Kirkham Grammar School won the prestigious Christ College Brecon 7s for the first time in ten years on Sunday.

Kirkham have lit up the fifteen-a-side game this year, and for a few before it, and look to be transferring that to the shortened format of the game as they beat a very strong field on Sunday.

They topped a very tough Group C that included Monmouth, Cheltenham College, Hereford Cathedral School, and Ysgol Gyfun Glantaf before beating perennial Christ College champions Millfield 12-7 in the quarter finals.

It was a tough afternoon for Millfield, who had surprisingly finished second in Group D to Welsh side Whitchurch High School. Whitchurch surprised many an went all the way to the final, beating Monmouth in the quarters and Ellesmere College in the semis.

Kirkham Grammar were simply too tough in the final though, beating Whitchurch 27-5 in real style, following on from a 15-7 semi final win over Group A winners Bryanston, who had knocked out Group B winners Llandovery College by an impressive 22-0 margin in the quarter finals.

With the top two finishers in the groups reaching the Cup quarter finals, the third and fourth place finishers were placed into the Plate quarters finals.

Hartpury College, perhaps unsurprisingly, were to emerge victorious. They had finished third in the immensely tough Group D, but stormed through the Plate, beating Hereford Cathedral 57-0 in the quarters, Campion 34-0 in the semis, and Cheltenham College 19-0 in the final, a quite stunning run to the silverware.

Those finishing bottom of the groups went into the Bowl competition, where there was finally some happy news for the hosts, Christ College, as they picked up the Bowl title with a 10-0 win over Welsh rivals Rydal Penrhos in the final, following a 29-0 win over Wellington School in the semis.

The real lesson learned from this tournament though was that Kirkham Grammar School have definitely transferred their stunning fifteen-a-side form to the 7s field, and they are certain to be major challengers at every tournament they enter from now until the end of the season. Rosslyn Park will very much be on the radar.

That was far from the only 7s action over the weekend, elsewhere Wellington College showed their 7s class with victory at the Canford 7s, Bedford made it three in a row at the Oakham 7s, while Seaford College secured the Reed’s 7s title, and Whitgift won the Haileybury 7s on Saturday. You can see summaries of those competitions here: Canford 7s – Oakham 7s – Reed’s 7s – Haileybury 7s. Brighton College’s 2^nd VII meanwhile won the Brentwood 7s, though full results are currently unavailable.

Christ College Brecon 7s Results:

Cup

Final

Kirkham Grammar 27-5 Whitchurch High

Semi Finals

Kirkham Grammar 15-7 Bryanston

Whitchurch High 15-10 Ellesmere College

Quarter Finals

Kirkham Grammar 12-7 Millfield

Bryanston 22-0 Llandovery College

Whitchurch High 26-7 Monmouth

Ellesmere College 28-26 Ellesmere College

Plate

Final

Hartpury College 19-0 Cheltenham College

Semi Finals

Hartpury College 34-0 Campion

Cheltenham College 17-12 Sherborne

Quarter Finals

Hartpury College 57-0 Hereford Cathedral School

Campion 19-7 Shrewsbury

Cheltenham College 19-12 King’s Worcester

Sherborne 21-7 Ysgol Bro Dinefwr

Bowl

Final

Christ College 10-0 Rydal Penrhos

Semi Final

Christ College 29-0 Wellington School

Rydal Penrhos w/o Ysgol Gyfun Glantaf w/d