Ladies coach jubilant after watching his side win cup
And with Thurrock having triumphed in last year's Women's Junior Cup, Steward was delighted to see his side lift yet another trophy on the hallowed Twickenham turf.
'It was a fantastic game,' he said. 'Sefton brought absolute power and physicality to our game but we didn't back down and we got it. We've now won it for the second year in a row and words can't describe how happy I am right now to do it at HQ.
'Can we do it three years in a row? I don't know but we can always dream.
'Today was incredible, the girls deserve everything. They give 110-150 per cent every Wednesday and Sunday and some of the ladies travel from near and far so for them it's incredible.
'Rosie [Bennett] has had a really tough season this year with injuries so for her to get on after having a scare on Wednesday to score a second try at Twickenham after doing it last year is unbelievable for her.'
The Papa Johns Community Cup is a year-long festival of community rugby and was part of the season restructure in 2023, where player feedback indicated a preference to condense the league season and create a cup competition after the regular league season had ended.
Through the Papa Johns Community Cup, many clubs were able to play different opposition and visit new places, while others reignited old local rivalries, all making plenty of memories along the way.
Steward added: 'Even as a Welshman, to lead your team out at HQ and one of the best stadiums in the world is a dream come true. It would be better if it was at a Welsh stadium!
'Just seeing outside how there were hundreds and hundreds of fans from different clubs coming together to support their local grassroots teams was unbelievable.
'They've brought everything to make it an incredible day.'
For a round up of all the Papa Johns Community Cup Final action and to watch the games back follow @RFU on X or search for #PapaJohnsCommunityCup
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Wales Online
17 minutes ago
- Wales Online
Cardiff City announce pre-season Euro camp as manager decision update emerges
Cardiff City announce pre-season Euro camp as manager decision update emerges Cardiff City head to the continent later this summer but with no manager yet in place Cardiff City interim manager Aaron Ramsey (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd ) Cardiff City have confirmed their summer pre-season training camp plans despite the fact a new manager is now not expected to be appointed until next week. After suffering relegation to League One last season, the Bluebirds are facing a new era and at present do so without a boss at the helm. Their manager search has been frustratingly protracted, and although the end appears to be in sight with Aaron Ramsey emerging as clear favourite with the bookmakers, there has yet to be white smoke from Cardiff City Stadium. Sign up to our daily Cardiff City newsletter here. Nevertheless, plans have now been confirmed for a warm-weather training camp, located in Murcia, Spain, in an effort to prepare for the upcoming campaign in the third tier. The camp will end with a friendly fixture at the Pinatar Arena on Saturday, July 12. However, the opponents for this game have yet to be confirmed. The club will also be playing additional pre-season fixtures this summer before the commencement of the 2025/25 season, with times, dates and opposition unconfirmed at this stage. Nathan Jones, manager of Charlton Athletic (Image: Getty Images ) Article continues below The news comes as it is understood a decision on Cardiff's next manager is not expected until next week now. With Nathan Jones now firmly out of the running, it appears increasingly likely that Ramsey will be tasked with taking the Cardiff reins full time, as bookies now make the Wales legend heavy favourite for the job. Join the Cardiff City breaking news and top stories WhatsApp community. During his interim period in charge, following the sacking of Omer Riza, the 34-year-old had to watch his side relegated to League One, the first time Cardiff have been in the third division of English football since the 2002/03 season. Welshman Jones, who was also heavily linked with the post at his boyhood club, signed a new long-term deal with Charlton on Friday to end all speculation. Jones said in a statement: "I'm very proud and delighted. Article continues below "I still had three years left but for the club to come to me and want to continue that journey meant a lot to me because it's a club that I love. "We've just taken one big step, but that's only one big step, we still have a long way to go to achieve our goals and I'm glad that I'll continue to work towards that." Other names who have been mentioned in connection with the Bluebirds post include Brian Barry-Murphy, Des Buckingham and Ian Evatt.
Wales Online
17 minutes ago
- Wales Online
Ryan Reynolds faced with £350million Wrexham sale decision as talks in early stages
Ryan Reynolds faced with £350million Wrexham sale decision as talks in early stages Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are believed to be seeking external investment in Wrexham after taking the Welsh club from the National League to the Championship Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are reportedly seeking new investment in Wrexham (Image: Leon Bennett/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images ) Wrexham's Hollywood owners are reportedly seeking fresh investment in a move which could see the club's value soar to as much as £350million. Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought the Welsh side for a nominal amount in February 2021, subject to an immediate cash injection of £2m. The Red Dragons have since risen from the National League to the Championship after being promoted for three seasons in a row. The club's profile has grown significantly in the last four years thanks to the success of the Welcome to Wrexham documentary, which follows the actors' ownership. Reynolds and McElhenney took steps to shore up the club's financial position back in October when they welcomed the Allyn family from New York as new investors. According to Bloomberg, their acquisition of a minority stake placed Wrexham's value at approximately £100m. The same outlet now reports that the club is working with bank advisers to find further potential investors and to discover if there is a demand. The move has been discussed internally as the owners look to secure enough money to enable Wrexham to compete in the second tier. The new suggested valuation of around £350m would make Wrexham the highest priced team in the Championship. For context, Sheffield United were recently bought by an American consortium for roughly £111m. Wrexham have posted strong financial results under Reynolds and McElhenney's ownership. The latest available accounts show the club recorded a record annual turnover of more than £26m while still playing in League Two. Article continues below Wrexham's popularity has soared under the ownership of Reynolds and McElhenney (Image: 2023 AMA Sports Photo Agency ) Watch Welcome to Wrexham season 4 on Disney+ This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more from £4.99 Disney+ Get Disney+ here Product Description Welcome to Wrexham is back on Disney+ for a fourth season. Fans can watch the series with a £4.99 monthly plan, or get 12 months for the price of 10 by paying for a year upfront. That figure is understood to be set to rise to anywhere between £30m and £40m for the most recent season in League One. Talks over new investment are said to be in the early stages, with Wrexham expecting a boost in revenue from broadcast payments and sponsorship deals at Championship level. Deadpool star Reynolds openly discussed the idea of selling a further stake in the club during a recent appearance on the Fearless in Devotion fan podcast. However, he stressed that it would not diminish the passion that he and McElhenney feel for Wrexham. "There are still people who think we are fading away or we're going to get bored," he said. "I don't know how you get bored with something like this. Sign up to our newsletter! Wrexham is the Game is great new way to get top-class coverage Wrexham AFC is the arguably the fastest-growing club in the world at the moment thanks to a certain Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The Dragons have achieved two consecutive promotions and are cheered on by crowds from not only North Wales but also from all over the globe, thanks to the success of the Disney+ documentary 'Welcome to Wrexham'. But does it have a dedicated, quality source of information piped through to your inbox each week, free of ads but packed with informed opinion, analysis and even a little bit of fun each week? That's where Wrexham is the Game steps in... Available every Wednesday, it provides all the insights you need to be a top red. And for a limited time, a subscription to 'Wrexham is the Game' will cost fans just £15 for the first year. Sign up for Wrexham is the Game here Article continues below "I have said this before, I love this sport so much now that I f***ing hate it. I really feel that in my cells." He later added: "Even if our stake in the club shrinks because we have to go all the way up to the Premiership (Premier League), that's what's called an uptown problem. "It doesn't change a thing in terms of the emotional investment. The financial investment stuff I've never cared as much about – emotional investment is my job, that's Rob's job, and that's what we love the most."
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Reynolds and McElhenney 'ready to sell their stake' as Wrexham's value soars
Wrexham are gearing up for a season in the Championship and co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are looking to bring extra investment into the Welsh club Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are said to be willing to sell a stake in Wrexham following their promotion to the Championship. Wrexham have enjoyed a remarkable rise since they were bought by Reynolds and McElhenney back in 2021 for around £2million. The club has been promoted three times in four full seasons under the two Hollywood stars, rising from the National League to the Championship; now they are looking to raise additional funds in a bid to help Wrexham go one step further and reach the Premier League. According to a report from Bloomberg, Reynolds and McElhenney are considering selling a stake in the club for a valuation of up to £350m. Earlier this year, the Allyn family became minority investors, with Wrexham valued at around £100m. However, the club's profile has risen further following their recent promotion and the report states that Wrexham are now working investment bank advisers to gauge potential interest. A £350m valuation would make Wrexham the most expensive team in Championship, with Sheffield United recently bought for around £111m by an American consortium. Speaking after Wrexham secured promotion from League One, Reynolds reiterated their ambition as he told Sky Sports: "Four years ago, this man [McElhenney] said our goal is to make it to the Premier League. And there was understandably a lot of titters, laughter and giggles - but it's starting to feel like a tangible thing that could actually come to fruition." Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson, meanwhile, is confident the club are ready to make the "huge" step up from League One to the Championship. "I think everybody knows the jump is huge," Parkinson said. "But I'm confident we will be well prepared for that. I think that a lot of tough decisions will be made this summer, in terms of who we bring in and how we add to this fantastic squad of lads we've got, but let's see if we can build a squad to compete at that level. "I think it's interesting because the jump in salaries is incredible, mind-blowing. Even coming up to this level [League One], the jump to get players of Championship quality is expensive but obviously with the next level, I don't think people outside football quite realise. "They think players in League One must be multi-millionaires, but the drop-off from what people read about Premier League players when they come down is huge. "That is a challenge, but what we've always tried to do is make sure the culture in the club is right and I think that's key - no superstars, no egos in the dressing room and we've got to try and get that balance right again. "You always need extra quality when you go up a level to make sure the right people come into the building." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
