National Champions 2025
Priestley girls’ rugby academy won the 2025 college cup final defeating Calderdale College 24-20 in the final. After a back-and-forth first half that left Priestley starting the second behind. However, the players showed outstanding resilience to push on until the final whistle to secure the win.
@priestleycollege Just a few weeks ago, Priestley’s girls’ rugby academy brought home the national college cup — a huge achievement and a testament to the grit, skill, and determination shown throughout the season. 🏉 We spoke to one of the original two players, Seren, and academy coach Emily about how they built a winning team from the ground up — and what it took to make history. 🏆 #rugby #womensrugby #girlsrugby #nationalchampions
♬ original sound - Priestley College
Trips and Visits
The trips for the 2025-26 year are yet to be confirmed but will be focused on developing well-rounded athletes. Last year, the team visited Hotpod Yoga in Warrington town centre.
Leagues and Cup competitions
The team plays in a competitive 9-a-side college league, whereby they attend regular festivals and compete against multiple teams. The points for these festivals are added into a league table, with the top two teams qualifying for the national final at the end of the year.
Training
The academy trains 2 times a week, which is built into the college timetable. One training session is a gym session, working predominantly on strength training and conditioning. The other is a field session, working on fundamental rugby skills and preparing for fixtures.
Training Kit
Purchasing training kit is not mandatory, but players have the option to purchase kit at the following link > Kit King
Destinations/Exit-routes
This academy is a great way to develop as a rugby player and progress into the Warrington Wolves Women’s Academy or Super League team. During festivals, players may also be scouted by other local Super League clubs and/or England pathway coaches.
Academy Coach
Emily Tandy is the women’s rugby coach. Emily has coached rugby since she was 17 and currently works for the Warrington Wolves Community Foundation as a rugby league coach, which includes coaching the Priestley women’s rugby academy. Emily is also an ex-women’s Super League player, having played for Warrington Wolves until 2024. In her first year as head coach, Emily led her team to victory in the 2024-25 National Cup final.
Player focus
Nicole Barnett Women’s super league Warrington wolves player: “Priestley played a huge role in helping me succeed both academically and athletically. The support from all of my teachers helped me stay on top of my work and achieve the highest grades. At the same time being on the TASS athlete program kept me motivated, taught me discipline and gave me a strong sense of balance between academics and sport. Priestley created an environment that allowed me to grow in both of these areas without having to sacrifice one for the other.”