BOTH Huddersfield RU and the YMCA are bucking the national trend when it comes to junior rugby union, which has to be good news for the sport in town.

The National RFU and Yorkshire RFU are quietly concerned about the junior teams that have folded and are folding because of lack of interest.

But the Lockwood Park club have a massive junior section, while at Laund Hill, new junior chairman Richard Garrety is optimistic of their progress with teams at five age groups, as well as an Under 17 ‘Barbarians’ side.

The ‘Barbarians’ is more of an experiment as the squad comprises players from Huddersfield, YMCA, Old Brodleians and even some from Barnsley, aimed at promoting junior rugby throughout the county.

“Down at Lockwood Park they have so many players at junior level, they can’t all get a game, so the ‘Barbarians’ gives some of them an opportunity to get a game,” explained former Huddersfield player, now YM’s director of rugby, Damon Scholes.

“The idea is to keep the lads playing rugby, which is good for both the town in general and to the benefit of the sport as a whole. We are very lucky in Huddersfield because there are quite a number of junior players around, but apparently we are the exception to the rule, as many areas are now really struggling to put together junior teams – and keep them!”

The Lockwood Park club have a full complement of junior teams, right from Under 8 sides through to the very successful Under 16 and Under 17 sides, who are expertly coached by former first team stalwarts Paul Sharrock and Jonathan Prescott.

Meanwhile, at Laund Hill, they have five teams, from Under 7, 8, 10, 12 and 14, who are the oldest set of juniors.

Last season YM had an Under 16 side, but the bulk of that squad have now been integrated into senior rugby, which is why Scholes took the decision to expand the club and run four open-age teams this season.

“About 10 to a dozen of last year’s Under 16s are now playing open age rugby, and players like Danny Dyson, Tom Bullock and James Tindall have already tasted first-team experience this year,” added Scholes.

Laund Hill was set to stage an Under 18 game between Leeds Carnegie and Gloucester today, when some of the best young talent in the country would have been on duty, but because of the heavy rain, the fixture was unfortunately cancelled because of standing water on the pitch.