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Champion Schools

Rugby League's Nation-wide School competition

Champion Schools is the Rugby Football League’s flagship school’s competition and the world's biggest Rugby League knockout competition. It is open to all secondary schools across England and Wales. The tournament was re-launched in 2002 and has featured hundreds of schools, thousands of young Rugby League players - supporting the development of the sport's next generation across the length and breadth of the country.

The tournament has gone from strength to strength in recent years, offering opportunities for both boys and girls to experience Rugby League and test themselves from local to regional and then ultimately the national stages; the Year 7 Boys play their final at Wembley Stadium and the Year 10 girls will also have a standalone final from 2023, with the first of these being held at Magic Weekend at St James Park.

For boys, schools compete local and regional activity to win through to the national knock-out stages. Girls compete in festival formats which progress from local to regional and finally national events, before playing a semi-final fixture to decide the two teams progressing to the final.

To get involved, simply contact Andrea.Murray@rfl.co.uk.

The Steven Mullaney Memorial Game


Steven Mullaney, a schoolboy Rugby League player, thrilled television viewers across the country by scoring a superb solo try as Wakefield Schools defeated St Helens 17-0 in the traditional Year 7 Boys curtain-raiser at Wembley, before the 1986 Challenge Cup Final.

Tragically, Steven died in a road traffic accident the following year. As a tribute to him, the English Schools' Year Seven Boys (under 12s) game, was renamed the 'The Steven Mullaney Memorial Game.'

Since then, generations of young players have carried on his joy of playing Rugby League by taking part in what has become an integral part of the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup Final day. And some of those young players have gone on to make their mark on both the professional and international stage.

Famous Year 7 Boys Finalists include: Joe Lydon (Widnes, Wigan & Great Britain); David Hulme (Widnes & Great Britain); Mike Ford (Wigan, Castleford & Great Britain); David Plange (Castleford, Warrington & Great Britain); Denis Betts (Wigan, Auckland Warriors & Great Britain); Bobbie Goulding (Wigan, Leeds, Widnes, St Helens, Rochdale Hornets & Great Britain); Terry O'Connor (Wigan, Oldham, Wigan, Widnes Vikings & Great Britain); Phil Clarke (Wigan, Sydney Roosters & Great Britain); Chev Walker (Leeds Rhinos & Great Britain); Kevin Sinfield (Leeds Rhinos & Great Britain).

The showcase fixture gives Year 7 players the opportunity to perform in front of tens of thousands of fans, alongside the possibility of appearing in front of millions of television viewers across the nation.

Champion Schools Roll of Honour

Year 7 BoysYear 7 GirlsYear 8 BoysYear 8 GirlsYear 9 BoysYear 9 GirlsYear 10 BoysYear 10 GirlsYear 11 BoysYear 11 Girls
2021-22Castleford Academy
St Peters (Manchester)
Ryburn Valley/Standish (Wigan)
Castleford Academy
Castleford Academy
Glantaf (Cardiff)
Great Sankey (Warrington)
St John Fisher (Dewsbury)
St Cuthbert's (St Helens)
Corpus Christi (Leeds)
2020-21
2019-20
2018-19Great Sankey (Warrington)St John Fisher (Dewsbury)Wade Deacon (Widnes)Corpus Christi (Leeds)Castleford AcademyCastleford AcademyBrooksbank (Halifax)St John Fisher (Dewsbury)Outwood Grange (Wakefield)Castleford Academy
2017-18Wade Deacon (Widnes)Corpus Christi (Leeds)Castleford AcademyCastleford AcademyBrooksbank (Halifax)St John Fisher (Dewsbury)Brooksbank (Halifax)Castleford Academy/Astley (Seaton Delaval)St Peters (Wigan)Castleford Academy
2016-17Castleford AcademyCastleford AcademySt Peters (Wigan)St John Fisher (Dewsbury)Glantaf (Cardiff)Outwood Grange (Wakefield)St Peters (Wigan)St John Fisher (Wigan)Brooksbank (Halifax)St John Fisher (Dewsbury)
2015-16Castleford AcademySt Peters (Wigan)Wade Deacon (Widnes)Outwood Grange (Wakefield)Castleford AcademyCastleford AcademyCastleford AcademySirius (Hull)/St John Fisher (Dewsbury)St Peters (Wigan)Sirius (Hull)
2014-15Glantaf (Cardiff)Castleford AcademySt Peters (Wigan)Castleford AcademyOutwood Grange (Wakefield)St Peters (Manchester)Sirius (Hull)Astley (Seaton Delaval)St John Fisher (Wigan)Castleford Academy
2013-14Castleford AcademyCastleford AcademyCastleford AcademySirius (Hull)South Holderness (Hull)Castleford AcademyCastleford AcademyLeigh (Dartford)Dowdales (Barrow)Settle (North Yorkshire)
2012-13Royal Grammar (High Wycombe)St Peters (Manchester)Honley (Huddersfield)Deanery (Wigan)St Edmund Arrowsmith (Wigan)Leigh (Dartford)Dowdales (Barrow)Castleford AcademySt Peters (Wigan)Castleford Academy
2011-12Howard of Effingham (Surrey)St Peters (Manchester)St Wilfrids (Featherstone)St Peters (Manchester)St Peters & Pauls (Widnes)Castleford Academy/Settle (North Yorkshire)Outwood Grange (Wakefield)Hollingworth (Rochdale)Sirius (Hull)Castleford Academy
2010-11Brooksbank (Halifax)St Peters (Manchester)St Josephs (Newport)Castleford AcademyOutwood Grange (Wakefield)Hollingworth (Rochdale)Brooksbank (Halifax)Deanery (Wigan)/Settle (North Yorkshire)Honley (Huddersfield)Settle (North Yorkshire)
2009-10Dowdales (Barrow)Castleford AcademyCastleford AcademyCastleford AcademyBrooksbank (Halifax)Castleford AcademyCastleford AcademyCastleford AcademySt John Fisher (Wigan)Cardinal Newman (Warrington)
2008-09Castleford AcademyHollingworth (Rochdale)Brooksbank (Halifax)Settle (North Yorkshire)Castleford AcademyWade Deacon (Widnes)Castleford AcademyCastleford AcademyAiredaleCastleford Academy
2007-08Standish (Wigan)Castleford Academy/Holy Cross (Chorley)Normanton Freeston (Castleford)Castleford AcademyCastleford AcademyNorth Halifax (Halifax)AiredaleCastleford AcademyGreat Sankey (Warrington)Cardinal Newman (Warrington)
2006-07Normanton Freeston (Castleford)Castleford AcademyCastleford AcademyCastleford AcademyAiredaleCastleford Academy/Holy Family (Keighley)St John Fisher (Wigan)Cardinal Newman (Warrington)Whitehaven (Cumbria)N/A
2005-06Wade Deacon (Widnes)Castleford AcademyCastleford Academy / BryntegHoly Family (Keighley)St John Fisher (Wigan)Cardinal Newman (Warrington)Malet Lambert (Hull)N/ASt Peters (Wigan)N/A
2004-05St Peters & Pauls (Widnes)Airedale (Castleford)Castleford AcademyCardinal Newman (Warrington)St Augustine's (St Helens)N/AAiredaleN/ASt John Fisher (Wigan)N/A
2003-04Wade Deacon (Widnes)Queensbury (Bradford)Outwood Grange (Wakefield)/St Peters (Wigan)N/ASt Cuthbert's (St Helens)N/ASt John Fisher (Wigan)
N/ASt John Fisher (Wigan)N/A
2002-03St Augustine's (St Helens)N/ASt Peter's (Wigan)N/AWilliam Beamont (Warrington)N/AWhitehaven (Cumbria)N/AAndrew Marvell (Hull)N/A