Great Britain Teachers crowned an excellent opening program of games with a thrilling comeback to beat the British Asian Rugby Association 24-14 in the clash at The Willows, Salford.

A healthy crowd saw the BARA side take the lead after a series of devastating runs from Swinton’s Saqib Murtaza created the space for stand off Junaid Malik to open up the teachers outfit. The Teachers hit back when Fleetwood Sports Colleges’ Steve Woodburn popped a nice offload out for hooker, and Bankfield High School PE teacher Neil Bourke to dive over. That was to be it though for the teachers as BARA scored again, Malik punishing errors from GB teachers with a cute kicking game and linking with superb efforts from centre Imad Nazir. At 14-6 to BARA, the next score was critical after the break and it came from veteran RL legend Mick Cassidy of the GB teachers. Cassidy now teaches at Wigan and Leigh College and it was his effort from short range that lifted the teachers to raise their game.

Workington full back Andrew Beattie capped a fine, man of the match performance with a try on 66 minutes which, with goal efforts from Charlie Woan and Neil Bourke, seeing the teachers take the lead 18-14. It was a lead they did not surrender, though the constant efforts of the huge BARA pack, lead superbly by Saqib Murtaza, Massadiq Khan and Andrew Ali ensured the teachers had to come up with a massive defensive effort to keep them out. The win was sealed on 76 minutes when Neil Bourke produced a carbon copy of his first after an offload from Cumbria prop Craig Hamilton. Hamilton added two goals to see Great Britain Teachers take the memorable debut win 24-14.

Coach, Stuart Wilkinson was clearly buzzing at the win given the new side had never played together before. “These lads are a credit to the game, the way they commit so much to playing and yet also deliver in the schools, the game owes them a lot.” BARA Coach Ikram Butt was in no way downhearted. “We are delighted. I’ts been a great game and is very important to us to create links with schools to spread the message that all sections of our society can be part of our great game. The afternoon was a huge success.”

GREAT BRITAIN TEACHERS; Andrew Beattie, Matt Giblin, Paul Lorenzen, Phil Arkell, Dave Holcroft, Paul Leighton, Matt Johnson, Paul McDowell, Mark Brennan, Scott Low, Charlie Woan, Ian Critchley, Steve Woodburn, Tom Wild, Craig Hamilton, Tony Fretwell, Neil Bourke, Maick Cassidy, Glen Kaighan, Tom Vickers, Mark Burns

BARA; Junaid Malik, Amraz Hamid, Andrew Ali, Craig Boot, Omar Alrawi, Awais Yousaf, Imad Nazir, Liam Manning, Ben Hinsley, Osman Malik, Danny Gill, Keith Sandhu, Saqib Murtaza, Hassan Khan, Wayne Foster, Ikram Butt, Anthony Ditta, Mussadiq Khan, Benn Kerr, James Brown, Germaine Akedaire.

Men of the Match; Andrew Beattie (GB Teachers), Saqib Murtaza (BARA)

Referee; Mr Neil Burke

Gamebreaker; Bourke’s second with only 4 mins to go that gave BARA no way back. It was in the balance until then

Scoring; 0-4, 4-4, 6-4, 6-8, 6-12, 6-14 HT 10-14, 12-14, 16-14, 18-14, 22-14, 24-14. FT

Great Britain Teachers crowned an excellent opening program of games with a thrilling comeback to beat the British Asian Rugby Association 24-14 in the clash at The Willows, Salford.

A healthy crowd saw the BARA side take the lead after a series of devastating runs from Swinton’s Saqib Murtaza created the space for stand off Junaid Malik to open up the teachers outfit. The Teachers hit back when Fleetwood Sports Colleges’ Steve Woodburn popped a nice offload out for hooker, and Bankfield High School PE teacher Neil Bourke to dive over. That was to be it though for the teachers as BARA scored again, Malik punishing errors from GB teachers with a cute kicking game and linking with superb efforts from centre Imad Nazir. At 14-6 to BARA, the next score was critical after the break and it came from veteran RL legend Mick Cassidy of the GB teachers. Cassidy now teaches at Wigan and Leigh College and it was his effort from short range that lifted the teachers to raise their game.

Workington full back Andrew Beattie capped a fine, man of the match performance with a try on 66 minutes which, with goal efforts from Charlie Woan and Neil Bourke, seeing the teachers take the lead 18-14. It was a lead they did not surrender, though the constant efforts of the huge BARA pack, lead superbly by Saqib Murtaza, Massadiq Khan and Andrew Ali ensured the teachers had to come up with a massive defensive effort to keep them out. The win was sealed on 76 minutes when Neil Bourke produced a carbon copy of his first after an offload from Cumbria prop Craig Hamilton. Hamilton added two goals to see Great Britain Teachers take the memorable debut win 24-14.

Coach, Stuart Wilkinson was clearly buzzing at the win given the new side had never played together before. “These lads are a credit to the game, the way they commit so much to playing and yet also deliver in the schools, the game owes them a lot.” BARA Coach Ikram Butt was in no way downhearted. “We are delighted. I’ts been a great game and is very important to us to create links with schools to spread the message that all sections of our society can be part of our great game. The afternoon was a huge success.”

GREAT BRITAIN TEACHERS; Andrew Beattie, Matt Giblin, Paul Lorenzen, Phil Arkell, Dave Holcroft, Paul Leighton, Matt Johnson, Paul McDowell, Mark Brennan, Scott Low, Charlie Woan, Ian Critchley, Steve Woodburn, Tom Wild, Craig Hamilton, Tony Fretwell, Neil Bourke, Maick Cassidy, Glen Kaighan, Tom Vickers, Mark Burns

BARA; Junaid Malik, Amraz Hamid, Andrew Ali, Craig Boot, Omar Alrawi, Awais Yousaf, Imad Nazir, Liam Manning, Ben Hinsley, Osman Malik, Danny Gill, Keith Sandhu, Saqib Murtaza, Hassan Khan, Wayne Foster, Ikram Butt, Anthony Ditta, Mussadiq Khan, Benn Kerr, James Brown, Germaine Akedaire.

Men of the Match; Andrew Beattie (GB Teachers), Saqib Murtaza (BARA)

Referee; Mr Neil Burke

Gamebreaker; Bourke’s second with only 4 mins to go that gave BARA no way back. It was in the balance until then

Scoring; 0-4, 4-4, 6-4, 6-8, 6-12, 6-14 HT 10-14, 12-14, 16-14, 18-14, 22-14, 24-14. FT