BELMONT Academy pupils took part in the 2018 SP Energy Networks Warriors Championship on Tuesday, April 17 at a sun-baked Scotstoun, the home of

Glasgow Warriors.

The fourth round of qualifying saw five schools enter S1 and S2 level boys’ teams and an under-15s girls’ team.

A total of 193 tries were scored across 30 matches involving 15 teams from schools including Eastwood High School, Douglas-Ewart High School, Belmont Academy, McLaren High School and Shawlands Academy, with Shawlands progressing to the next round.

Scotland and Glasgow Warriors star Jonny Gray took time out from training to watch the action alongside his Warriors teammates Darcy Rae

and Leonardo Sarto.

Gray said: "Watching the kids today you can tell how much fun they are having, it's great to see.

"The numbers are growing in the girls’ game and what the Scotland Women's team is doing in the Six Nations is inspiring loads of girls to play rugby.

"There's a lot of role models for the youngsters which has helped create a feel-good factor across the sport at all levels in Scotland.”

He added: "I tried to play football with a rugby ball initially. I had no idea about the rules but I was hooked.

"I just remember how much fun it was playing with guys I had never met before and then making new friends for life.”

Former Glasgow Warriors captain Al Kellock, now a Scottish Rugby Ambassador and Commercial Operations Manager at the club added: "The SP

Energy Networks Warriors Championship is about getting a rugby ball into the hands of as many girls and boys as possible and there has been some

brilliant rugby on display in the qualifying rounds.

"I was luckily enough to play professionally but for me it's about the enjoyment, having fun in a team environment. The friends through rugby you keep forever. I started playing when I was five and then had to make a decision when I was 16 to choose between rugby and football. I'm very glad I chose rugby.”

At the beginning of this season Glasgow Warriors announced a landmark three-year partnership with SP Energy Networks which saw them become the club’s Official Community Partner.

Twenty-five schools from across the west, central and southern Scotland will take part in the tournament.

The 2018 champions will take home the SP Energy Networks Warriors Championship trophy and brand new rugby kit for their school