On what might possibly be the last Saturday of the school season where we are bathed in warmth and sunshine, the rugby on show this weekend matched the conditions superbly.
There was some truly outstanding play, and a number of fixtures went right down to the wire, with several games being decided by kicks in the last play. It was a tense and exciting weekend all over the country.
Focus On
On ten previewed fixtures this week more than matched the expectations, none more so the Bishop Wordsworth’s v Clifton College, which was truly one of the most spectacular fixtures of the season, with Clifton winning by a solitary point, 29-28. Clifton look a real threat this year, and suspicions that Bishop Wordsworth’s might be dark horses appear even more certain having run them so close.
It was close in Northamptonshire too, here Oundle beat the NatWest Cup holders Bromsgrove by 19-17. Bromsgrove led 17-16 going into the final minute, but Oundle fly half Joe Green nailed a penalty with the last kick of the game to secure the win for Oundle, condemning Bromsgrove to a third defeat on the trot.
Things were equally tight in Croydon too as Whitgift beat rivals Wellington College 15-14 in a game that was dedicated to Seb Adeniran-Olule, a former pupil of both schools who tragically died earlier this year. It was a hugely tense game, with Whitgift’s powerful forwards doing much of the damage, though a huge Wellington penalty count did the away side no favours either. It too came down to a last minute kick though, but Wellington edged it wide, giving Whitgift the win.
The featured game just kept turning out incredibly close results, and there was another in Leatherhead as the excellent Brighton College continued their unbeaten start to the season with an 11-10 win over hosts St John’s, who are also looking in top form. It was an outstanding game, played at the very highest level, showing just how good these two sides are.
Harrow continued their brilliant start to the season with a hard fought 29-10 win at Dulwich College, while in another top game of rugby it was Cranleigh who came out on top against Epsom College with a 20-13 victory.
In Cumbria Sedbergh faced the daunting challenge of an AASE opposition in the form of Myerscough College. The men in brown showed the talents though to absolutely charge to a 52-14 victory, scoring five first half tries to effectively end the game as a contest at that stage, it was truly outstanding stuff.
As was St Peter’s York’s brilliant 29-0 win at home to Durham, St Peter’s once again are showing that they are a force to be reckoned with in the North. RGS High Wycombe are showing serious mettle down in the South, they were in superb form as they sealed an excellent 18-5 win over John Fisher.
Stowe and Stamford had both had tough starts to the season, and their fixture on Saturday was always going to be crucial for trying to arrest any fading momentum. It was Stowe who managed to do that, securing an excellent 24-6 victory to pick up their first victory of the season.
Around the Grounds
There was some brilliant performances and results all over the country, not just in our featured games, not least between Berkhamsted and KCS Wimbledon. KCS led 13-10 but a stunning final quarter saw Berkhamsted charge back for a 26-13 victory.
Things were simpler for Bedford Modern, who beat QES Barnet 55-0, while Brentwood put fifty on Colfe’s. Canford and Caterham were on form, beating Portsmouth Grammar and Emanuel 28-6 and 36-5 respectively.
Plymouth College’s stupendous start to the season continues, they beat Christ College Brecon 19-0, while Eastbourne College were on fire, beating King’s Canterbury by a truly brilliant 55-0 scoreline.
Reigate Grammar were involved in a thriller at Eltham College, the away side picked up a 19-15 victory, but the home side came away with plenty of praise after a spirited and gutsy effort against a school that has some real pedigree at the moment.
Hurstpierpoint College had a storming performance at home to Reed’s, winning 36-15. Meanwhile Blundell’s and Kirkham Grammar School both continued their free-scoring and unbeaten starts to the season, Blundell’s winning 53-10 at King’s College Taunton, and Kirkham taking a 52-0 win at home to St Ambrose.
Norwich School picked up a hugely impressive result, they beat St Joseph’s College 20-19, just three weeks ahead of the Festival in mid-October.
Woodhouse Grove were once again in sparkling form, beating Pocklington 25-5, while the side they beat last week, QEGS Wakefield, were back on form with a 29-0 win over King’s Macclesfield.
It was another cross-border fixture for RGS Newcastle, who beat Stewart’s Melville 18-10. One of the performances of the day was without question Silcoates’ unbelievable 87-7 effort against Ashville College.
Things were much tighter between St George’s College, Weybridge, and St Benedict’s, with St George’s just taking the victory, 12-10. Wilmslow High School remain unbeaten, but their victory over Ellesmere College was not quite in the swashbuckling style of the last few weeks, but a 7-0 win will more than suit them.
Friday
There was just the one fixture on Friday as Millfield crossed over to Swansea to play Coleg Sir Gar. It pitted one of the biggest schools rugby sides in England against one of the biggest in Wales, and the English side came out on top, with a 27-7 victory.
If you have any photos, reports, or videos from the weekend’s school rugby, please do send them into us via email (writers@fifteenrugby.com ), Facebook (www.facebook.com/FifteenRugby ), or via Twitter (@FifteenRugbyXV).
You can see a selection of photos from the weekend’s rugby here: Gallery – Saturday 24th September
Schools Rugby Results – Saturday 24th September:
Focus On Results:
Bishop Wordsworth’s 28-29 Clifton College
Cranleigh 20-13 Epsom College
Dulwich College 10-29 Harrow
Oundle 19-17 Bromsgrove
RGS High Wycombe 18-5 John Fisher
Sedbergh 52-14 Myerscough College
St John’s Leatherhead 10-11 Brighton College
St Peter’s York 29-0 Durham
Stowe 24-6 Stamford
Whitgift 15-14 Wellington College
Further Results:
Austin Friars 17-13 Dame Allan’s
Bablake 38-10 Ratcliffe College
Bedford Modern 55-0 Queen Elizabeth’s, Barnet
Berkhamsted 26-13 KCS Wimbledon
Bishop Vesey’s GS 3-26 Loughborough
Brentwood 50-5 Colfe’s
Canford 28-6 Portsmouth GS
Caterham 36-5 Emanuel
Cheadle Hulme 33-19 Calday Grange GS
Chislehurst & Sidcup GS 32-22 Sir Joseph Williamson’s
Christ Collge, Brecon 0-19 Plymouth College
Clayesmore 15-14 KES Southampton
Dartford GS 15-34 Langley Park
Eastbourne College 55-0 King’s Canterbury
Eltham College 15-19 Reigate GS
Eton College 19-20 Abingdon
Hampton 31-15 St Albans
Hurstpierpoint College 36-15 Reed’s
King’s College, Taunton 10-53 Blundell’s
King’s Gloucester 0-34 Hereford Cathedral School
Kingswood 18-27 Bristol GS
Kirkham GS 52-0 St Ambrose College
Latymer Upper 0-50 UCS
The Leys 26-15 Langley
London Oratory 17-32 Wallington CGS
Magdalen College 20-7 Mill Hill
Maidstone GS 10-18 Cranbrook
Malvern College 22-10 Pate’s GS
Manchester GS 29-8 Merchant Taylors’ Crosby
Nottingham HS 51-0 Worksop College
Norwich 20-19 St Joseph’s College
Pangbourne College 26-5 Lord Wandsworth College
Pocklington 5-25 Woodhouse Grove
Princethorpe College 12-36 Leicester GS
QEGS Wakefield 29-0 King’s Macclesfield
Reading Blue Coat 25-7 City of London Freemen’s
RGS Colchester 25-30 Royal Hospital School
RGS Lancaster 33-5 Grammar School at Leeds
RGS Newcastle 18-10 Stewart’s Melville College
Rydal Penrhos 6-12 Giggleswick
Seaford College 19-3 Glyn
Silcoates 87-7 Ashville College
Solihull 7-13 Northampton School for Boys
St George’s College, Weybridge 12-10 St Benedict’s
St Olave’s 7-31 Skinners’
Stonyhurst College 38-17 Bradford GS
Taunton School 27-0 Wellington School
Trinity 28-17 Campion
Wellingborough 13-10 St Columba’s College
Wilmslow HS 7-0 Ellesmere College
Wimbledon College 21-29 RGS Guildford
Wisbech GS 38-5 King’s Ely
Friday:
Coleg Sir Gar 7-27 Millfield
Still to Come:
Aylesbury GS v Enfield GS
Bishop Stortford College v Culford
Gravesend GS v Judd
KES Aston v King Henry VIII Coventry
KES Bath v Dauntsey’s
Mount St Mary’s College v Hymers College
St Paul’s v Radley College
Wirral GS v Stockport GS
