Freezing temperatures once again hit the schools rugby fixture list this weekend as over half of the fixtures were cancelled due to frozen pitches.
Fortunately what rugby did go ahead was a delight, with some brilliant running rugby taking place at times.
Friday
The weekend’s play began on Friday night on Aylesbury RFC’s new 3G pitch, with RGS High Wycombe hosting QEGS Wakefield. RGS enjoyed a dominant first half, but the Yorkshire visitors came back to frighten them in the second half. RGS just scraped through though, winning 22-17.
Saturday
One of the main attractions on Saturday was a real heavyweight clash between Warwick and Hampton. It was an important game for Warwick as they look to get in some valuable game time in ahead of their NatWest Cup semi final against Felsted. With a number of players unavailable due to Worcester Warriors’ U18 Academy League fixture though, Warwick were vulnerable to a pumped up Hampton side, who took the away win, 15-10.
Along the road, Solihull were in outstanding form in their game at home to Loughborough, winning 33-15, while Manchester Grammar beat Crossley Heath 24-17.
Silcoates made it a brilliant 22 games unbeaten as they travelled to Hymers College and secured a good 12-0 win. There was also another impressive record being extended by Millfield, who made it six from six against Welsh opposition, beating Welsh Academicals 31-20. Bishop Vesey’s, meanwhile, won 27-5 away at Welbeck.
In Scotland there were two massive games, both of which were incredibly exciting and close. Dollar Academy picked up an excellent 21-19 victory away at Edinburgh Academy, while George Watson’s College hard to fight and scrap for an impressive 15-14 victory at Stewart’s Melville.
Sunday
Unfortunately Sunday saw more cancellations, with the 7s at St Edward’s Oxford unfortunately falling foul of the freeze. There was action on at Aylesbury RFC though, where the ISRFC Lambs and the Irish Exiles met. The fixture is almost always a thrilling game of rugby, and so it proved again as the Lambs won a spectacular game, 27-25. You can see the report from the game here: ISRFC Lambs v Irish Exiles.
If you have any photos, videos, or reports from the weekend’s school rugby, please do send them in via email (writers@fifteenrugby.com ), Facebook (www.facebook.com/FifteenRugby ), or via Twitter (@FifteenRugbyXV).
Photo Credit: Jim Laybourne
Schools Rugby Weekend Results:
Friday
QEGS Wakefield 17-22 RGS High Wycombe
Saturday
Edinburgh 19-21 Dollar Academy
Hymers College 0-12 Silcoates
Manchester GS 24-17 Crossley Heath
Millfield 31-20 Welsh Academicals
Queen Ethelburga’s 5-17 King’s Macclesfield
Solihull 33-15 Loughborough
Stewart’s Melville 14-15 George Watson’s College
Warwick 10-15 Hampton
Welbeck 5-27 Bishop Vesey’s GS
Sunday
ISRFC Lambs 27-25 Irish Exiles
