U16 Super 6 Review (29th March) - Bucks stun Wildcats to make history  

Girls’ competition 

In the third and final instalment of the junior cup final qualifiers contested by the best six teams in the country for their age groups – across both genders – it was a sensational moment for those in black and green as they edged out last season’s finalists, Wapping Wildcats, in two extremely close sets (27-25, 26-24). 

The winning point sparked delirious celebrations from the Bucks team, as well as a tear or two from the club’s assistant coach, secretary and founder Lauren Tucker, after years of hard work from all at the High Wycombe-based club to earn the precious moment. 

Head coach Lukas Dorer's team can now look forward to being part of the 11-final showpiece at Cup Finals Weekend 2026 on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th April... you can get your tickets here. 

The day began in the girls’ competition with the Pool A meeting between number-one ranked Urmston Grammar and Newcastle Staffs, who had qualified in fifth. 

The Greater Manchester side clinched the first set, but the Potteries club soon levelled, setting up a decider, which those in blue and yellow eventually sealed (25-19, 16-25, 15-11). 

Fourth-ranked Wapping were next to take on Staffs and they started their campaign in style, cruising to a 25-15, 25-20 success. 

That meant Urmston and the London side met knowing both were already through to the semi-finals, but the winners would finish top of the group and avoid last season’s winners Richmond. 

It was the Wildcats who did just that, holding their nerve and attacking at the key moments to run out 25-22, 25-20 victors. 

In Pool B, second-ranked Richmond showed their intentions by overpowering sixth-ranked The Boswells School in straight sets (25-15, 25-14) first up. 

The match between South Bucks and Boswells was closer, but the former were nevertheless always in control to triumph 25-18, 25-19. 

In the battle to top the pool, Richmond were pushed hard, but eventually came through 25-20, 25-23 to make it two wins from two. 

In the semi-finals that followed Bucks' game with Wapping ebbed and flowed and both sets could have gone either way. 

But it was the former’s strong defence that, on the day, got the better of the latter’s attacking intent. 

In the other semi-final, Urmston showed they were not going to give the defending champions an easy ride and fought hard before losing the first set 25-20. 

The second was even closer, before Richmond nicked it 27-25 to seal their progress to next month’s gold medal match. 

The fifth and sixth place play-off match went to three sets before Castle found form to shade it 25-17, 21-25, 15-7 over Boswells. 

Boys’ competition 

It was no surprise to see last year’s winners at U15 level, Urmston Grammar, start well in their bid to defend their title in 2025-26. 

The number one seeds were made to work extremely hard for it, though, winning two extended sets by just two points (27-25, 26-24) against fifth-ranked Leeds Gorse in Pool A. 

An enthralling match then unfolded between the Yorkshire side and The Boswells School that went the distance. 

After Gorse took the opener 28-26, Boswells powered back to square things up (25-18), only for Leeds to edge the closest of tie break sets 16-14. 

Boswells hopes were well and truly extinguished as they then faced an Urmston side really hitting their straps, with the latter racing through the first set to register a 25-7, 25-22 margin of victory. 

Pool B’s first match threw up something of a surprise as last years’ U15 finalists, second-ranked Richmond, came a cropper in the face of an excellent performance from sixth-ranked Team SideOut, who ran out 25-23, 25-17 victors. 

But Wessex quickly flexed their muscles to quell SideOut’s hopes of ending the pool stage unbeaten as the South Coast team looked confident in recording a 25-17, 25-19 success. 

They then eliminated Richmond from progressing to the semi-finals, racing to a 25-13, 25-14 success in double-quick time. 

The semi-finals were contrasting in their length and type. Urmston found few problems in booking their Cup Finals spot as they impressed in a 25-14, 25-12 defeat of SideOut. 

It was just reward for those in blue and yellow after they bounced back from losing in three to Richmond in last week’s U18 semi-finals. 

Their opponents, as it turns out, will be Leeds, who had to do it the hard way, coming through another nail-biting three setter. 

This time, they dropped the first set (19-25) but refused to buckle and first levelled (25-17) before edging the decider 15-13 against Wessex in an entertaining finalé. 

It means they emulate their U18 team in putting themselves in the frame for a national title and comes in the same weekend as their senior men gave themselves hope of staying in Super League by beating Durham Palatinates on Saturday. 

The play-off for fifth and sixth saw Richmond recover from their previous disappointments to ease to a 25-14, 25-21 triumph against their old rivals. 

Images by Sky Park (@sky_photo0605). 

Find out more about Junior Grand Prix competitions here.  

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