Woodhouse Grove carried their outstanding fifteen-a-side form over to the shortened format of the game as they won the 2014 North of England Schools 7s on Sunday.
It is a continuation of the form that saw them make it to the Rosslyn Park National Schools 7s final last year.
The Daily Mail Trophy champions topped a group that included Loretto, Kirkham Grammar, and Sedbergh 2nd VII, setting up a quarter final with RGS Newcastle, who had topped Pool C.
Woodhouse Grove edged through that quarter final 12-7, before absolute smashing Manchester Grammar School 40-0 in the semi final. Manchester Grammar had come through an absurdly tight Pool, that finished with them, Mount St Mary’s, and St Anselm’s all level on points, however points difference saw the Grammar School make it through.
Woodhouse Grove then met Denstone College in the final, Denstone had already made huge waves buy relegating the Rosslyn Park champions, and much fancied Sedbergh, to the Plate competition after a draw between the two in their Group A game left the direction of the pool down to points difference.
Alas for Denstone though the final was to prove a hurdle too far, wins over Princethorpe and Ellesmere in the quarter and semi finals had been impressive but Woodhouse Grove had too much quality in the end, winning the final 24-19 and taking twelve points in the HMC North Super Sevens Series, the first of the season after rain had washed out earlier competitions.
Sedbergh made up for their slip up against Denstone in the Pool stages by going on to win the Plate competition, beating Loretto 22-0 in the final to underline their quality, particularly after Loretto had posted a huge 56-5 score against Liverpool College at the quarter final stage.
It may only be the early stages of the sevens season, but it seems clear from Sunday’s performances that once again Woodhouse Grove will be worth keeping an eye on when the teams fro around the country meet at Rosslyn Park, while Denstone College will suddenly have earned a great deal of respect too. Sedbergh’s Plate win shows that they too will remain very dangerous.
What di you think of the North of England Schools 7s? Who impressed you? Let us know via @FifteenRugbyXV or via the comment box below.
2014 North of England Schools 7s Knockout Results:
Final: Woodhouse Grove 24-19 Denstone College
Semi Finals:
Manchester Grammar 0-40 Woodhouse Grove
Ellesmere College 17-19 Denstone College
Quarter Finals:
Manchester Grammar 22-19 Lymm High
Woodhouse Grove 12-7 RGS Newcastle
Barnard Castle 5-29 Ellesmere College
Denstone College 26-7 Princethorpe College
Plate Final: Loretto 0-22 Sedbergh
Plate Semi Finals:
Sandbach 7-24 Loretto
Giggleswick 14-21 Sedbergh
Plate Quarter Finals:
Sandbach 31-14 St Ambrose College
Liverpool College 5-54 Loretto
Giggleswick 17-10 King’s Macclesfield
Sedbergh 36-0 Mount St Mary’s
2014 North of England School 7s Pool Standings | |||
Group | Position | School | Points |
A | 1 | Denstone College | 10 |
2 | Sedbergh | 10 | |
3 | Ampleforth College | 4 | |
4 | KES Birmingham | 0 | |
 | |||
B | 1 | Manchester Grammar | 8 |
2 | Mount St Mary’s | 8 | |
3 | St Anselm’s | 8 | |
4 | King Henry VIII, Coventry | 0 | |
 | |||
C | 1 | RGS Newcastle | 12 |
2 | King’s Macclesfield | 8 | |
3 | Hymers College | 4 | |
4 | QES Kirkby | 0 | |
 | |||
D | 1 | Princethorpe College | 12 |
2 | Giggleswick | 8 | |
3 | AKS Arnold | 4 | |
4 | Calday Grange Grammar School | 0 | |
 | |||
E | 1 | Ellesmere College | 12 |
2 | Sandbach | 8 | |
3 | Wilmslow High | 4 | |
4 | Yarm | 0 | |
 | |||
F | 1 | Lymm High School | 12 |
2 | Liverpool College | 8 | |
3 | Hereford Cathedral School | 4 | |
4 | Birkenhead | 0 | |
 | |||
G | 1 | Woodhouse Grove | 12 |
2 | Loretto | 8 | |
3 | Sedbergh 2nd VII | 4 | |
4 | Kirkham Grammar School | 0 | |
 | |||
H | 1 | Barnard Castle | 12 |
2 | St Ambrose College | 8 | |
3 | Rossall | 4 | |
4 | Merchant Taylors’, Crosby | 0 |
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