YORK Rugby Union Club's junior two-day festival promises to be a massive event in more ways than one.

Hundreds of kids will attend the festival at Clifton Park this weekend - but towering over them will be the massive presence of Leeds Rhinos rugby league forward Barrie McDermott.

The power-packed former Great Britain prop is attending on Sunday as one of his testimonial events and will do the toss-ups for the finals, present the trophies and a selection of personal and Rhinos tops.

Oldham-born McDermott will also be giving a team talk and encouragement to the York RUFC's Under 9s who are competing in the Prudential Cup national tournament at Nottingham on Good Friday and Easter Saturday, that could lead to a final at Twickenham in May.

York's U11 and U13 sides both reached Twickenham finals last year.

York U9s warmed up for the York Festival with matches against Otley, Malton and Blackburn last weekend.

They beat Otley 5-0 in tries with Dan Tai shining at scrum-half and William Pepper and Charlie Elliot scoring tries after well-developed overlaps.

Blackburn were beaten 6-0 after a slow start. It took a wide run from Arron Johnson at outside centre to open the scoring and rampaging efforts from Campbell Thompson and Oliver Inman contributed to the victory.

Malton raced into a four-try lead in the final game but Jake Garland led a spirited fight-back with some aggressive forward driving and Jack Mead scored two second half tries for York.

York U8s beat Blackburn 5-3 with tries coming from Callum Simpson (2), Oliver Leedham, Jake Stephenson and Rhys Whitby but it was their only win in four matches.

James Field scored four tries during the morning and was named player of the week.

York RUFC Youth Section fesitval

Saturday, March 12

(First match starts at 12.30pm)

U13: York, Harrogate, Yarnbury, Darlington, Roundhegians, Middlesbrough.

U14: York, Harrogate, Yarnbury, Darlington, Middlesbrough, Wetherby, Sheffield.

U15: York (two teams), Harrogate, Middlesbrough (three teams), Sheffield.

Sunday, March 13

(First matches start at 11am)

U7 to U12: York (two teams), Middlesbrough, Derby, Pocklington, Durham, Otley, Darlington.

Updated: 09:52 Wednesday, March 09, 2005