lauren Dugdale and Faye Ambler made a big impact in centrefield, both in attack and defence.

By the time of the semi-final against Lowton School, Wigan, Settle College were well up for the challenge and swept their opponents aside.

Stallwood was one of the players of the tournament, with a high tackle count and yardage gained in each of the games played.

Settle College’s Year Nine team almost made it a double the following day in their competition at Hindley ARLFC, Wigan. They were knocked out at the semi-final stage by Castleford High School.

Having started brightly in the group matches, Settle lost momentum and came second in their group with five points from a possible eight.

Lauren Dugdale and Ella Martin provided the main attacking options in midfield.

Hannah Booth and Gemma Varley did the same on the wings.