The groups for next weekend’s St Joseph’s Festival have been revealed, and already there is one clear ‘group of death’.
John Fisher, QEGS Wakefield, Cranleigh, and RGS High Wycombe have all been grouped together in Group 2. This already fiendishly tricky tournament will be even harder for those four. Cranleigh are already suggesting that they might turn out to be one of the strongest sides around this year. John Fisher and RGS High Wycombe are always strong, so to QEGS Wakefield, who arrive with a squad full of U15 NatWest Cup finalists.
The tournament takes place over the course of the weekend of the 17th and 18th October and is compromised of sixteen teams, split into four groups.
The top two in each group progress to Sunday’s Cup groups, with the bottom two going into Sunday’s Plate groups.
The winner of each competition’s respective groups on Sunday then meet in the Plate and Cup finals at the end of the day.
Last year Millfield beat hosts St Joseph’s College 8-7 in a thrilling and tense final, a regular occurrence at the Festival, where with shortened matches every score has a premium on it.
As hosts, St Joseph’s are in Group 1, where Sam Warburton’s old school, Whitchurch High School, Solihull, and Hampton are their challengers. St Joseph’s won the tournament in 2013 and after last year’s final defeat they will hope to be back on the top step again.
Champions Millfield, who also won in 2012, are in Group 3. Brighton College are likely to be their biggest challengers, they have started their season well and are the current Plate holders. RGS Newcastle and Gordon’s School will also be hoping to finish in the top two.
Group 4 ought also to be competitive. It contains the 2011 champions, Dulwich College, legendary Scottish side, Merchiston Castle, former Schools Cup winners, St Peter’s Gloucester, and a very good Denstone College side.
Group 2 looks likely to be the one to keep a real eye on during the first day though, it really looks like anything could happen in that one.
Once again the entire tournament will be Live Streamed – a particularly handy addition this year for those trying to combine any Rugby World Cup quarter final viewing with the guaranteed excitement and intensity of the St Joseph’s Festival.
2015 St Joseph’s Festival Groups | |||
Group 1 | Group 2 | Group 3 | Group 4 |
St Joseph’s College | John Fisher | Millfield (Champions) | Dulwich College |
Whitchurch High School | QEGS Wakefield | RGS Newcastle | Merchiston Castle |
Solihull | Cranleigh | Gordon’s | St Peter’s, Gloucester |
Hampton | RGS High Wycombe | Brighton College | Denstone College |
Saturday 17th October – Schedule | ||
Time | Pitch One | Pitch Two |
09.00 | St Joseph’s v Whitchurch | Hampton v Solihull |
09.40 | John Fisher v QEGS | Cranleigh v RGS High Wycombe |
10.20 | Millfield v Gordon’s | RGS Newcastle v Brighton College |
11.00 | Dulwich College v St Peter’s | Merchiston v Denstone |
11.40 | St Joseph’s v Solihull | Whitchurch v Hampton |
12.20 | John Fisher v Cranleigh | QEGS v RGS High Wycombe |
13.00 | Millfield v RGS Newcastle | Gordon’s v Brighton College |
13.40 | Dulwich College v Merchiston | St Peter’s v Denstone |
14.20 | St Joseph’s v Hampton | Whitchurch v Solihull |
15.00 | RGS High Wycombe v John Fisher | QEGS v Cranleigh |
15.40 | Brighton College v Millfield | RGS Newcastle v Gordon’s |
16.20 | Denstone v Dulwich College | St Peter’s v Merchiston |
2015 St Joseph’s Festival Day 2 Group Structure | |||
Cup | Plate | ||
Group A | Group B | Group W | Group X |
Winner Group 1 | Winner Group 3 | 3rd Group 1 | 3rd Group 3 |
Winner Group 2 | Winner Group 4 | 3rd Group 2 | 3rd Group 4 |
R Up Group 3 | R Up Group 1 | 4th Group 3 | 4th Group 1 |
R Up Group 4 | R Up Group 2 | 4th Group 4 | 4th Group 2 |
Sunday 18th October – Schedule | ||
Time | Pitch One | Pitch Two |
08.30 | W 1 v 4 | W 2 v 3 |
09.05 | A 1 v 4 | A 2 v 3 |
09.40 | X 1 v 4 | X 2 v 3 |
10.15 | B 1 v 4 | B 2 v 3 |
10.50 | W 1 v 3 | W 2 v 4 |
11.25 | A 1 v 3 | A 2 v 4 |
12.00 | X 1 v 3 | X 2 v 4 |
12.35 | B 1 v 3 | B 2 v 4 |
13.10 | W 1 v 2 | W 3 v 4 |
13.45 | A 1 v 2 | A 3 v 4 |
14.20 | X 1 v 2 | X 3 v 4 |
14.55 | B 1 v 2 | B 3 v 4 |
15.30 | Plate Final | |
16.15 | Cup Final |
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