Saturday (20 July) is Finals Day for London’s Junior Rugby League, with Hemel Stags ARL set to host a day-long feast of rich entertainment.
And Hemel’s own Under 16s side will be aiming for a league/cup double, having already beaten Brentwood Eels 24-16 in the cup final. The Stags narrowly defeated Elmbridge Eagles 24-22 to reach Saturday’s Grand Final, where they will again take on an Eels team out for revenge (KO 3.30pm).
Brentwood Eels Under 14s are also in League Final action, taking on double-chasing Brixton Bulls (KO 2.15pm) who defeated Elmbridge Eagles 14-10 in last week’s cup final. The Bulls’ Under 12s are involved earlier in the day’s first final when they play Elmbridge Eagles Blacks (KO 1pm).
Prior to the afternoon’s finals action, a primary age festival gets underway at 10.30am, involving Brentwood Eels, Brixton Bulls, Eastern Rhinos and Elmbridge Eagles. Since Anthony Sherwood’s appointment to the board as Primary Lead, the primary sector has seen 129 primary players register this season – a 19% increase on 2023 – and a series of festivals taking place across the season.
Saturday’s event marks the culmination of another successful season for the London Primary & Juniors League, with club and player registrations seeing a year-on-year increase.
- 674 registered players across the London Junior League (+16% on 2023)
- 545 junior players registered (+ 15% on 2023)
- Nine active clubs playing a mix of league, cup and merit fixtures (+1 on 2023)
Paladin Sports UK Manager, Lewis Dennett, said:
"Paladin Sports is thrilled to sponsor the London and Midlands Junior Rugby League. We're dedicated to help create opportunities for young athletes and nurture the next generation of Rugby League talent. We also would like to extend our gratitude to the incredible volunteers whose hard work and passion make this possible."
Finals day itinerary:
- 10.30am-12.30pm – Primary festival
- 1pm – Under 12s Final: Elmbridge Eagles Black v Brixton Bulls
- 2.15pm – Under 14s Final: Brentwood Eels v Brixton Bulls
- 3.30pm – Under 16s Final: Brentwood Eels v Hemel Stags
