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Otley are the champions! The town was celebrating this week after its rugby players overcame their own Waterloo to clinch the National Division 2 title in style.

The part-timers will now play in National Division 1 next season - facing big clubs with full-time professional squads.

The team travelled to Blundellsands already having achieved promotion, but with Manchester and Stourbridge breathing down their necks for the title they ran out 37-15 winners, inflicting Waterloo's heaviest defeat of the season.

With the exception of Robin Kitching, who was on paternity leave as his wife had presented him with twins William and Emily, the previous day, the full squad was at the game to celebrate winning the title by just one point from Manchester.

The victory sent their large following of travelling supporters wild with delight.

Otley MP Greg Mulholland, an Otley supporter, has tabled an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons commemorating the club's achievement in becoming champions and winning promotion back to Division One at the first attempt.

"The weekend's game was a superb result and a just reward for all the tireless efforts of the player and staff have put in all season long. I just wanted to send my congratulations to the club and commemorate their achievements by recognising the success in Parliament."

The club's press officer, John Finch, said: "After the game head coach Peter Clegg paid tribute to first XV coach Mark Luffman and all the players for the hard work and determination put in over a very testing season.

This was echoed by the large number of supporters who had travelled to be a part of this achievement, probably outnumbering the home followers and revelling in the way their team set about their task, inflicting on Waterloo their heaviest defeat of the campaign."

One downside for the club amongst their celebrations is that they have not yet got a trophy to hold aloft.

Club secretary Marc Lawrence said: We have not got our hands on the trophy yet and don't know when it will be delivered to us but it has been a fantastic achievement by the players and all at the club.

"However, National One has moved on in the 12 months since we last played in it, teams have become more professional and a lot of them are full-time. Otley will be among a handful who aren't full-time and Peter Clegg will have to strengthen the squad in places.

"We face a big challenge but not many will fancy coming up here on a cold, wet day! We have no further plans for improving facilities at the moment, our money will have to go into team strengthening."

Of the past successful season Lawrence added: "Although we have been up there throughout the campaign it has not been easy and there have been other challengers.

"Team strengthening is in the pipeline and Peter was having a meeting with the players this week."

Click here for our report on how Otley bagged the title

8:34am Friday 2nd May 2008

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