The Aviva Premiership has already produced some extraordinary games but week three gave us one of the matches of the season when Worcester travelled to Gloucester.

Worcester led the game 15-0 at half time and still clung onto the game 15-14 with ten minutes to go. It is ingrained in the culture of Gloucester Rugby to never give up though, they produced an unbelievable final ten minutes, scoring seventeen unanswered points to win 31-15.

Judging by much of the twitter talk after the game, Ross Moriarty was the standout player of match, a simply immovable object at the breakdown and fierce in the tackle, demonstrating to all that he is a star in the making.

Elsewhere, Leicester demonstrated that they are certainly one of the top Under 18 sides in the country with a sublime 38-0 away win against Newcastle. The Tigers have won all three of their games so far, scoring 100 points and conceding just 18, with not a single try scored against them.Their game against Gloucester next week could be one of the defining games of the Northern section.

Harlequins meanwhile demonstrated that they are well and truly into their side after that disappointing opening game against Saracens. They beat a talented London Irish side 21-12 to put them top of the Southern section, although they have played more games than anyone else.

That they have is partly down to the fact that once again Exeter were unfortunately forced to postpone another game due to a waterlogged pitch.

Exeter had been scheduled to play Bristol in a much-anticipated local derby; cancellation means that they must somehow find time to rearrange that fixture and the pre Christmas fixture against Saracens.

That meant that the only other league game on Sunday was the clash between Sale Sharks and Northampton Saints. For all the struggles of their first team, Sale’s Under 18’s have been looking mighty impressive so far and they showed that this was no false impression with a fine 25-17 win over a Northampton side littered with talent.

Outside of the league, Saracens travelled to Leeds with both sides looking to gain a little match sharpness ahead of next weeks fixtures having not had a game since the 15^th December due to postponements.

Leeds surprised a few by winning 17-10 against a Saracens side that put fifty points on Harlequins on the opening weekend. Leeds will be hoping to carry that form through against the in form Sale next week, while Saracens face a tough challenge at Wasps.

Results:

Gloucester 31-15 Worcester

Newcastle 0-38 Leicester

Harlequins 21-12 London Irish

Exeter P-P Bristol

Sale 25-17 Northampton

Leeds 17-10 Saracens (Friendly)

Squads:

Gloucester:

1. Jack Spencer (Hartpury College); 2. Ryan Charles (Hartpury College); 3. Will Goodrick-Clarke (Cheltenham College); 4. Jonny Hill (Hartpury College); 5. Simon Linsell (Marling); 6. Tom Lushington (Cheltenham College); 7. Ross Moriarty (Gloucester Rugby Academy); 8. Lewis Ludlow (Hartpury College); 9. Reece Boughton (Hartpury College); 10. Billy Burns (Gloucester Rugby Academy); 11. Jack Lawthom (Hartpury College); 12. Harry Priestner (Rendcomb College); 13. Ollie Thorley (Cheltenham College); 14. Mark Harrison (Hartpury College); 15. Julian Osbourne (Wycliffe College)

Replacements:

16. Kieran Routledge (Abingdon School); 17. Alex Chalklin (Pates Grammar School); 18. Syd Haskawye (Cheltenham Tigers); 19. Will Safe (Hartpury College); 20. Tyler Jerrum (Wyedean School); 21. Ollie Young (Sir Thomas Rich’s School); 22. Tiff Eden (Dean Close School); 23. Robson Skipsey (St Peters RC High School)

Worcester:

1. Joe Wrafter (Worcester 6th Form College);
2. Antonio Harris (Worcester 6th Form College);
3. Dave Whiting (Worcester 6th Form College);
4. Matt Perks (Dudley Kingswinford RFC);
5. Scott Makepiece (Worcester 6th Form College);
6. Huw Harris (Old Swinford Hospital School);
7. Andrew Boyce (c)  (Kings Worcester);
8. Sam Smith (Old Swinford Hospital School);
9. Ben Williams (Worcester 6th Form College);
10. Elliott Davies (Bromsgrove School);
11. Colin Dickson (Ellesmere College);
12. James Young (Bromsgrove School);
13. Dan Hope (Worcester 6th Form College);
14. David Sarafini (Kings Worcester);
15. John Hughes (RGS Worcester).

Replacements:

16. Callum Young (Bromsgrove School);
17. Adam Johns (Kings Worcester);
18. Lewis Hodnett (Shrewsbury School); 19. Will Elt (Kings Worcester);
20. Louis Chaudron (Ellesmere College);
21. Josh Feek (Old Swinford Hospital School);
22. Jake Pratley (Worcester 6th Form College);
23. Luke White (Tarporley High School).

Newcastle:

1. Dan Elkington (Sedbergh School); 2. Ben Wilkinson (Gosforth Academy); 3. Callum Sheldon (QE Kirkby Lonsdale School); 4. Josh Hedley (Northumbria University); 5. Glen Young (Jed Forest RFC); 6. Ollie Hodgson (c) (Gosforth Academy); 7. Stuart Cannon (Gosforth Academy); 8. Nick Cairns (Prudhoe HS); 9. George Jirka-Lacina (Dame Allans School); 10. Craig Willis (Durham School); 11. Zach Kibirige (Yarm School); 12. Sam Hanks (Blaydon RFC); 13. Tom Small (Hartlepool 6th Form College); 14. Sean Brown (Mowden Park RFC); 15. Thomas Penny (RGS Newcastle).

Replacements:

16. David Nelson (Durham School); 17. Aston Whitlow (Gosforth Academy); 18. Mark Forster (Austin Friars School); 19. Harry Snowdon (Gosforth Academy); 20. George Hedgley (Giggleswick School); 21. Charlie Birkett (Ampleforth College); 22. Matthew Douglas (Gosforth Academy); 23. Jack Blakeney-Edwards (Durham School).

Leicester:

O Perry Humphreys, N Rhys Williams, M Henry Purdy, L George Catchpole, K David Williams, J Oli Bryant, captain,  I George Prince; A Owen Hills, B Harry Thacker, C Neale Farthing, D Matthew Hubbart, E Joe Maksymiw, F Oliver Povoas, H Will Owen (QE Leicester), G Ed Milne.

Replacements: P Jake Farnworth,
T Dan Hogan,
R Charlie Beckett (QE Leicester),
S Ryan Mason,
U Charlie Thacker,
Z Will Andrews.

Harlequins:

15. Yiannis Loizias (Reed’s), 14. Tom Whiteley (Millfield School), 13. Tom McClean (Wellington College), 12. George Taylor (Whitgift School), 11. Harry Forrest (Brighton College), 10. Henry Anscombe (Brighton College), 9. Sam Arnold (Cranleigh School), 1. Seb Adeniran-Olule (Wellington College), 2. Charlie Piper (Cranleigh School), 3. Jack Robinson (Epsom College), 4. Kieran Treadwell (John Fisher School), 5. Stanley South (Whitgift School), 6. Dom McGeekie (John Fisher School), 7. Ed Forshaw (Wellington College), 8. James Chisholm (Brighton College), Captain. 

Replacements: 16. Finlay Hillicks (Collyers), 17. Jamie Wilcock (Seaford College), 18. Sam Cordery (St John’s Leatherhead), 19. Ben Woollams (Epsom College), 20. James Francis (Epsom College), 21. Charlie Bramhall (Reigate G.S.) 

London Irish:

1. George Sewell (St Pauls Catholic College); 2. Jerome Trail (St Pauls Catholic College); 3. Ryan Wilkie (St Pauls Catholic College); 4. Ryan Bifield (St Pauls Catholic College); 5. Max Berry (St Pauls Catholic College); 6. Tom McDonald (c) (St Pauls Catholic College); 7. James McRae (Eton College); 8. Buchan Richardson (Wellington College); 9. Ed Hoadley (St Pauls Catholic College); 10. Brett Heron (Wellington College); 11. Jake Whitby (Lord Wandsworth College); 12. Jacob Knight (St Pauls Catholic College); 13. Tom Fowlie (St Pauls Catholic College); 14. Jordan Gott (St Pauls Catholic College); 15. Sean O’Hagan (St Benedicts, Ealing).

Replacements:

16. Joel Armitage (St Pauls Catholic College); 17. Max Hayes (Wellington College); 18. George Frampton (St Pauls Catholic College); 19. Luke Schrieber (St Pauls Catholic College); 20. Ollie Curry (Hartpury College); 21. Connor Murphy (St Pauls Catholic College); 22. Charlie Wicks (Wellington College); 23. Cameron Cowell (St Pauls Catholic College).

Sale:

1. Dominic O’Connor (Kirkham Grammar), 2. Cameron Neild (Manchester Grammar), 3. Joe Jones (Myerscough College), 4. Will Fairclough (Myerscough College), 5. Jonny Kenny (King’s Macclesfield), 6. Luke Harris (Wirall Grammar), 7. Liam Parfitt (Rishworth), 8. Andrew Hughes (Hartpury College); 9. James Mitchell (Lymm High), 10. Tom Morton (Stockport Grammar), 11. George Beal (Ellesmere College), 12. Mike Haley (Sale Academy) captain, 13. Sam Bedlow (Myerscough College), 14. Sam Broster (Wilmslow High), 15. Tim Jeffers (Myerscough College).

Replacements: 16. Matt Beaty (RGS Lancaster), 17. Sam Lawton (Wilmslow High), 18. Ciaran Parker (St Ambrose College), 18. James Worlock (RGS Lancaster), 20. George Nott (King’s Chester), 21. Will Batterbury (Myerscough College), 22. Daffyd Jones (Reaseheath College), 23. Sam Lowthion (Haslingden 6^th Form).

Northampton:

15. Tristan Rawcliffe (Culford), 14. Howard Packman (Moulton College), 13. Tom Collins, 12. Tom Stephenson, 11. Josh Skelcey, 10. Sam Olver (Oundle), 9. Ben Pointon (Rugby); 1. Harry Morley,  2. Reece Marshall (capt) (Moulton College), 3. Ollie Lamprell (Oundle), 4. Jordan Onojaife (Stowe), 5. Karl Wilkins (St Joseph’s), 6. Steve Arroyo-Hover, 7. Sam Harry, 8. Jack Allcock.

Replacements: 16. James Fish, 17. Simon Uzokwe (Ipswich), 18. Callum Miller, 19. Josh Peters (Oundle), 20. Jacob Connor, 21. Harry Mallinder (Rugby), 22. Conor Bullivant, 23. Max Johnson.

Leeds:

15. Nick Rawsthorne (Prince Henry’s Grammar School); 14. Rob Rekis (Prince Henry’s Grammar School); 13. Jack McPhillips (Prince Henry’s Grammar School); 12. Josh Walters (Prince Henry’s Grammar School); 11. Dan Tai (Prince Henry’s Grammar School); 10. Max Green (Prince Henry’s Grammar School); 9. James McDaniel;
 1. Lewis Boyce (Prince Henry’s Grammar School);
2. Jack Walker (Prince Henry’s Grammar School); 3. Paul Hill (Prince Henry’s Grammar School); 4. Dan Preston-Routledge (Prince Henry’s Grammar School); 5. Declan Dunn (Prince Henry’s Grammar School); 6. Josh Bainbridge;
 7. Jack Barnard (c) (Prince Henry’s Grammar School); 
8. Dan Grange (Prince Henry’s Grammar School);

Replacements:

16. Toko Tedoradze (Prince Henry’s Grammar School); 17. Harry Wales; 
18. Will Witty; 19. Tom Burridge (Prince Henry’s Grammar School); 20. Sam Gaudie (Prince Henry’s Grammar School); 21. Cam Leadley (Prince Henry’s Grammar School); 22. Tom Gorman.

Saracens:

1. Webb; 
2. James (Bishop’s Stortford High School); 3. Reason (Dulwich); 4. Patterson; 
5. Farrance;
 6. Thacker;
 7. Ward;
 8. Kinghalm;
 9. Maplesden (Woodhouse Grove); 10. Sharp (Oaklands College); 11. Linney (Uppingham); 12. Reeder;
 13. Tompkins (Oaklands College); 14. Gannon; 15. Morris.

Replacements:

16. Taylor;
 17. Woolard;
 18. Wheadon;
 19. Eliet (Tonbridge); 20. A. Brown;
 21. Calder; 
22. Lawrence;
 23. Perkins.

As ever, do let us know if you know the schools of any of the unmarked players. Many thanks, XV.