Barnsley Ladies RUFC secured their third successive league title without playing this week and have set up the biggest game in their history – a play-off to reach the second tier of women's rugby union in England.
The Shaw Laners' match at Sunderland was called off due to a waterlogged pitch on Sunday but they are still guaranteed first place in Championship North Two as second-placed Birkenhead Park failed to pick up a bonus point for scoring five tries in their 28-5 home victory over Sefton.
That leaves Birkenhead six points behind leaders Barnsley with only one game left to play, meaning they cannot catch the Shaw Laners who are unbeaten from their 12 matches so far and have two games remaining.
Club chairman Stuart Bennett, who is also the Ladies' team manager, said: "It's a fantastic achievement. When we came into this league we had a three-year plan which was to stay up in the first year, improve in the second and go for promotion in the third but we have thrown that out of the window by winning it in one season. Every season so far, we have surprised ourselves by winning the title and the commitment of the ladies has been tremendous.
"Week after week they just keep winning and their drive is phenomenal. It was a strange way to win the league. We thought it was all in our hands then our game was called off but we won the title anyway. Hopefully we can consolidate it with wins in the last two league matches, which would make us unbeaten, and then move on to the play-offs."
Barnsley are due to host Darlington on Sunday then play their rearranged match at Sunderland. They will then face a play-off against the winner of the Championship Midlands Two at a neutral venue. It is likely to be Bletchley who are closing in on the Midlands title.
Bennett said: "It will be a massive game, the biggest we have played so far. It's great to win the league but the promotion is what we really want. Whoever the opposition is, we won't know too much about them because all our leagues are very insular and you very rarely play teams from other parts of the country.We don't know what the standard of the Midlands league is like compared to ours."
Barnsley's men still have a chance of making it two promotions for the Shaw Lane club this season despite a 15-14 home loss to leaders Pontefract in a top-of-the-table clash in Yorkshire League Two.The result ended a run of four successive wins for the town men, and leaves them 14 points behind the leaders and four clear of third-placed Old Crossleyans as they attempt to cling onto the second automatic promotion place.
Chairman Bennett said: "It was a bit disappointing but it was a good effort as they were down to 13 men at one point. It's a big improvement on the performance and result last time they played Ponty (a 48-22 loss earlier in the season). The lads are still confident and they know it is still in their hands and they believe they can do it. It would be lovely if both the men and women could get promotions this season."
Barnsley took the lead in the 13th minute when Arron Foye scored a 70-metre interception try which he converted himself. Pontefract responded four minutes later through an unconverted try then touched down again in the second half before a conversion and penalty made it 15-7 to the visitors.
Barnsley's Tom Bagnall replied with his 16th try of the season and Foye added the conversion which means he has 239 points this campaign. Head coach Mark Smith said: "We put in a really good performance and I couldn't be prouder of the lads. It was a good, hard game of rugby. Both sides defended really well and didn't give an inch. I'm really pleased that, with five games to go, we're four points clear of third place with all still to play for.
"We're going to keep working hard and everyone is really enjoying it at the minute."
Barnsley's remaining five opponents are all currently in the bottom half of the table apart from third-placed Old Crossleyans who they are due to face in a potential promotion-decider on April 14 which is scheduled to be the penultimate match of the season. The Shaw Laners are set to visit tenth-placed West Park Leeds tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Wath are sixth, 14 points behind Barnsley with a game in hand, after a 24-13 home win over Thornesians.
