A COUNTY Durham school rugby team returned home with their heads held high despite suffering a heavy defeat at Twickenham on Saturday.

Barnard Castle School lost 48-0 to Colston's Collegiate, of Bristol, in the final of the Daily Mail Schools Cup.

While the Colston's team, who had won the competition six times before, played the better rugby on the day, the scoreline flattered them and Barnard Castle were unlucky not to get onto the scoresheet.

Barnard Castle rugby master Martin Pepper said: "It was a case of men against boys, we never really turned up. They got started very well and just got better after that.

"Colston's have some good individual players and played some very exciting rugby and performed well on the day."

Colston's, the former school of England star Olly Barkley, had Barnard Castle on the backfoot from the opening whistle. They were rewarded for their efforts after four minutes with a try by lock James Phillips.

This was converted by Colston's captain and England U18 Ryan Davis and a Davis penalty on ten minutes left Barney trailing 10-0.

Undeterred, the Barnard Castle forwards played well against considerably larger opposition and a series of line-outs shortly after the second try saw them come agonisingly close to the Colston's line.

However, another two Colston's tries, both converted by Davis, left Barney facing an uphill task in the second half.

The team fell victim to two early tries and conversions within six minutes of the re-start. Which were followed up with another two tries to give Colston's a total of 48.

The final few minutes saw Barnard Castle fervently try and get through to the Colston's line.

Fly-half Michael Dawson and centre Cameron Buckley were singled out for their hardwork and endeavour by Mr Pepper but once again Barnard Castle failed to reach the Colston's line.

The Barnard Castle team, who were without centre Mathew Tait, currently with England U19s in South Africa, was praised by Colston's coach, Alan Martinovic.

He said: "We watched Barnard Castle and they are a very good team. They had one of their best players missing and were unlucky not to get some points.

"They were well coached and had a very strong mauling game and were difficult to stop."