Wimbledon College’s backed up last year’s triumph at the Rosslyn Park HSBC National School 7s at U13 level by winning this year’s U14 Cup.
In a remarkable turn of events, the U14 final this year was the same as at last year’s U13 final, as Wimbledon College met Welsh side Ysgol Gyfun Glantaf.
Glantaf, clearly, wanted revenge for that defeat last year, but Wimbledon College were simply too strong, and their incredible pace was just too much to handle.
They had knocked out Oakham in the elimination round, before finishing top of an incredibly tough quarter final pool ahead of Warwick and Hampton, two schools that could easily have had designs on the Cup.
They were tested, really tested, in the semi final against Wellington College, but eventually came through 19-12 victors. Glantaf, meanwhile, had beaten Bishop’s Stortford High School 31-0 in their semi final.
That trickier semi final perhaps battle-hardened Wimbledon College though, for they seemed the side that was just more ‘on it’ in the final, playing with real intensity and causing plenty of excitement in the large crowd that had gathered to watch.
That intensity paid off with an excellent 26-10 win, a back to back titles for this special group of young players that Wimbledon College have produced.
Over in the Plate there was a second title of the day for Woodhouse Grove, who beat Marlborough College 38-21 in a real thriller, backing up their 1st VIIs U18 Plate triumph.
The story though, of course was this wonderful Cup final with these two foes doing battle again. They will not be able to do it again next year, but watch out in 2019 when both schools will be in the U16 Cup competition!
U14 Cup Final:
Wimbledon College 26-10 Glantaf
U14 Plate Final:
Woodhouse Grove 38-21 Marlborough College
U14 Cup Semi Finals:
Bishop’s Stortford HS 0-31 Glantaf
Wimbledon College 19-12 Wellington College
U14 Plate Semi Finals:
Millfield 5-31 Woodhouse Grove
Wycliffe College 21-29 Marlborough College
U14 Cup Quarter Finals Pools:
| Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D |
| Bishop Stortford’s HS | Ysgol Gyfun Glantaf | Wimbledon College | Wellington College |
| Dulwich College | Mount St Mary’s College | Warwick | Whitgift |
| Dean Close | Clifton College | Hampton | Bromsgrove |
U14 Plate Quarter Final Pools:
| Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D |
| Wycliffe College | Marlborough College | Millfield | Woodhouse Grove |
| Cheltenham College | Ivybridge CC | St Benedict’s | Oakham |
| RGS Guildford | King’s Worcester | Sherborne | Ysgol Gyfun Plasmawr |
U14 Elimination Round Results:
RGS Guildford (Winner A) 14-24 Dean Close (Winner B)
Wycliffe College (C) 17-24 Dulwich College (D)
Cheltenham College (E) 5-24 Bishop Stortford HS (F)
Clifton College (G) 17-12 Marlborough College (H)
Mount St Mary’s (I) 22-5 King’s Worcester (J)
Ysgol Gyfun Glantaf (K) 40-0 Ivybridge CC (Runner Up 1)
Whitgift (L) 26-10 Ysgol Gyfun Plasmawr (RU2)
Warwick (M) 24-5 Sherborne (N)
St Benedict’s (O) 0-17 Wimbledon College (P)
Millfield (Q) 10-22 Hampton (R)
Woodhouse Grove (S) 12-19 Bromsgrove (T)
Oakham (U) 17-27 Wellington College (V)
HSBC Rosslyn Park National Schools 7s U14 Final Group Standings (1-5) (147 Teams):
| Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D |
| RGS Guildford | Dean Close | Wycliffe College | Dulwich College |
| Ivybridge CC | Colston’s | Epsom College | Manchester GS |
| Cokethorpe | Hill House | Portsmouth GS | St Paul’s |
| Birkdale HS | Kingsbridge | Brynteg Comprehensive | King’s College, Taunton |
| Ampleforth College | TNS Beaconhouse | UCS | Rodillian Academy |
| Group E | Group F | Group G | Group H |
| Cheltenham College | Bishop’s Stortford HS | Clifton College | Marlborough College |
| Eton College | Denstone College | Gordon’s | Chislehurst & Sidcup |
| Aberdare | Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni | Hymers College | Sutton Valence |
| Maidstone GS | Stanwell | Llandaff | Uffculme |
| Ysgol Sir Thomas Picton | King’s Canterbury | Bishop’s Stortford College | Berkhamsted |
| Group I | Group J | Group K | Group L |
| Mount St Mary’s College | King’s Worcester | Ysgol Gyfun Glantaf | Whitgift |
| Clyst Vale | Brighton College | Rugby | Barry |
| Haileybury | Merchant Taylors’ | Stockport GS | Stowe |
| Plymouth College | St John Baptist | Sevenoaks | City of London Freemen’s |
| Robert Clack | Christ’s Hospital | Giggleswick | KES Birmingham |
| Group M | Group N | Group O | Group P |
| Warwick | Sherborne | St Benedict’s | Wimbledon College |
| Newcastle School for Boys | Birkdale | Hurstpierpoint College | St Peter’s York |
| Steyning GS | Blundell’s | Uppingham | Shrewsbury |
| Greenhill | Seaford College | Welland Park | Caterham |
| Bishop of Llandaff | Eltham College | Cardiff HS | Llandatwg |
| Group Q | Group R | Group S | Group T |
| Millfield | Hampton | Woodhouse Grove | Bromsgrove |
| Ysgol Gyfun Plasmawr | Trinity | Leicester GS | Tonbridge |
| Abingdon | KES Bath | Langley | RGS High Wycombe |
| Cabot | St Anselm’s College | Rhondda | Rutlish |
| Reigate GS | Crypt | St Dunstan’s | Wallington CGS |
| Group U | Group V |
| Oakham | Wellington College |
| Eastbourne College | Barnard Castle |
| St Joseph’s College | St Edward’s Oxford |
| Halliford | Worth |
| Bedford | Akeley Wood |