By DAVID COULTER

Published at 09:23, Monday, 07 February 2011

THREE members of Tynedale Panthers Rugby Club have been chosen to represent the North of England team.

On trial: The Tynedale Panthers contingent of Lydia Chadwick, Katrine Hardy, Gina Lamb, Caity Mattinson and Lindsey Tait.

Hooker Gina Lamb will play for the U18 team, while centre Lindsey Tait and scrum half Caity Mattinson were selected for the U15 squad.

The selections follow the recent North of England trials at West Park, Leeds, which the girls were invited to attend, along with U18 Panthers members, Katrine Hardy and Lydia Chadwick.

They were chosen out of a pool of approximately 110 girls from across Northumberland, Durham, Cumbria, Lancashire, Cheshire and Yorkshire in the two age groups.

On a cold, difficult day, all the Tynedale girls gave a good account of themselves, and represented both their club and county admirably.

Although unsuccessful, Katrine and Lydia surely had given the selectors some difficult choices with sterling performances of their own.

The successful girls have a lot of work ahead of them with training sessions in Yorkshire and closer to home, before the first games against the Midlands next month.

Their hard work to get to this stage has paid off and, if they continue to fulfil their potential, they may be in line for international honours with the next step up.

Tynedale Panthers are always looking for new players, and all girls are invited to participate in sessions at Tynedale Park on Thursdays at 6pm and on Saturdays at 10am.

Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk