The opening weekend of the school rugby season brought in some thrilling fixtures and stunning results, but no sooner is it over than it is on to the next round of midweek games.
This midweek is slightly busier than last week’s, though it is still not quite the jam packed schedule that we can expect as of next week when the inaugural Schools Champions Trophy begins.
Big Crowds in the North East
The two big talking points of this midweek are two huge games up in the North of England, both of which will be taking place two famous stadiums.
On Wednesday Barnard Castle will take on Yarm at Darlington Mowden Park, which will play host to the All Blacks at the 2015 IRB Rugby World Cup (or to give it what we must assume is its new name; the 2015 World Rugby Rugby World Cup, it seems to just roll off the tongue…).
Barnard Castle will go into this one as favourites having won one of our five featured Daily Mail Trophy games against Durham by a resounding 23-0 points margin. Yarm by contrast fell to a 27-14 away defeat to Hymers College so will be desperate to get back to winning ways in Darlington.
The other big fixture of the week takes place on Friday night at Kingston Park, home of the Newcastle Falcons. Friday night trips to Kingston Park are somewhat nightmarish for many Aviva Premiership clubs but for RGS Newcastle and Durham it will be a night to savour.
Durham are obviously looking to bounce back after that defeat to Barnard Castle and a poor showing at Tynedale, while RGS will be full of beans and looking to capitalise after a strong start to the season on Saturday, winning 10-0 away at George Watson’s College.
Chilean Tourists Arrive
On Thursday Oakham School welcome Craighouse School all the way from Chile. Oakham started the season with a strong 40-7 victory over Loughborough Grammar School at the weekend and will be looking to build on that on Thursday, however Craighouse will be looking to kick off their tour in style.
The Santiago based side will also be playing Brighton College, Eastbourne College, and Bristol Grammar School among others during their UK tour.
Champions Return
2013 Daily Mail Trophy Champions Woodhouse Grove play their first game of the 2014 edition of the competition on Wednesday. They welcome Ashville College to their West Yorkshire home and will be looking to get off to the perfect start with their title defence.
That is the only Daily Mail trophy fixture of midweek aside fro the two big fixtures in the North East on Wednesday and Friday nights respectively, but that is not where the big fixtures end.
Solihull beat Old Swinford hospital 42-0 on Saturday and will be looking for more of the same as they hop across the Severn to Brynteg Comprehensive on Wednesday, while St Peter’s Gloucester welcome Marling for what should be an exciting game.
Wednesday will also see RGS Lancaster look to build on their victory over Crossley Heath on Saturday, they take on QES Kirkby while King’s Chester face Shrewsbury, and Shiplake College play their annual fixture with Windsor Boys.
On Tuesday Hampton School are in action again following their 62-7 weekend thumping of Judd. They play a friendly against a Lundberg Leavers XV for the Mapletoft Cup.
All in all it should be an exciting midweek of rugby ahead of the second set of block fixtures on Saturday 13th September.
If we have missed any big midweek games then do let us know, either by commenting below or via @FifteenRugbyXV
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Schools Rugby Midweek Fixtures:
Tuesday
Hampton v Lundberg Leavers XV
Wednesday
Woodhouse Grove v Ashville College
Barnard Castle v Yarm (at Darlington Mowden Park RFC)
QES Kirkby v RGS Lancaster
King’s Chester v Shrewsbury
Brynteg Comprehensive v Solihull
Windsor Boys v Shiplake College
St Peter’s Gloucester v Marling
Thursday
Oakham v Craighouse
Friday
RGS Newcastle v Durham (at Kingston Park)
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