National Cup in sight for Carlisle's Under 18s

There was an extra intensity to training this week, with places in a National cup semi-final up for grabs.

These Colts have already progressed further in the competition than any in Carlisle's history.

Most of these players grew up together and the core of the side have come up through the club's youth system. They say that those close bonds are their greatest weapon.

The team have already proved themselves the best in the North of England with all three of the other semi-finalists coming from Kent.

Colt's teams from Carlisle have twice been knocked out in the quarter finals in the last ten years, but this is unchartered territory and a chance to go down in the clubs history.

In the quarter finals against Burton Knights it was the cool head of fly half of Jason Israel that secured victory, slopping over the winning penalty at the death, but even he admits to feeling the nerves in the run up to the biggest match of his young career.

The stage then is set and a good crowd is expected at Warwick Road on Sunday to cheer the boys on against Old Elthamians.

Just three days and eighty minutes of Rugby stand between these players and the biggest stage in youth Rugby in England.