This week is one of the quieter week’s of the season in terms of the number of fixtures being played.
However in terms of quality it is going to be a good one, with some key Cup games and a huge game in the Daily Mail Trophy that could ultimately be the game that decides the destination of the Trophy this year.
Tuesday
The key game on Tuesday is the U18 Schools Vase last 16 game between Langley and Trent College in the Midlands B regional final. The winner will set themselves up for a home quarter final against the London & South East A winners, fast rising Hayes School.
There is a massive Daily Mail Trophy game too as Radley College travel to local rivals St Edward’s Oxford. Both have beaten Abingdon in the other Oxford derbies this year, so this is the big one, deciding the best of the three schools.
There is a variety of County Cup action, including Cardinal Vaughan v Enfield Grammar, Dame Alice Owens v KES Morpeth, and Gresham’s v Easton & Otley, as well as regular midweek games between King’s Ely and Finborough and Norwich and Wymondham College.
Wednesday
Wednesday will be dominated by two fixtures, Wellington College v Sedbergh and Bishop Wordsworth’s v Dean Close.
Wellington College v Sedbergh could ultimately decide the fate of the Daily Mail Trophy. Wellington College have won the last three in a row a win on Wednesday at Broadstreet RFC would almost guarantee them a fourth. However having lost to Harrow on Saturday it was opened the door for Sedbergh. A win for the Cumbrians would put them in pole position to win the competition, though they would need to sustain that form against at least one of Millfield and QEGS Wakefield.
It promises to be a blockbuster fixture between two teams that are unquestionably among the best in the country, throw in the addition of this being a potentially Trophy deciding game, and it is huge.
As is Bishop Wordsworth’s v Dean Close in the U18 Schools Cup, last year’s finalists against one of the form teams in the tournament, Dean Close. It is the South West A regional final, and the winner will have a home quarter final against the London & South East A winners, Whitgift, who are among the favourites.
Elsewhere there is plenty of County Cup action, much like Tuesday, with Myerscough College hosting Manchester Grammar, St Columba’s College travelling to Roundwood Park, St Bartholomew’s entertaining Pangbourne College, Parmiter’s travelling to St Edmund’s, and a huge clash between Wilmslow High School and Lymm High School.
Elsewhere Ellesmere College v Bishop Heber ought to prove a good game of rugby, so too the likes of RGS Lancaster v Austin friars, Liverpool College v Ripley St Thomas, and Leicester Grammar v King’s Grantham.
Thursday
Thursday sees a cracking fixture in the South West as Beechen Cliff welcome Colston’s, both have been playing exciting rugby this year and should produce an excellent game of rugby. Just along the road Monkton Combe welcome Sexey’s, while in Nottinghamshire Trent College host Hill House.
Friday
There is just the one game on Friday, finishing a quiet week of rugby. It should be a good game though between two sides that on paper should produce an exciting match, Emanuel and Shiplake College.
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Schools Rugby Midweek Fixtures (predictions in bold):
Tuesday
Cardinal Vaughan v Enfield GS (County Cup)
Dame Alice Owens v KES Morpeth (County Cup)
Gresham’s v Easton & Otley (County Cup)
King’s Ely v Finborough
Langley v Trent College (Schools Vase)
Norwich v Wymondham College
St Edward’s, Oxford v Radley College (Daily Mail Trophy)
Wednesday
Aylesbury GS v Royal Latin
Bablake v Solihull 6th form College
Bancroft’s v Davenant
Beth’s GS v Coopers
Bishop Wordsworth’s v Dean Close (Schools Cup)
Bury GS v Rossall
Derby GS v Wolverhampton GS
Ellesmere College v Bishop Heber HS
Haberdashers’ v Dr Challoner’s GS
Hayes v Royal Alexandra & Albert
King’s Rochester v Duke of York’s RMS
Leicester GS v King’s Grantham
Liverpool College v Ripley St Thomas
Myerscough College v Manchester GS (County Cup)
RGS Lancaster v Austin Friars
Roundwood Park v St Columba’s College (County Cup)
Sedbergh v Wellington College (Daily Mail Trophy)
St Bartholomew’s v Pangbourne College (County Cup)
St Edmund’s College v Parmiter’s (County Cup)
Wilmslow HS v Lymm HS (County Cup)
Thursday
Beechen Cliff v Colston’s
Monkton Combe v Sexey’s
Trent College v Hill House
Friday
Emanuel v Shiplake College
