The lineup for the U18 Academy Competition finals day at Allianz Park on Monday 15th February was decided this weekend.
London Irish, Wasps, Exeter Chiefs, Gloucester, and Leicester Tigers all knew they were through, but with Northampton Saints and Sale Sharks, Worcester Warriors’ place at finals day was under threat, with Sale Sharks able to overtake them if they won against Northampton.
Saints did the job for Worcester though, beating Sale 31-17 at Tresham College to wrap up fourth place in the Northern Division, and sealing Worcester Warriors’ third place.
It means that Worcester will compete in the 5th place play off at Allianz Park on Monday, facing third in the Southern Division, Exeter Chiefs, at 14.30.
The 3rd place play off will see Wasps meet Leicester Tigers at 12.30.
The big game, of course, is the final, which ought to be a fascinating encounter between Gloucester and London Irish. Neither side has lost this this season and both have looked near enough to unplayable at times. Someone will have to yield at Allianz Park on Monday 15th though.
U18 Academy Premiership Result:
Northampton Saints U18 31-17 Sale Shark U18 – Tresham College
U18 Academy Competition Finals Day Fixtures (Monday 15th February, Allianz Park):
Final:
Gloucester v London Irish – 16.30
3rd Place:
Wasps v Leicester Tigers – 12.30
5th Place:
Worcester Warriors v Exeter Chiefs – 14.30
| U18 Academy Premiership Table – Northern Division | |||||||
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | BP | Points |
| 1 | Gloucester (Q) | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 28 |
| 2 | Leicester Tigers (Q) | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 20 |
| 3 | Worcester Warriors (Q) | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 18 |
| 4 | Northampton Saints | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 16 |
| 5 | Sale Sharks | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 15 |
| 6 | Newcastle Falcons | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 4 |
| 7 | Yorkshire Carnegie | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| U18 Academy Premiership Table – Southern Division | |||||||
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | BP | Points |
| 1 | London Irish (Q) | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 28 |
| 2 | Wasps (Q) | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 19 |
| 3 | Exeter Chiefs (Q) | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 17 |
| 4 | Saracens | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 17 |
| 5 | Harlequins | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 10 |
| 6 | Bath | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 8 |
| 7 | Bristol | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 4 |
Northampton Saints U18:
15 Burgess; 14 Shaw, 13 Hamilton, 12 McKibbon, 11 Segun; 10 Grayson, 9 Warn; 1 Onojaife, 2 Rayment, 3 Painter, 4 Dix, 5 Kelland, 6 Brown, 7 Watson, 8 Carter.
Replacements: 16 Marmion, 17 Cave, 18 Trinder, 19 Waring, 20 Easton, 21 Yuill, 22 Green, 23 Berill.
Sale Sharks U18:
15 Kieran Wilkinson, 14 Calum Owen, 13 Arron Reed, 12 Jack Beavers, 11 Ali Wealthall, 10 Alex Burrage, 9 Will Hodgson, 1 George Williams, 2 Ben Gregory, 3 Monty Weatherby, 4 Charlie Pozniak, 5 George Bordill, 6 George Blackwell, 7 Ben Curry (c), 8 Sam Moore.
Replacements: 16 Ben Martin, 17 Jamie Ross, 18 John Blanchard, 19 Ze Andrade, 20 James Finucane, 21 Tom Walsh, 22 Ben Watson, 23 Sam Chinomona.
