Northumberland U25 Men Show Fantastic Grit in White Rose Campaign

The Under-25 Men’s team put on a superb display of determination and character in this season’s White Rose Trophy group stages. Facing a tough set of fixtures against the region’s best, the squad showed true competitive spirit, bouncing back from a difficult start to finish the tournament on an absolute high.

Shaking Off a Tough Start

The tournament opened with a challenging clash against a sharp Durham side, who took a 29–22 win and maximum points. Following a Game 2 bye, Northumberland faced another tough test against a strong Yorkshire team, falling 29–19.

With two losses under their belt, lesser squads might have let their heads drop—but this Northumberland side showed exactly what they are made of.

The Great Turnaround

Game 4 saw the squad dig deep for a spectacular breakthrough performance against Cumbria. In a nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat battle, Northumberland played brilliant tactical bowls to edge out a 24–21 victory, securing a massive 4 points and proving they can match anyone on the green.

The momentum carried right into the final round against Lancashire. The team dominated from the opening ends, storming to a commanding 18–7 victory to sweep all 6 points.

A Foundation to Build On

While a dominant Durham side took the top spot in the group, Northumberland’s back-to-back victories to close out the tournament secured them a solid 4th-place finish, level on wins with both Cumbria and Yorkshire.

This campaign highlighted the incredible fight, skill, and potential within our youth ranks. Just like our Amy Rose squad, these young men have laid a fantastic foundation for the future of Northumberland bowls as we look toward building our elite development squads for the coming seasons.

Want to be part of the next generation of Northumberland champions? The national youth pathways are open to players of all abilities. Contact Team Manager Matthew Bishop (Men’s U25) or Rachel Cartwright (Women’s U25) to find out how to get involved in our upcoming U25 county squads!