The 2017/18 Schools Rugby season is upon us, and it looks like we are due another spectacular season.

The calendar is already looking full with the opening fixtures in the Schools Cup (formerly the NatWest Cup) just a few days away, so too the Champions Trophy, while the St Joseph’s Festival gets underway in a little over 6 weeks time.

For some the action begins this weekend, while for most it is the final piece of pre-season preparation, and you can see our look ahead to the weekend’s action here: 2017/18 Opening Weekend Preview.

Over in the pro game there is plenty for those of us involved in the school game to get excited about, with last year’s Brighton College captain, Marcus Smith, starting at fly half for Harlequins and five other of last year’s England U20 group involved for their clubs, Ben and Tom Curry for Sale (Oundle leavers 2016), Alex Mitchell (Lymm HS leaver 2015) and James Grayson (Moulton College leaver 2016) for Northampton Saints, and Nick Isiekwe (Haileybury leaver 2016) for Saracens.

With the season kicking off though, we thought this was a good chance to give you some key dates in the diary for the school season ahead.

September

11^th-15^th:

U18 Schools Vase Round 1

25^th-29^th:

Champions Trophy Round 1

U18 Schools Cup Round 1

U18 Schools Vase Round 2

U18 Schools Bowl Round 1

U15 Schools Cup Round 1

U15 Schools Vase Round 1

October

9^th-13^th:

Champions Trophy Round 2

U18 Schools Cup Round 2

U18 Schools Plate Round 1

U18 Schools Vase Round 3

U18 Schools Bowl Round 2

U15 Schools Cup Round 2

U15 Schools Plate Round 1

U15 Schools Vase Round 2

U15 Schools Bowl Round 1

Saturday 21^st

St Joseph’s Festival

Sunday 22^nd

St Joseph’s Festival

Monday 27^th October

St Michael’s College, Dublin v Kirkham Grammar School

November

Saturday 4^th November

Wellington College v Blackrock College, Dublin

6^th-10^th

Champions Trophy Quarter Finals

U18 Schools Cup Round 3

U18 Schools Plate Round 2

U18 Schools Vase Round 4

U18 Schools Bowl Round 3

13^th-17^th

U15 Schools Cup Round 3

U15 Schools Plate Round 2

U15 Schools Vase Round 3

U15 Schools Bowl Round 2

20^th-24^th

Champions Trophy Semi Finals

U18 Schools Cup Round 4

U18 Schools Plate Round 3

U18 Schools Vase Round 5

U18 Schools Bowl Round 4

27^th-1^st (Dec)

U15 Schools Cup Round 4

U15 Schools Plate Round 3

U15 Schools Vase Round 4

U15 Schools Bowl Round 3

December

4^th-8^th

U18 Schools Cup Quarter Finals

U18 Schools Plate Quarter Finals

U18 Schools Vase Quarter Finals

U18 Schools Bowl Quarter Finals

Wednesday 6^th December

Champions Trophy Final

AASE Final

Saturday 9^th December

St Michael’s College, Dublin v Wellington College

January

15^th-19^th

U15 Schools Cup Round 5

U15 Schools Plate Round 4

U15 Schools Vase Round 5

U15 Schools Bowl Round 4

29^th-2^nd(Feb)

U15 Schools Cup Quarter Finals

U15 Schools Plate Quarter Finals

U15 Schools Vase Quarter Finals

U15 Schools Bowl Quarter Finals

February

Friday 2^nd-Sunday 4^th

U20 6 Nations Round 1

Friday 9^th-Sunday 11^th

U20 6 Nations Round 2

Friday 23^rd-Sunday 25^th

U20 6 Nations Round 3

Sunday 25^th February

Christ College Brecon Invitational 7s

Wednesday 28^th February

Middlesex 7s

March

Saturday 3^rd March – Sunday 4^th March

U18 Schools Cup, Plate, Vase, Bowl Semi Finals (Likely)

U15 Schools Cup, Plate, Vase, Bowl Semi Finals (Likely)

Sunday 4^th March

North of England Schools Invitational 7s

Wednesday 7^th March

U18 Surrey 7s

Friday 9^th-Sunday 11^th March

U20 6 Nations Round 4

Tuesday 13^th March

U18 Schools Plate Final

U18 Schools Bowl Final

U15 Schools Plate Final

U15 Schools Bowl Final

Wednesday 14^th March

U18 Schools Cup Final

U18 Schools Vase Final

U15 Schools Cup Final

U15 Schools Vase Final

Friday 16^th-Sunday 18^th March

U20 6 Nations Round 5

Monday 19^th March – Friday 23^rd March – Rosslyn Park 7s Week

Monday 19^th March

Junior Waterfall Tournament

Tuesday 20^th March

Colts Groups

Wednesday 21^st March

Vase Groups

Colts Knockouts

Thursday 22^nd March

Cup Groups

Vase Knockouts

U14 Groups

Friday 23^rd March

Cup Knockouts

U14 Knockouts

Girls Tournament

Girls AASE Tournament

Prep Schools Waterfall

All in all it looks as though it is going to be another busy and exciting season, and with plenty of School 7s tournaments, U18 Internationals, U20 World Championship, and U18 Academy League fixtures to be announced, it is only going to get even better.

Let’s not forget the usual block fixtures as well some of which kick off this weekend, including the always brilliant Wellington College v RGS High Wycombe fixture. The block fixtures are the bread and butter of the school season and are what makes school rugby the experience and spectacle that it is, with 2,000 plus expected for John Fisher v Whitgift (who only lost on game in South Africa on tour, to Paarl Boys HS, the top school in the country), we can be sure of more of that excitement and spectacle this year.

Enjoy the season and as always do remember that if you have any videos, reports, photos, or general article ideas that you would like to see included on www.fifteenrugby.com then please do get in touch via any or all of the means below!

Have a great season!

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