A Queen Elizabeth II High School student has accepted a rugby scholarship from Kirkham Grammar School and has been training there.

Blake Snell, aged 16, from Greeba, was offered the opportunity after trials and is continuing training with the school.

Kirkham Grammar School is a selective, co-educational independent school in Kirkham, Lancashire.

In recent years the school has produced a number of rugby players who have appeared at the highest level of the sport, such as Richard Wigglesworth and Kieran Brookes, who were part of the 2015 England’s Six Nations squad, and Kieran Marmion who was part of the Ireland squad.

Blake said of his GCSE results: ’I got four Bs and five Cs. I did art, graphics, res maps, PE, English, maths and science. I quite expected to have that.

scholarship

’I’ve got the rugby scholarship next year so I’m going to Kirkham Grammar School to play rugby for them to see how far I get.

’I got asked by the head of rugby development in the Isle of Man to go there for trials and they offered me the scholarship and I just came back last night from pre-season training and I’m going again on Saturday morning. I’m really looking forward to it, it’s really exciting.’

Blake’s PE teacher Dom Winrow said: ’Blake is a fantastic young lad who is a very keen and talented rugby player.

’He has been an excellent ambassador for QEII sport in both competing himself and also as a coach of younger ages.

’We are all extremely sorry to see him leave, but wish him the best of luck at Kirkham.

’He will no doubt thrive in his new surroundings and I look forward to seeing his progress on the rugby field in the coming years.’