A NORTH Yorkshire school is celebrating a successful rugby season.

Richmond School has been awarded the England Rugby Development Mark.

And former British Lion Jon Bentley has been helping students during coaching sessions.

Meanwhile, the school's under-14 team has been invited to the Northern Counties Rugby Festival to represent Yorkshire.

The players have been nominated because of success in Yorkshire competitions.

The under-15 side won the area sevens, were runners-up in the North Yorkshire tens festival and made impact in the Daily Mail 15-a-side national competition.

The side is due to tour Canada next year and they will play five matches in a three-week tour of British Columbia.

The boys have been awarded £10,000 by the North Yorkshire Young Money Fund towards the trip.

In the under-16 age group, the team won the North Yorkshire tens festival.

In total, 21 students have achieved Hambleton and Richmondshire area and county honours - and two players have been invited to trial with the Scottish Exiles.

Three former pupils are also now representing England at their respective levels.

Richard Snowball is captain of Darlington Rugby Club's first team and is playing for England Counties.

Joe Clark, who studies at Cambridge University and played in the varsity match earlier this year, has been selected to play for England Students.

Calum Clark, who captained Barnard Castle School in the Daily Mail cup final, represents England under-18s and has just signed a four-year professional contract with Leeds Tykes.