Brighton College won the HSBC Rosslyn Park National School 7s Colts tournament, beating New Hall in the final.

It was a thrilling final, won at the death by a brilliant Brighton College try that saw them claim the title by a single point at 20-19.

It had been that kind of day, and a desperately unlucky one for New Hall who did brilliantly to get to the final, and endured their own nailbiting win in the semi final, beating Cowbridge 22-21.

There were no such dramas for Brighton College though, who stormed through to the final, beating Y Preseli 20-7 in the final and favourties St John’s Leatherhead 26-12 in the quarter finals following a good 17-12 win over Cheltenham College in the last 16.

That quarter final win was perhaps the key though, St John’s were many people’s favourties, but Brighton College truly showed their class to win a deserved title with a very talented yeargroup.

New Hall deserve plaudits too though, they were inches away from victory in the final, and had beaten the likes of Durham, Cowbridge, Stowe, and Sherborne on the way – quite the cast list.

Over in the U18 Vase the Group stages were taking place, ahead of tomorrow’s knockout rounds.

There was some outstanding rugby on show despite the bitterly cold conditions, with last year’s losing finalists Tonbridge particularly impressive, though Felsted were one side that particularly caught the eye of Fifteen Rugby’s roving reporters.

Bedford were also in fine form, unsurprisingly, their form has been brilliant in all forms of the game, and they went through unbeaten in a group that included the likes of Eltham College, Truro, Colfe’s, and Langley.

Feslted went on to beat the Group C winners St Paul’s in the Elimination Round late in the afternoon, and could well be starting to edge into dark horse territory.

Tomorrow the Vase quarter finals take place, these take the form of a group stage, with the winners of today’s elimination round games split into four groups of four, the losers do the same in the Bowl competition.

The winners of each group then compete in the semi finals of the respective competitions.

Group 1 in the Vase quarter finals sees dark horses Felsted in with last year’s runners up, Tonbridge, an excellent Oratory side, they beat Caerleon 43-0 in the eliminator, and Bradford Grammar.

Group 2 includes last year’s Colts runners up, Eton College, the famous Rugby School, Dulwich College, who won a thrilling eliminator 19-17 over Durham, and Berkhamsted, 50-7 winners over Judd.

In Group 3 Blundell’s are a side in fine form, they knocked out Millfield’s 2^nd VII in the eliminator. They are grouped with Bishop Wordsworth’s, Cheltneham College, and Eastbourne College.

Meanwhile in Group 4 one of the big favourites, Bedford, are lurking. They will have it far from their own way though, Seaford College are looking very strong, as are Lord Wandsworth and Bristol Grammar, who beat AKS Arnold 52-0.

Tomorrow also sees the start of the U18 Cup competition and the inaugural edition of the U14 tournament, making Thursday one of the most exciting days of Rosslyn Park.

Today though, the plaudits all go to Brighton College, who put on an outstanding show of 7s throughout the two days of the Colts competition.

HSBC Rosslyn Park National School 7s Colts Champions – Brighton College

Colts Final

Brighton College 20-19 New Hall

Colts Semi Finals

Y Preseli 7-20 Brighton College

New Hall 22-21 Cowbridge

Colts Quarter Finals

Y Preseli 19-15 Whitgift

St John’s Leatherhead 12-26 Brighton College

New Hall 22-17 Durham

Cowbridge 24-10 Bedford

Colts Last 16 Results:

Last 16 1 – RGS High Wycombe 7-17 Y Preseli

Last 16 2 – Whitgift 24-15 Hymers College

Last 16 3 – St John’s Leatherhead 35-10 Loughborough Grammar

Last 16 4 – Cheltenham College 12-17 Brighton College

Last 16 5 – Stowe 21-22 New Hall

Last 16 6 – Durham 31-17 Trent College

Last 16 7 –City of London Freemen’s 5-29 Cowbridge

Last 16 8 – Sedbergh 14-19 Bedford

Colts Last 32 Results:

Sutton Valance (Group A) 7-10 RGS High Wycombe (Group B Winners)

Y Preseli (Group C) 28-21 Barnard Castle (Group D)

Marlborough College (Group E) 12-14 Whitgift (Group F)

Monmouth (Group G) 15-19 Hymers College (Group H)

Trinity (Group I) 12-26 St John’s Leatherhead (Group J)

Loughborough (Group K) 21-5 UCS (Group L)

Hinchley Wood (Group M) 12-15 Cheltenham College (Group N)

Brighton College (Group O) 31-12 Millfield (Group P)

Stowe (Group Q) 35-12 St Joseph’s College (Group R)

Sherborne (Group S) 0-29 New Hall (Group T)

Harrow (Group U) 19-24 Durham (Group V)

Trent College (Group W) 26-15 Oakham (Group X)

Glantaf (Group Y) 10-31 City of London Freemens (Group Z)

Cowbridge (Group AA) 26-21 Canford (Group BB)

Sedbergh (Group CC) 26-12 Judd (Group DD)

Bedford (Group EE) 33-21 Eton College (Group FF)

U18 Vase Elimination Round

Pocklington 19-29 Bishop Wordsworth’s

Cheltenham College 29-10 Worksop College

Rugby 26-14 Malvern College

King’s Macclesfield 5-48 Bedford

Tonbridge 54-0 Gunnersbury

AKS Arnold 0-52 Bristol Grammar

Millfield 2^nd VII 0-27 Blundell’s

Pembrokeshire 15-31 Eastbourne College

St Paul’s 7-39 Feslted

Whitchurch HS 10-40 Eton College

Bradford Grammar 24-10 St Peter’s, York

Durham 17-19 Dulwich College

Gordon’s 17-32 Lord Wandsworth College

Caerleon 0-43 The Oratory

St Edward’s, Oxford 5-24 Seaford College

Judd 7-50 Berkhamsted