Harrogate Rugby Club won promotion to the National League 2 North at the first attempt last weekend.

The club defeated Driffield 45-27 to secure top spot in the Regional 1 North East league by two points.

A four-try haul by Kristan Dobson helped Harrogate to victory in a game which was held at Driffield due to an unplayable pitch at both Rudding Lane and Knaresborough.

The result saw Harrogate clinch the title and earn promotion back to the National League 2 North after suffering relegation last season.

It will see the club take on the likes of Sheffield Tigers, Otley and Hull next season.

Following the victory, the club said in a statement:

“Congratulations should go to all 41 players who represented the team during the season, and to the coaches, support staff and supporters who made this possible.”

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Harrogate Rugby Union Club has appointed a new head coach who previously played for England.

Dan Scarbrough has an impressive career, having also played on the wing or as full back for Leeds Tykes, Racing Metro and Saracens.

He will now bring his knowledge and skill to Harrogate RUFC.

His career began in National Division One with Wakefield, during which he scored 17 tries from 46 starts, which led to a prolific try-scoring career.

He played in the England A side that contested the first Churchill Cup, before winning his first full cap against Wales in a 2003 warm up game.

Dan went on to become head coach of Latvia Men’s National Sevens, as well coaching at his own school, Bradford Grammar School, and Yorkshire Rugby.

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The appointment comes as previous head coach, Sam Fox, has “decided to explore new opportunities in his coaching career”, according to the club.

Mr Fox will continue to play for the club but has secured a new coaching role at Pocklington School and the Yorkshire Academy.

Martyn Wood, director of rugby at Harrogate RUFC, said:

“We are thrilled to announce that Dan Scarbrough will be stepping into the position.

“A seasoned and respected figure in the rugby world, having played for Leeds Tykes, Racing Metro, Saracens, and England.

“Dan brings a wealth of experience and a profound understanding of the game.”

Dan has already begun training with the Mens 1st XV whose first match of the season takes place on Saturday, September 2.

Mr Wood continued:

“The club’s management and players warmly welcome Dan Scarbrough and eagerly anticipate an exciting new chapter under his stewardship.

“With his appointment, Harrogate Rugby Club remains committed to upholding its legacy as a prominent force in the rugby community.”

The team is currently playing in the fifth tier of England rugby.

A Harrogate rugby team has visited Canada as part of a town winning scheme.

Players from Harrogate Rugby Club’s under-16s visited Barrie in Ontario, where they were given a tour and even appeared on local television.

The city was twinned with Harrogate in 2013.

Sir Robert Barrie was a Royal Navy officer who fought against the USA in the 19th century and is buried in the Harrogate district.

He then took up a post in Ontario, Canada, to inspect a key trading route called the Nine Mile Portage. He settled there, calling it “one of the most beautiful places on earth”. In 1833 the area was renamed in his honour.

The Harrogate rugby side, which included students from Harrogate Grammar School and Ashville College, embarked on the nine-day tour in July.

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The tour was sponsored by Harrogate International Partnerships and included matches which saw Harrogate run out victorious.

Harrogate coach, Ralph Zoing, described the games as “competitive, but played in an excellent spirit”.

Harrogate Rugby Club raising the Yorkshire flag in Barrie, Ontario.

The team also raised a Yorkshire flag in Barrie during Yorkshire Day on August 1.

Dennis Richards, chair of Harrogate International Partnerships, said the visit was a success.

“Twinning works best through community groups, sport and music being prime examples. 

“The success of this trip should inspire many others in years to come.”

A civic reception was also held by Alex Nuttall, mayor of Barrie, as part of the Harrogate club’s visit.

Mr Nuttall said:

“These young men were excellent ambassadors for Harrogate and their rugby club. 

“They were a delight to host and strengthened a rapidly developing link between our two towns. Both towns have so much to offer each other”

A reciprocal visit is planned to take place in 2024.

Twinned

Barrie was twinned with Harrogate in 2013 at the suggestion of local aristocrat Sir Thomas Ingilby.

Sir Robert married Sir Thomas’s ancestor, Julia Wharton Ingilby, in 1816.

In mid-1834, Barrie returned to England and King William IV made him a knight commander of the Royal Guelphic Order. He was promoted to rear-admiral in 1837 and knight commander of the Order of the Bath in 1840.

Barrie retired in Swarthdale, Lancashire and was buried at All Saints Church in Ripley in 1841.

From Japan to New Zealand, Sam Fox’s love affair with rugby union has taken him around the world.

As early as he can remember, he recalls being taken to his local rugby club in Cornwall with his dad where he would kick balls into the river.

These days, he’s tasked with leading Harrogate Rugby Club as head coach.

While most sportsmen tend to swap the pitch for the touchline after retirement, Sam had his eye on coaching well before his last kick of a rugby ball.

He hopes his ambition for improving players and Harrogate as a whole will bear fruit in the coming years.

Taking rugby abroad

Sam grew up in Cornwall and has been playing rugby since he was three-years-old.

The love for rugby was bred from an early age. His dad was an ex-England schoolboys player and his mum a big supporter of the sport.

At 16, he went to college in Truro and started playing for Exeter Chiefs RUFC where he spent his formative years in the academy.

His most memorable experience was spending time in New Zealand after a stint in Japan, where he played in a world championships.

Sam played for Wellington Lions under-19s alongside guys who would go onto elite rugby.

However, it was the developmental side that caught Sam’s eye and led him onto a career path in coaching.

“It was amazing. In the UK, you’re coached and taught in a very similar way the whole way through. To see how differently it’s done in Japan and then New Zealand, you can see why they are one of the best teams in the world in the way they go about their coaching.

“It being their national sport out there, every kid has a ball in their hand from the second they’re born. Whereas here it’s football.

“It was really interesting to see and probably what pushed me down that route of coaching and wanting to explore different coaching methods and how to improve players.”

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The standard of rugby at Wellington was high.

Sam was lucky enough to count Thomas and Peter Umaga-Jensen as teammates. Both are nephews of former All Blacks captain, Tana Umaga. He said:

“They were just a different level altogether.

“They are both playing Super Rugby now in New Zealand. What they can do with a ball, I have never seen anything like it.

“It was great. I was playing 10, they were at 12 and 13, and I’d just give them the ball and they would score.”

Returning home to study

Sam returned to England in 2017 and enrolled at Leeds Beckett University.

It was here that he started to embark on his ambition for improving players and started to study sports coaching alongside playing for Harrogate.

About three years ago, Sam says he accepted that he was not going to make it as a professional player.

“There were people that were just a lot quicker and a lot more skilful than me at that stage.

“Knowing that I wanted to be involved in rugby for the rest of my life, coaching was the next best thing that I could do.”

For Sam, coaching is a craft and something that can be explored beyond just teaching players how to play rugby.

There is academic theory behind it and the application of that theory when it comes to improving players.

But it’s also about relationships with people and those that work with you on a weekly basis.

“A lot of the advice that I’ve got is it is a lot about relationships.

“If you can form good relationships with your players and coaching staff then you are already one step ahead of everyone else.

“Maybe you would see in the 80s and 90s, when the game was starting to turn professional, it was very much a dictatorship where the coach says ‘this is what you’re going to do and you do it’. No questions asked.

“Whereas now there is a lot more back and forth. There is a lot more challenges of what you’re doing and making sure your practices are as good as they possibly can be.”

Sam Fox playing for Harrogate Rugby Club.

Alongside his colleague Aled Jones, Sam launched the academy at Harrogate.

From there, he was made head coach of the first team for the 2021/22 season.

Harrogate were promoted to the Northern Premier League during the season which was effected by the covid pandemic.

However, the last campaign saw Harrogate relegated after a 24-12 loss to Tynedale.

For Sam, his squad, which had an average age of 22, lacked the experience to see games out. However, he added there was a lot the team could take into next season.

“While I was pleased with a lot of the things that we did, ultimately we conceded too many points and lacked the experience to see out games where we were within the seven points range.”

Preparation for next season has started in earnest.

Promotion will be the aim, but for Sam it will also be about improving the players enough so that they can maintain themselves in the next division.

Improving players is a thread that runs through much of Sam’s philosophy.

From setting up the academy with Aled to drawing up a curriculum for the younger players, much of the emphasis is on creating a squad that starts at Harrogate and, hopefully, finishes there.

This is the fifth article in a series of Sporting Spotlight interviews. If you have any local sporting heroes who you think should be featured, contact calvin@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Former Leeds Rhinos and New Zealand rugby league international Gary Mercer has joined Harrogate Rugby Club as defence coach.

Mercer, who played rugby league before switching to union as a coach, will join the club alongside newly appointed director of rugby Martyn Wood, who was capped by England.

The former Rhinos captain made more than 150 appearances for Leeds and represented his country 21 times.

Mercer said:

“I’m very much looking forward to taking on the new role of defence coach with the Aces. 

“I am very confident about the team’s future. An excellent plan has been put in place and things are certainly happening at the club.” 

During his career, Mercer also played for Bradford, Warrington and Halifax at rugby league.

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He had a spell as coach at Halifax before switching codes to union where he went on to coach Yorkshire Carnegie, Glasgow Warriors and Biggar in Scotland.

Mercer will continue his role as head of rugby and tutor at Ashville College while coaching at Harrogate.

Martyn Wood said:

“Gary Mercer has incredible experience in both codes at club and international level, and we will be drawing upon his knowledge to produce the required step-change in our defence. 

“Having Gary join us will add a new range of skills to our coaching set-up. Working alongside our existing head coach Sam Fox, we are expecting great things.” 

Eight local businesses completed a sleepout with CEO Sleepout UK to raise awareness of hidden homelessness in the district. 

The group of business leaders spent the night sleeping outdoors at Harrogate Rugby Club, and have raised almost £15,000 for CEO Sleepout UK, Ripon YMCA, Harrogate District Foodbank and Harrogate RUFC. 

The North Yorkshire based companies that took part were Nicholls Tyreman Estate Agents, Hudgell Solicitors, Ripon YMCA, Pavilions of Harrogate, Jorvik Design Group, Stratstone BMW, Carson Homes and Harrogate Borough Council.   

The participants included CEO of Hudgell Solicitors Rachel Di Clemente, Nicholls Tyreman director James Tyreman, and director of Jorvik Design Group Ady Rhodes.

The business leaders at Harrogate’s sleepout

Chief executive of CEO Sleepout Bianca Robinson said:  

“I was thrilled to see some of North Yorkshire’s biggest-hearted business people turn out for this event. Just because Harrogate is not a place where you might see many rough sleepers, it doesn’t mean homelessness doesn’t exist.  

“Hidden homelessness is increasing across North Yorkshire – families who can no longer afford private rental, young people, and single mothers living in insecure temporary accommodation.” 

She added:  

“It was a tough night and surprisingly cold, but by bringing those with lived experience to share their stories, and hearing about the vital work of charities on the frontline, we unlock understanding, compassion and inspire our business leaders to use their power to create greater social value.” 

CEO Sleepout stages fundraising events across the UK, and has raised £3 million for more than 100 charities.  

Student from Knaresborough achieves unprecedented full marks in hairdressing exam 

A hairdressing student from Knaresborough has achieved full marks in her practical exam.  

Penny Ledgeway, who is 20, completed her level two exam at Intuitions hairdressing college in Harrogate, with a perfect score of 700 marks.   

During the exam, she was asked to do a number of hairdressing treatments, including half a head of highlights, a restyle and cut, and a curly blow dry. 

When asked why she chose to pursue hairdressing, Ms Ledgeway said:  

“I’ve always wanted to do it really, I like to do a bit of everything but I am quite social anyway.

“I wouldn’t be able to just sit at a computer all day.”

Michelle Oliver, director of Intuitions college, said it was “unusual” for someone to get full marks in the exam, adding:

“Both me and her educator are really proud, she’s worked really hard.

“It’s good for us at Intuitions, but also for the employer to have someone with that skillset from the apprenticeship programme”.

After completing her level two exams, Ms Ledgeway is now a fully qualified hairdresser, and currently works at Kelly Teggin Hair & Beauty in Knaresborough.

She is now hoping to move on to a further stage of qualifications, which she said are more advanced and creative.  

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