WARRIORS CROWN OUTSTANDING DOMESTIC SEASON WITH SCOTTISH GRAND FINAL WIN

Glasgow side West End Warriors crowned a sensational debut season in the Scottish Championship winning the Grand Final at Penecuik RFC, 34-30, in golden point extra time over defending champions Edinburgh Eagles. The victory now sees them qualify for next season’s Betfred Challenge Cup.

Former professional Josh Walters, whose try sealed the 2015 Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford for Leeds Rhinos was again the star, picking up a loose ball and going over from 50 metres to seal the title in extra time.

Delighted West End Warriors player/coach, Niall Hall, said:  “When we started the club, our two main goals for the season were simple, to fulfil our fixtures and to introduce as many people as possible to rugby league.

“We've probably surprised ourselves with the level of interest and what we've managed to achieve in such a short time. Anything after that was always going to be a bonus and we’re over the moon to have finished our first season winning both the League Leaders’ Shield and the Grand Final, while introducing more than 30 new players to the sport. Credit to Eagles for forcing the game into extra time and supporters of both teams for making it a great atmosphere. We hope more people get involved and give it a go next year.”

Warriors opened the scoring on eight minutes, when a looping cut out pass found Calum Weir out wide to score, Walters and Craig Colvin then setting up Liam Tighe for the first of his two tries. Euan Ward made it 14-0, but on the half hour the Eagles hit back, Max Filby going in from a Lewis Clarke pass, George Shannon goaling.

West End’s Andrew Brown and Edinburgh hooker Clarke swapped tries to make it 20-12 at the break.

Playing with the wind at their backs in the second half, Edinburgh opened the scoring on 43 minutes when Fijian Orisi Waibuta fended off three would be tacklers on a powerful twenty metre run to the line.

Corrie Dicks dotted down in the corner for Warriors to extend the lead again, and when Tighe spun out of the tackle on 57 minutes, there was again daylight between the teams, Callaghan’s second conversion making it 30-18 with just over a quarter of the game to go.

Andrew Sweenie reduced the deficit for the Eagles and, four minutes from time, scrum half Pete Burns picked up from dummy half and burst over from 10 metres, Shannon kicking his fifth goal to level the scores and take it golden point, Walters settling the outcome.

Scotland Rugby League director, Barry McGuffog, said: “Congratulations to West End Warriors, the Grand Final was a great spectacle for the game in Scotland, and the fact that it went to golden point was fitting of a season where the League Leaders’ Shield was only decided on the final day of the regular season.

“The Warriors joining the competition has not only taken us back to four teams after a number of years but has also increased the talent pool available for representative games. Last year we took a team containing 15 domestic based players and two from the students, over to the Netherlands for a full international fixture.

“While the result didn’t go our way, we considered the game a success due to the composition of the squad, and I’d like to think that has partly contributed to increased numbers at clubs. We have further representative games planned, and the East v West Origin game in a couple of weeks will form part of the selection process.

McGuffog added: “Something else that has been good to see this season is the number of players involved at club rugby in Scotland who have represented the U18s in the Four Nations competition, and given the numbers of Scottish-based players in the U16s we only expect that to increase going forward.

“With Edinburgh Giants having joined Wheelchair Super League this season, and operating a reserve team, the future of RL in Scotland is looking positive at all levels.”