As you might remember from last season, each week we light to highlight five teams whose results impressed us over the weekend as our ‘Top 5 School Teams of the Weekend’.
Obviously this week with there being a fairly reduced fixture list and with much of it being pre-season, our selections should be taken with a bit of a pinch of salt. Nevertheless, there were plenty of sides who impressed, and here are our Top 5:
Blundell’s
Blundell’s surprised many with their superb results last season, including a stunning run to the semi finals of the Champions Trophy, where they came within a whisker of beating Epsom College and reaching the final.
It looks as though they are right back on top form again this year as they won the South Coast King’s pre-season Festival at King Edward’s School, Southampton on Saturday. The field included none other than last year’s Champions Trophy winners, Bedford, so keep an eye out for Blundell’s again this year.
Brighton College
Brighton College always have good depth across all of their age-groups, however their last couple of seasons from their 1st XV have been, while pretty good, not quite as super high quality as the James Chisholm inspired years that came before.
However it looks like they might be challenging right amongst it this year after they were the standout team on Saturday at the Reigate Grammar School pre-season Festival. The field included the likes of Tonbridge, who are always so strong, and of course the hosts, Reigate, who last year proved to be a real menace for a number of sides.
Sedbergh
It should be no surprise seeing Sedbergh performing well early on. After all, come rain or shine, Sedbergh are always there or thereabouts. They gained early silverware this year as they claimed the prestigious Tynedale Festival, topping a strong field, including a 14-10 win in the final over a very strong Merchiston Castle side.
With a tough game against Whitgift to come, followed by trips again for Marlborough and RGS Newcastle, it was vital for Sedbergh to get off to a good start, and so they have.
Wellington College
Once again Wellington College have a team that is absolutely stacked with junior internationals, and once again they look like they are going to combine to form a thoroughly formidable side.
On Saturday they saw off RGS High Wycombe 40-5, an RGS High Wycombe side who in midweek comfortably sailed to victory against Solihull. This was also a Wellington side without a number of injured players. They look as formidable as ever, though with Dulwich College, Tonbridge, Whitgift, and Millfield in their next four games, they will need to be, it is as tough a start as anyone in school rugby has.
Whitgift
As the previous two teams in this week’s top 5 show, Whitgift have an enormously tough start to the season, with games against both Sedbergh and Wellington College early on, not to mention Warwick in between.
It was therefore important to get their preparations spot on, and so they did with an outstanding performance at Esher RFC on Sunday as they sealed the President’s Cup for the second year on the trot. It was a deserved victory, they were certainly the best team on the day, and ought to fill them with confidence as they head into a tough September.
Top 5 School Teams of the Weekend
Blundell’s
Brighton College
Sedbergh
Wellington College
Whitgift
Do you agree with our Top 5? Let us know what you think on Facebook (www.facebook.com/FifteenRugby ), & Twitter (@FifteenRugbyXV).
