The draw for the 2014 St Joseph’s Festival draw has been made, and once again it promises to be a thriller.
2013 Champions and hosts St Joseph’s College are in Group 1 alongside Brighton College, Mechiston Castle, and RGS Newcastle.
Their opponents in last year’s final, RGS High Wycombe, and drawn in Group 2 alongside Whitchurch High, Old Swinford Hospital, and Dulwich College, who won the tournament in 2011 as they marched on to one of the most successful season’s in schools rugby history.
Group 3 contains 2012 winners Millfield. They are joined by Bradford Grammar School, Denstone College, and Hampton – a group full of newcomers to the competition.
Group 4 contains four returning sides, Bedford School, John Fisher, QEGS Wakefield, and Solihull.
This year the tournament takes place on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th October, with the first group stage taking place on the Saturday. The top two from each group are then split into two Cup groups on Sunday, with the bottom two in each split into two Plate groups, the winners of the Cup groups play in the Cup final and the winners of the Plate groups play in the Plate final.
By reputation, the St Joseph’s Festival is one of the very toughest school comeptitions to win, such is the high quality of teams included, the back to back nature of the games, and the fact that each match is so short, meaning that every chance must be taken – there is no time to allow for quality to ‘kick in as the game goes on’.
It is always a fascinating and well supported weekend. St Joseph’s tournament win on home soil last season was among the most emotional of victories that we have ever seen. The school were well aware that they had an almost once in a generation group of players, and with hundreds, if not thousands, of spectators packed around the pitch, they won by a single point to spark huge celebrations.
Can they do it again this season? No-one can say, but whoever the winner is, it will be a superb weekend of rugby and the winner will be a truly top team – they have to be.
Who do you think will win the St Joseph’s Festival? Can the hosts repeat their 2013 heroics? Let us know via the comment box below or via @FifteenRugbyXV
St Joseph’s Festival 2014 Draw | |||
Group 1 | Group 2 | Group 3 | Group 4 |
Brighton College | Dulwich College | Bradford Grammar School | Bedford |
Merchiston Castle | Old Swinford Hosptial | Denstone College | John Fisher |
RGS Newcastle | RGS  High  Wycombe | Hampton | QEGS Wakefield |
St Joseph’s College | Whitchurch High School | Millfield | Solihull |
