It has been a brilliant week of schools rugby, with fixtures taking place on every day of the week.
The Champions Trophy quarter finals were wrapped up, so too the Schools Cup last 32, while the Vase, Plate, and Bowl all saw action too.
Monday
There was just the one game on Monday, but it was a cracker in the Schools Vase as Giggleswick beat Bradford Grammar School 15-10 to secure their place in the last 16. Giggleswick School Director of Sport, Dan Cook, said: “This was the most complete performance of our season so far. The team’s ability to play with structure when required as well as being able to play to space when it appeared was probably the difference between the two teams. We counter-attacked with pace and showed good handling when opportunities arose.”
It sets up a last 16 tie in the North A section of the Vase, which will be at Wirral Grammar School on Wednesday, kicking off at 14.30. If they play there as Coach Tom Davidson described their performance on Monday “with width, pace and freedom in attack and backed it up with great energy in defence”, they will surely have a superb chance.
Tuesday
Tuesday was a key day in the Champions Trophy as Dulwich College secured their place in the semi finals, the final team to do so, with a 37-19 win over Bromsgrove. They now face St John’s Leatherhead in the semi finals, and you can see our breakdown of all of the quarter finals and a look ahead to the semi finals here: Champions Trophy Semi Finals Confirmed.
The was quarter final action in the Scottish Cup too, where Glenalmond College secured their semi final spot with a stunning 62-10 display against Glasgow High School.
Over in the Schools Cup Canford booked their place in the South West B regional final with a 29-7 victory over Colston’s, and on Wednesday their opponents would be confirmed as Ivybridge Community College beat Exeter School 13-0. To see more details on the Schools Cup, please follow this link: U18 Schools Cup last 16 fixtures decided.
Wednesday
Wednesday was a huge day, with that Ivybridge win right at the top of the pile. Stonyhurst also booked their Schools Cup last 16 place as they beat Manchester Grammar School 10-5, and will now travel to King’s Macclesfield for the regional final.
There was a huge game between Felsted and Whitgift too. Felsted had knocked Whitgift out last year en route to the semi finals, but Whitgift gained revenge this year with an 11-3 win. You can see our report from that game here: Felsted v Whitgift.
Over in the Plate RGS Lancaster secured a 43-15 win over Cheadle Hulme and now travel to St Ambrose College for the North A final, KES Southampton meanwhile beat St Bartholomew’s 56-17 in South West A and host St Peter’s Gloucester in the regional final there.
There was just the one Vase game as St George’s Harpenden beat London Oratory 50-7, they now host Reed’s in the London & South East B regional final.
The Bowl, meanwhile, saw Shrewsbury book their place in the last 16 with a 26-8 win over KES Aston in Midlands A, setting up a home regional final against King Henry VIII, Coventry. St George’s Weybridge were 35-14 winners against Verulam, sending them into the quarter final draw – the national stage of the competition.
There was some cracking rugby elsewhere too, not least at Sixways Stadium where Cheltenham College propelled themselves into the Top 5 in the Daily Mail Trophy table with an impressive 24-0 win against Radley College, maintaining their unbeaten record.
Blundell’s showed exactly why they are Champions Trophy semi finalists with a brilliant 45-15 win away at Millfield, while Ampleforth College were in form for a 58-10 win at home to Ashville College.
Outside the Daily Mail Trophy RGS Worcester beat Cheltenham Bournside 57-14, while Eltham College had a brilliant 40-18 win at home to Colfe’s and Glyn surprisingly went down 15-14 to Royal Alexandra & Albert.
The Oratory enjoyed a good derby win against Pangbourne College, 23-10, with Simon Langotn beating St Lawrence College 33-7, and Wirral Grammar beating Rydal Penrhos 39-14.
Woodhouse Grove showed their class for a 35-3 win over Prince Henry’s Grammar School, while in the County Cup back down in London, UCS put in a superb performance for a 42-0 win over St Benedict’s.
Thursday
The key game on Thursday came at RGS High Wycombe as they hosted Dean Close in Round 3 of the Schools Cup in South West A. RGS have huge Cup pedigree but Dean Close are unbeaten and full of confidence. That shone through as they secured a highly impressive place in the last 16, where they will face last year’s finalists Bishop Wordsworth’s, winning 50-20. You can see our report from that game here: RGS High Wycombe v Dean Close.
Over in the Bowl Loughborough Grammar School were engaged in a similar game against Leicester Grammar School, eventually securing a 40-20 victory to send them into a Midlands B final away at Samuel Whitbread.
The other massive game of the day was an evening kick off at Newbury RFC between Sherborne and Wellington College. Wellington have been tearing up trees all year, but this one turned out rather closer as both teams put in a real performance under the lights in an exciting game.
Wellington eventually won it 29-15, but at one stage Sherborne led 15-14 and were good for it. Wellington, with fly half Will Sinfield back in action, eventually took a 21-15 lead into the half and a second half try and a later penalty gave the final score a reasonably comfortable look.
The South West saw an exciting game between two sides on the Bath radar, Marlborough College and Downside. It was played in superb spirit with the two sides coming together for a collective debrief after the game. On the field it was Marlborough with the spouls, 20-10. Meanwhile up in Yorkshire there was a terrific game as Worksop College and Hill House drew 12-12.
Coming Up
There is more action this evening and of course thoughout Saturday, and you can see what’s coming up and our predictions on our weekend preview: Schools Rugby Weekend Preview & Predictions.
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).
Images via: Giggleswick School & Steve Haines
Schools Rugby Midweek Results:
Monday
Giggleswick 15-10 Bradford GS (Schools Vase)
Tuesday
Bromsgrove 19-37 Dulwich College (Champions Trophy QF)
Canford 29-7 Colston’s (Schools Cup)
Glenalmond College 62-10 Glasgow HS (Scottish Cup QF)
Wednesday
Ampleforth College 58-10 Ashville College (Daily Mail Trophy)
Cheadle Hulme 15-43 RGS Lancaster (Schools Plate)
Cheltenham Bournside 14-57 RGS Worcester
Cheltenham College 24-0 Radley College (Daily Mail Trophy)
Eltham College 40-18 Colfe’s
Felsted 3-11 Whitgift (Schools Cup)
Glyn 14-15 Royal Alexandra & Albert
Ivybridge Community College 13-0 Exeter School (Schools Cup)
KES Southampton 56-17 St Bartholomew’s (Schools Plate)
Millfield 15-45 Blundell’s (Daily Mail Trophy)
Oratory 23-10 Pangbourne College
Simon Langton GS 33-7 St Lawrence College
Shrewsbury 26-8 KES Aston (Schools Bowl)
St Benedict’s 0-42 UCS (County Cup)
St George’s College, Weybridge 35-14 Verulam (Schools Bowl)
St George’s, Harpenden 50-7 London Oratory (Schools Vase)
Stonyhurst College 10-5 Manchester GS (Schools Cup)
Wirral GS 39-14 Rydal Penrhos
Woodhouse Grove 35-3 Prince Henry’s GS
Thursday
Downside 10-20 Marlborough College
Loughborough GS 40-20 Leicester GS (Schools Bowl)
RGS High Wycombe 20-50 Dean Close (Schools Cup)
Sherborne 15-29 Wellington College (Daily Mail Trophy)
Worksop College 12-12 Hill House
