Girls are taking up rugby union coaching at Menston St Mary's School.

Sixteen 16-year-old students from the school this week embarked on first level rugby union coaching awards.

Most of the group are girls who have been involved in the regular coaching sessions run weekly at St Mary's during the last season.

The course is the first step on the coaching ladder for the students, all of whom have played rugby in the last year.

Tutor on the course is Mark Saltmarsh, the Leeds RU development officer who, with his colleague Fergus Timmins in the Bradford area, is seeking to develop the playing and coaching potential of boys and girls.

The course involves some theory work in the classroom.

But it mainly concentrates on skills and practical teaching sessions on the field.

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