IT all went against Wrexham as hosts Shotton beat then 8-7 in their U16s junior rugby clash.

Played in torrential rain, they lost their captain after he broke his arm. In-form Aidan Roberts added another try to his tally and Steffan Thomas kicked the conversion but the Shots held on to win.

Wrexham U15s lost at Newport where their player of the match was Cian Jones.

The Rugby Football Union plans to introduce non-contact rugby to schools in England to ensure the sport remains “fit for the 21st century”.

An independent review commissioned by the RFU found a decline in the number of pupils participating in rugby union due to concerns over players’ welfare and recommended plans to safeguard its future.

The review, led by Sir Jon Coles, chief executive officer of national schools group United Learning, also found “clear evidence of a very large untapped market in schools which don’t have a tradition of playing rugby”.

The review recommends that full contact rugby should still be available for under-15s and over.

Pictures by DAVE SINNOTT and CARA LIVESEY