A busy week of schools rugby awaits us as many of the knockout tournaments have a number of fixtures being tidied up this week.
The action actually all began on Monday afternoon, where Giggleswick beat Bradford Grammar School 15-10 in the U18 Schools Vase, sending them into the Regional Final in North A where they will face either Wirral Grammar or Lymm High School.
Tuesday
There are some massive games on Tuesday, not least the Champions Trophy quarter final between Bromsgrove and Dulwich College. These two already know their potential semi final, a trip to St John’s Leatherhead, and this should be a huge contest between two sides with five of the last six Schools Cup titles between them. You can see a full look at the Champions Trophy here: Champions Trophy quarter final roundup.
There is also Schools Cup action on Tuesday as Canford host Colston’s in South West B for a place in the regional final, where either Ivybridge Community College or Exeter School await them. You can see the full Schools Cup situation here: Schools Cup Roundup.
Finally on Tuesday there is a Scottish Cup quarter final between Glenalmond College and Glasgow High School.
Wednesday
Ivybridge and Exeter play out that other regional semi final in the South West B section of the U18 Schools Cup, with Canford and Colston’s in action on Tuesday, they will know their opponents once they kick off.
There is also a game in London & South East A, where last year’s semi finalists, Felsted, host the 2010 and 2011 champions, Whitgift. The winners will face Hampton in the regional final, who are also in action on Wednesday in the County Cup against Mill Hill.
Over in North A Stonyhurst College and Manchester Grammar will meet in the regional semi final, with a trip to King’s Macclesfield for the regional final the reward.
Over in the Plate RGS Lancaster make the trip to Cheadle Hulme, with a game at St Ambrose College in the regional final in North A the reward in that one, over in South West A KES Southampton host St Bartholomew’s, with St Peter’s Gloucester the opponents in the regional final for the winners there.
There is one catch-up game in the Vase as St George’s Harpenden host London Oratory. The winner there will face a tricky task at home to Reed’s in the regional final of London & South East B.
Over in the Bowl Shrewsbury host KES Aston in Midlands A, King Henry VIII Coventry await the winners.
There are some massive Daily Mail Trophy fixtures on Wednesday too, particularly high flying Blundell’s trip to school rugby legends Millfield. There is a cracker up the road in Cheltenham too as Cheltenham College host their annual fixture against Radley College.
Local rivals St Peter’s Gloucester travel to Cokethorpe, while up in Yorkshire Ampleforth College host Ashville College.
There are plenty of other big games outside of those major competitions, not least St Joseph’s College hosting Henley College and Prince Henry’s Grammar School’s trip to Woodhouse Grove.
Thursday
There is a huge Schools Cup tie in South West A on Thursday as Schools Cup legends RGS High Wycombe host one of the form sides in the country, Dean Close. Last year’s finalists, Bishop Wordsworth’s await the winners in the regional final.
There is action in the Bowl as Leicester Grammar School head to Loughborough Grammar in Midlands B.
The Daily Mail Trophy sees a huge fixture as Wellington College and Sherborne meet for a game under the lights in the evening. With Wellington in such fine form it will be a challenge for Sherborne, but one that you can be sure they will relish.
Elsewhere there is another big game between Downside and Marlborough College, while Worksop College host Hill House and Worth welcome Sackville.
Friday
Friday is a busy day of school rugby, the highlight fixture is probably the Daily Mail Trophy game between high flying Harrow and King’s Macclesfield. However there is plenty of other rugby to be excited about, not least Shiplake College v Lord Wandsworth College and Beechen Cliff v KES Bath.
Elsewhere Christ’s Hospital host Rutlish and Merchant Taylors’ welcome Emanuel, while St Benedict’s and Trinity meet for what ought to be a cracking game, as should Langley Park v St Olave’s Grammar School.
As always, if you have any videos, photos, or reports from the week’s rugby, please feel free to send them in via Twitter (@FifteenRugbyXV), Facebook (www.facebook.com/FifteenRugby), Instagram (@fifteenrugbyxv), or through email (writers@fifteenrugby.com).
Schools Rugby Midweek Fixtures (predictions in bold):
Monday
Giggleswick 15-10 Bradford GS (Schools Vase)
Tuesday
Bromsgrove v Dulwich College (Champions Trophy QF)
Canford v Colston’s (Schools Cup)
Glenalmond College v Glasgow HS (Scottish Cup QF)
Wednesday
Ampleforth College v Ashville College (Daily Mail Trophy)
Cheadle Hulme v RGS Lancaster (Schools Plate)
Cheltenham Bournside v RGS Worcester
Cheltenham College v Radley College (Daily Mail Trophy)
Christ College v Llanishen HS
Cokethorpe v St Peter’s, Gloucester (Daily Mail Trophy)
Eltham College v Colfe’s
Felsted v Whitgift (Schools Cup)
Glyn v Royal Alexandra & Albert
Hampton v Mill Hill (County Cup)
Ivybridge Community College v Exeter School (Schools Cup)
KES Five Ways v Old Swinford Hospital
KES Southampton v St Bartholomew’s (Schools Plate)
Millfield v Blundell’s (Daily Mail Trophy)
Oratory v Pangbourne College
QEGS Penrith v QES Kirkby
Queen Ethelburga’s v Hartlepool 6th form College
Simon Langton GS v St Lawrence College
Shrewsbury v KES Aston (Schools Bowl)
St Benedict’s v UCS (County Cup)
St George’s, Harpenden v London Oratory (Schools Vase)
St Joseph’s College v Henley College
Stonyhurst College v Manchester GS (Schools Cup)
Wirral GS v Rydal Penrhos
Woodhouse Grove v Prince Henry’s GS
Thursday
Downside v Marlborough College
Loughborough GS v Leicester GS (Schools Bowl)
RGS High Wycombe v Dean Close (Schools Cup)
Sherborne v Wellington College (Daily Mail Trophy)
Worksop College v Hill House
Worth v Sackville
Friday
Christ’s Hospital v Rutlish
Harrow v King’s Macclesfield (Daily Mail Trophy)
KES Bath v Beechen Cliff
Langley Park v St Olave’s GS
Merchant Taylors’ v Emanuel
Shiplake College v Lord Wandsworth College
St Benedict’s v Trinity
