Over the week since last Friday’s U18 Schools Cup quarter final draw, the remaining three last 16 games have taken place.
This week the attention turns to those quarter finals, with three of the four taking place. There is also a huge amount of rugby elsewhere this week, not least the excitement of the Champions Trophy final, as well as the U18 Plate, Vase, and Bowl quarter finals, plus the possible conclusion of the Daily Mail Trophy. You can see links to our previews of all of those competitions here:
U18 Schools Plate, Vase, and Bowl
In the Cup, there were three quarter finalists still to be confirmed following the draw. Two of those winners, King’s Macclesfield and QEGS Wakefield, met on Tuesday in the first of the three quarter finals to take place this week. QEGS reached last year’s final, and have a succession of successful U15 sides now in their 6th form ranks, and that Cup pedigree showed as they secured a 29-0 win away from home to become the first side to reach Allianz Park for the semi finals, which will take place in March.
The other remaining last 16 game was one that promised to be a classic in South West A, between last year’s losing finalists, Bishop Wordsworth’s, and Dean Close, one of the form sides in the country.
Bishop Wordsworth’s turned in perhaps their best performance of the season to date, winning by a stunning 44-13 margin to seal a home quarter final against the London & South East A champions, Whitgift. That quarter final will be hotly anticipated as there will be long wait for this top class quarter final, Wednesday 10th January has been confirmed as the date for this one
[poll id=”315″]
The other two quarter finals were already confirmed at the point of the draw, and both will take place on Wednesday of this week.
Reigning champions Warwick, who won Midlands B, host dark horses Canford from South West B on at 13.30 on Wednesday, while Northampton School for Boys, the Vase champions that won Midlands A, host Judd, last year’s quarter finalists and this year’s London & South East B contenders on Wednesday 6th December as well, at 16.30.
It looks as though we are going to have four top quarter finals on our hands, and they really to all look like they could go either way.
U18 Schools Cup Quarter Final Draw:
Bishop Wordsworth’s (South West A) v Whitgift (London & South East A) – Wednesday 10th January, 14.30
Warwick (Midlands B) v Canford (South West B) – Wednesday 6th December, 13.30
Northampton School for Boys (Midlands A) v Judd (London & South East B) – Wednesday 6th December, 16.30
King’s Macclesfield (North A) 0-29 QEGS Wakefield (North B)
U18 Schools Cup Last 16 Results:
King’s Macclesfield 26-0 Stonyhurst College (North A)
QEGS Wakefield 12-7 RGS Newcastle (North B)
Northampton School for Boys 27-17 Stamford (Midlands A)
Warwick 30-18 Solihull (Midlands B)
Hampton 12-36 Whitgift (London & South East A)
John Fisher 23-26 Judd (London & South East B)
Bishop Wordsworth’s 44-13 Dean Close (South West A)
Ivybridge Community College 24-27 Canford (South West B)
