The NTR 10s League has finally drawn to a close for the third year. Unfortunately Lanna Rugby Club were unable to aquire the coverted NTR 10s League trophy this year, however this does not show the amount of blood, sweat and tears that were poured into the team over the four month period.
Under the leadership of Coach Hirsty, the team has come on leaps and bounds this season. Where last season the men’s team may have lost by 30 points, this time round there may have been a 5 to 10 point deficit. The pack at times were unstoppable, we were very competitive in the lineouts and our backline became much more organised.
This year’s league has seen some very heated competition against Maejo/CMU and Chiang Mai Cobras. There were a fair few heavy hits flying and some well worked tries that came from forwards and backs drills that were practiced rigorously at practice.
As the season went on, the team became more organised and started to gel as a team. We even had our first graduate from the Lanna Juniors , Pan, move into the Lanna Lions as a permanent weekly fixture.
Alas, no matter how much the Lions developed throughout the NTR 10s League, winning the cup was not to be. Chiang Mai Cobras managed to beat the Lions and Maejo/CMU to reach the first spot of the League, ergo winning the league.
Congratulations go to the victors and the Lanna Lions will walk to fight another day. There always the NTR 10s League 2023/24 next season, it is ours for the taking!
