Saturday’s U18 NatWest Cup semi finals day kicks off with the two U18 Vase semi finals.
Stockport Grammar v Seevic College kicks things off at 11.00 before KES Aston v Churcher’s College at 13.00.
Stockport v Seevic looks like being an exciting game, both had to beat top quality opposition in the form of Welbeck for Stockport and St George’s Weybridge for Seevic.
Each hit the thirty point barrier in those games and will be looking to get on the attack again on Saturday.
Stockport have had a highly successful season, losing just five times and to top class opposition more often than not too, there are very who have beaten Grammar School at Leeds, who reached the Champions Trophy final, while their only other defeats have been to King’s Macclesfield (twice), Manchester Grammar School, and Wilmlsow High School, who have gone all the way to the U18 NatWest Cup semi final later in the day, proving just how good they are.
Seevic have had a good season too though, and their Cup run has seen them beat some well respected sides such as Hurstpierpoint College, while their Cup knockout to Felsted came against a side who have a fly half in Max Malins who is one of the most feared players in the country.
In the other semi final, both teams progress was less simple than in the first semi.
KES Aston only made it thanks to a very late score giving them a 12-10 win at West Buckland, while Churcher’s College’s margin was only a couple of points greater as they saw off Cheadle Hulme 25-21.
KES have had an excellent season, with just three losses to their name, one of which came against the superb Warwick School in the third round of the Cup, knocking them into the Vase. Hardly a defeat to be ashamed of, Warwick were U18 Cup finalists last year and their U15s have won the last two.
Churcher’s season has been a little more difficult, though since mid November and with the Cup run they have really been in a very rich vein of form, going seven games without defeat, and it would be nine but for a game against the outstanding Seaford College, which they only lost 15-0.
Indeed that has been the key thing for Churcher’s, only Dauntsey’s and Portsmouth Grammar have put what you might call strong defeats on Churcher’s, and Daunstey’s were Cup quarter finalists.
Both game look like being very close games to call, and should get U18 semi finals day off to a superb start.
U18 NatWest Vase Semi Finals, Saturday 7th March, Allianz Park:
11.00 Stockport Grammar School v Seevic College
13.00 KES Aston v Churcher’s College
U18 NatWest Vase Quarter Final Results:
1 Stockport Grammar School 32-15 Welbeck
2 Seevic College 30-19 St George’s College, Weybridge
3 West Buckland 10-12 KES Aston
4 Churcher’s College 25-21 Cheadle Hulme
XV Predictions: Stockport Grammar School and Churcher’s College
