Dulwich win November Team of the Month in toughest month yet

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We say this every month but we say it because it’s true, picking a winner for the November Team of the Month has been next to impossible. The quality on show across the country has been simply unbelievable.

The pattern is well set now as to who the most consistently good school teams are this year, but this month in particular has been very special as a number of them went head to head.

Radley, who have only been beaten once this season, played the previously unbeaten Marlborough (and September Team of the Month) and won. It was St Paul’s who beat Radley way back in September, but they succumbed to Marlborough at the start of the month, spoiling an otherwise unbeaten November.

Wellington had been outstanding all month but lost out to Millfield right at the end of the month in a game billed as the game of the season, Millfield showed that they are a truly brilliant side in that game, winning 26-5.

If Millfield are brilliant then so too must be Filton College who beat them a week before. Filton have been excellent in the AASE league and for anyone who can make it to their game against Bryanston it will be well worth a watch.

Bryanston themselves have been excellent and a victory over Sherborne was one of the highlights of the season for them, unfortunately though weather saw two fixtures in November cancelled meaning they only managed to complete two games, winning both.

Durham find themselves in the same boat having only played two games this month, though a well fought draw with Merchiston Castle meant that they maintain their unbeaten season.

Honourable mentions must also go to Whitgift, Oakham and the King’s Schools of Worcester and Macclesfield who have also all been excellent. In particular the two King’s Schools who have both won some brilliant fixtures.

Indeed King’s School, Macclesfield are unbeaten this season and despite missing out on the monthly award will be putting some of the more talked about names under serious pressure when it comes to end of term awards.

This month though there have been two teams who have truly dominated the schoolboy rugby scene. Both have been playing brands of rugby that are very mature, and perhaps more importantly, very effective.

They are of course Radley and Dulwich. Radley have been truly excellent, beating Oundle, Beford and St Edward’s, but their crowing glory was the victory over previously unbeaten Marlborough. The way they control the game with the work rate of their pack and the siege gun boot of their fly half is simply brilliant.

However, November’s Team of the Month must go to Dulwich College, with four wins from four games, including victories over John Fisher, Whitgift and Hampton, they have been simply magnificent.

The march towards retaining the Daily Mail Cup has been unrelenting too, while their only defeat of the season so far remains at the St Jospeh’s Festival to Millfield, October’s winners.

Moving Reason to prop alongside Obano had been an inspired move, allowing Ibuanokpe to wreak havoc with the ball in hand from number 8.

Their game may be a forward based game, but they possess quality in abundance in the backline too, with Fraser in particular a threatening presence.

Special praise, as ever from Fifteen Rugby, must also go to their captain and openside Wroe-Wright, who makes a ludicrous number of tackles.

Congratulations then to Dulwich College, November’s Team of the Month and a very special side indeed. For these boys though, this is just a stepping-stone on their assault on their real prize in a few months time.

SHARING IS CARING!
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