Barrie’s helping hand

Date published: 28 January 2010


AMATEUR RUGBY LEAGUE: 

LEEDS Rhinos legend Barrie McDermott spent an afternoon at Saddleworth School putting their promising Year Eight squad through their paces in a gifted and talented coaching session.

The Sky Sports presenter and Leeds Academy youth coach was helping prepare the team for their forthcoming North-West Counties quarter-final tie at St John Fisher School, Wigan.

Oldham-born McDermott (pictured below) concentrated on the core skills of rugby such as grip, passing technique, defensive line-speed fundamentals and offensive decision making.

The session was delivered to 18 boys in the school gym.

The team progressed to the last-eight stage of the Carnegie competition after impressive victories over St Augustine’s School and St Aelred’s, both from St Helens.