SEVERAL Barnsley Ladies players will look to win the County Championship at Twickenham with Yorkshire for a third straight year on Saturday.
The team won 46-12 against Eastern Counties in the semi-final in Huddersfield and will now face Surrey at the national stadium.
The team is co-captained by Barnsley players Jasmin Brankin and Jess Taylor-Roberts.
Flanker Brankin said: “This campaign so far has been the best one yet of my three years playing for Yorkshire county.
“We’ve been on fire in the games we’ve played, leading us to this point while facing some challenges which the team has smashed through.
“I’m so thankful to be a part of it yet again and I’m confident we can regain the title for the third year in a row.”
Scrum half and Wales international Jess Taylor-Roberts, 32, added: “This year has been a special campaign as I was made co-captain with my Barnsley team-mate Jaz.
“It’s an honour to lead this group of girls to another final.
“I’m excited to run out again at Twickenham and hopefully help the team bring home the win.”
Alix Taylor-Roberts, from Royston, is the assistant coach.
She said: “This year has been an exciting, yet different campaign for me – stepping into coaching after playing the previous two seasons.
“It has been amazing to work alongside such talented coaches and players from across the county and I am looking forward to seeing what this group can do in Saturday’s final.”
Fly half Cara Cookland said: “Going into my fourth year with the county programme, I couldn’t have hoped for much better.
“The girls have worked really hard to get to where we have and are more than capable of the win at Twickenham this weekend.
“I’m grateful to be part of such a strong squad and excited to see what we can do on Saturday.”
Prop Amy Needham, from Mapplewell, said: “This will be my second time at Twickenham with Yorkshire. I’m so excited and super proud of what the girls have achieved so far in this campaign.
“I absolutely love playing for Yorkshire and I couldn’t have asked to do it with a better bunch of girls.
“Here’s to hopefully coming away with the win on Saturday at Twickenham and regaining the title for a third year in a row.
“It’s even better that I will be there and sharing the pitch with my fellow Barnsley players.”
Other Barnsley players who have been involved in the squad are number eight Becky Patrick, from Grimethorpe, prop Beth Arnold and winger Ellie Erskine.
They all play for the Shaw Laners who are well-established in Championship One North – the second tier in English women’s rugby.
