The U18 Academy League is heading towards its conclusion following Round 6 this weekend, with the Finals Day places almost decided.
Next weekend sees the final round take place, after which the top three sides from each conference will face their counterparts in the U18 Academy League finals day.
Northern Conference
Leicester Tigers went top of the league after a thumping win over Wasps last week, and they are in with a hugely strong chance of finishing on top when the league stage is all over, having beaten Yorkshire Carnegie 36-7 on Saturday. Tries came from Oakham’s Sam Costelow, Wyggeston’s Xander Purcell, Rugby’s Jonny Law, and a brace from Bishop Vesey’s winger Will Poland.
The win puts them five points clear of Wasps, who had a bye week this week, and with just five points remaining to be played for, it would take a stunning set of results next weekend for Wasps to overhaul Tigers.
More likely, Wasps will be looking over their shoulders at Sale Sharks, who made it three wins from three on Saturday with a 26-12 win at Northampton Saints. It was a hard fought win, coming back from 12-7 down at half time. Gus Warr had scored in the first half, before second half scores from Teddy Leatherbarrow, Bevan Rodd, and Rouban Birch secured the bonus point.
It puts them just a point behind Wasps, so if they can better the Wasps’ result next weekend they will leapfrog them and fight out the third place play off at Finals Day.
Either way, they are in the driving seat for third place in the conference and a spot in the 5th Place Play off, they are three points clear of Newcastle Falcons, who this weekend moved up from 6th to fourth thanks to a brilliant 35-26 away win over Worcester Warriors, who have now completed all of their league games and cannot reach the play-offs.
Having gone behind early on, tries from Cameron Kelemeti, Reece Amir, Theo Manihera, and a brace from Jamie Adamson steered Newcastle to a 35-12 lead. They were given a fright though, as two late tries from Worcester closed the final score to 35-26.
Southern Conference
Top spot in the southern conference has been confirmed with a week to spare after Gloucester’s tight 34-31 win over Harlequins sent them six points clear of Saracens with just five available.
It was a thrilling game in which to confirm top spot, Gloucester’s tries came from scrum half Ewan Fenley, Bertie Stretch, George Barton, and captain Tom Stanton of Cheltenham College. However ultimately it came down to the boot, with a late penalty from Isaac March, in addition to eleven previous points from Barton’s boot, taking Gloucester six points clear, meaning that Harlequins’ late penalty was not enough to get them in front.
Saracens are in pole position for second place, they met Exeter Chiefs on Friday night in a key game. Exeter were in second at the start of the game, with Sarries a place behind, however a brilliant 31-26 win, that also saw Exeter claim two bonus points, allowed Saracens to leapfrog the Chiefs.
Those positions are far from final though, Saracens will have to beat Bath next week because Harlequins host Exeter and whoever wins that can jump ahead of the men from North London if they do now beat Bath.
The final game in the Southern Conference was not one that was going to influence the upper end of the table, but was a key game for both Bristol and London Irish at the home of Bristol’s AASE side, SGS Filton College.
It was London Irish’s final game of their season and they arrived without a win to their name. That all changed on Saturday though as they put in a magnificent performance to round off their campaign, beating their hosts 33-17. Tries from Ben Harris, Jamie Henson, and Gruffyd Williams helped the Exiles to a 21-5 half time lead, before further scores from Ben Atkins and Brandon Baker secured the victory in the second half.
As always, if you have any videos, photos, or reports from the weekend’s U18 Academy League rugby, please feel free to send them in via Twitter (@FifteenRugbyXV), Facebook (www.facebook.com/FifteenRugby), Instagram (@fifteenrugbyxv), or through email (writers@fifteenrugby.com).
U18 Academy League Round 6 Results:
Northern Conference
Northampton Saints 12-26 Sale Sharks
Worcester Warriors 26-35 Newcastle Falcons
Yorkshire Carnegie 7-36 Leicester Tigers
Southern Conference
Bristol 17-33 London Irish
Harlequins 31-34 Gloucester
Saracens 31-26 Exeter Chiefs
| U18 Academy League Table – Northern Conference | |||||||
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | BPs | Points |
| 1 | Leicester Tigers | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 22 |
| 2 | Wasps | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 17 |
| 3 | Sale Sharks | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 16 |
| 4 | Newcastle Falcons | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 13 |
| 5 | Worcester Warriors | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 10 |
| 6 | Yorkshire Carnegie | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 8 |
| 7 | Northampton Saints | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
| U18 Academy League Table – Southern Conference | |||||||
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | BPs | Points |
| 1 | Gloucester | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 24 |
| 2 | Saracens | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 18 |
| 3 | Exeter Chiefs | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 17 |
| 4 | Harlequins | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 15 |
| 5 | London Irish | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| 6 | Bath | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| 7 | Bristol | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 6 |
| U18 Academy League Table – Southern Conference | |||||||
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | BPs | Points |
| 1 | Gloucester | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 19 |
| 2 | Exeter Chiefs | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 15 |
| 3 | Saracens | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 13 |
| 4 | Harlequins | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 13 |
| 5 | Bath | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| 6 | Bristol | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| 7 | London Irish | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 5 |
Round 5 Results:
Northern Conference
Sale Sharks 66-17 Worcester Warriors
Wasps 5-52 Leicester Tigers
Yorkshire Carnegie 15-15 Northampton Saints
Southern Conference
Bristol 19-36 Harlequins
Exeter Chiefs 19-14 Bath
London Irish 21-21 Saracens
Round 4 Results:
Northern Conference
Leicester Tigers 42-12 Worcester Warriors
Newcastle Falcons 14-33 Sale Sharks
Wasps 26-14 Yorkshire Carnegie
Southern Conference
Bath 36-36 Harlequins
Exeter Chiefs 38-19 Bristol
Gloucester 20-19 London Irish
Round 3 Results:
Northern Conference
Newcastle Falcons 41-27 Northampton Saints
Wasps 22-19 Sale Sharks
Worcester Warriors 20-19 Yorkshire Carnegie
Southern Conference
Gloucester 41-33 Exeter Chiefs
London Irish 41-50 Bath
Saracens 38-25 Bristol
Round 2 Results:
Northern Conference
Sale Sharks 6-16 Leicester Tigers
Newcastle Falcons 24-24 Wasps
Northampton Saints 20-26 Worcester Warriors
Southern Conference
Bath 10-66 Gloucester
Exeter Chiefs 48-17 London Irish
Harlequins 12-23 Saracens
Round 1 Results:
Northern Conference
Leicester Tigers 31-31 Northampton Saints
Worcester Warriors 12-55 Wasps
Yorkshire Carnegie 33-19 Newcastle Falcons
Southern Conference
Bristol 32-14 Bath
London Irish 29-43 Harlequins
Saracens 31-34 Gloucester
Team News:
Northampton Saints
15 Cameron Sharpe, 14 Josh Gillespie, 13 Sam Cappaert, 12 Connor Tupai, 11 Ollie Sleightholme, 10 Tyler Mills, 9 Fin Creighton, 1 Fraser Thompson, 2 Samson Ma’asi, 3 Jack Hughes, 4 Marshall Sykes, 5 Kayde Sylvester, 6 Connor Finch, 7 Joe Wallace (c), 8 Tom Addison.
Replacements: 16 Ed McDowell, 17 Luke Risman, 18 Mitchell Brown, 19 Harry Charter, 20 Emmanuel Iyogun, 21 Sam Connor, 22 Ollie Betteridge, 23 Morgan Dayes.
Sale Sharks
15 Nathan Pope, 14 Tom Roebuck, 13 Connor Doherty, 12 Tom Curtis, 11 Tom Walsh, 10 Kieran Wilkinson, 9 Gus Warr, 1 Bevan Rodd, 2 Ewan Ashman, 3 Cal Ford, 4 Rouban Birch, 5 Conor James, 6 Jack Hill, 7 Teddy Leatherbarrow, 8 Sam Dugdale.
Replacements: 16 Liam Davies, 17 Alex Brooks, 18 Sam Higginson, 19 Owen Roberts, 20 Charlie Papworth, 21 Will Davies, 22 James Rooney.
Worcester Warriors
15 Noah Heward (Solihull), 14 Alex Haselock (Worcester 6th Form College), 13 Paul Wells (Worcester 6th Form College), 12 Ollie Lawrence (Bromsgrove), 11 Rob Lester (Worcester 6th Form College), 10 Louis Jackson (KES Stratford), 9 Jake Leonard (Worcester 6th Form College), 1 Lewis Holsey (Solihull), 2 Jamie White (Worcester 6th Form College), 3 Max Baggs (Cheltenham College), 4 George Parker (Worcester 6th Form College), 5 Tom Fawcett (Warwick), 6 George Bates (King’s Worcester), 7 Will Higgins (Idsall), 8 Oli Thorneywork (Warwick).
Replacements: 16 Josh Olver (Droitwich Spa), 17 Tom Furnival (Worcester 6th Form College), 18 Ben Woodland (Worcester 6th Form College), 19 Tom Berry (RGS Worcester), 20 Ben Turner (Bromsgrove), 21 Will Lane (Malvern College), 22 Josh Phipps (Hartpury College), 23 Charlie Gamble (Worcester 6th Form College).
Newcastle Falcons
15 Josh Hodge, 14 Morgan Passman,13 Chidera Obonna, 12 Theo Manihera, 11 Harry Jackson, 10 Callum Pascoe, 9 Cameron Kelemeti, 1 Will Elliott, 2 Joe Lashley, 3 Reece Amir, 4 Ethan Clarke, 5 Rob Farrar, 6 Jamie Adamson, 7 Mason Lewthwaite, 8 Tom Marshall.
Replacements: 16 Alistair Blackett, 17 Phil Brantigham, 18 Freddy Lockwood, 19 Patrick Cooper, 20 Will Petiffer, 21 Jack Peter, 22 Nathan Henderson, 23 Will Roberts.
Yorkshire Carnegie
15 Joe Carpenter (Woodhouse Grove), 14 Joe Gatus (QEGS), 13 Andre Robson (Durham), 12 Kieran Wilyman (Woodhouse Grove), 11 Jacob Mounsey (QEGS), 10 Dan Lancaster (Bishop Burton), 9 Joe Green (vc) (Woodhouse Grove), 1 Ben Carlile (c) (Pocklington), 2 Lawrence Mason (Bishop Burton), 3 Billy Nichols (Benton Park), 4 Adam Hopkinson (Silcoates), 5 Matt Burke (Woodhouse Grove), 6 Max Hanson (QEGS), 7 Harry Williams – Bishop Burton), 8 Edan Kelly (QEGS).
Replacements: 16 Adam Brown (St Peter’s, York), 17 Conner Hancock (Bishop Burton), 18 Callum Hancock (Bishop Burton), 19 Fraser Reed (Fulford), 20 Ted Wainwright (Ripon), 21 George Wright (Rishworth), 22 Tom Stephenson (QEGS), 23 Jack Bodman (Hill House), 24 James Willis (Ripon), 25 James MaGee (Sedburgh).
Leicester Tigers
15 Freddie Steward (Norwich), 14 Zack Godfrey (Stamford), 13 Ronnie Du Randt (Denstone College), 12 Andre Dunn (Langley), 11 Will Poland (Bishop Vesey’s GS), 10 Sam Costelow (Oakham), 9 Jack Van Poortvliet (Oakham), 1 Keston Lines (Wyggeston & QE College), 2 Finlay Gibson (Brooksby Melton College), 3 Joe Latham (Wyggeston & QE College), 4 George Martin (Brooksby Melton College), 5 Xander Purcell (Wyggeston & QE College), 6 Taylor Gough (Wyggeston & QE College) (c), 7 Sam Eveleigh (Leicester GS), 8 Thom Smith (Langley).
Replacements: 16 Jamie Harding (Denstone College), 17 Alex Maxwell (Brooksby Melton College), 18 James Whitcombe (Woodhouse Grove), 19 Dave Koelman (Stamford), 20 Joe Browning (Denstone College), 21 Jonny Law (Rugby), 22 Harry Glynn (Leicester GS), 23 Sam Wager (Wyggeston & QE College).
Bristol
15 Ioan Lloyd (Clifton College), 14 Jack Bates (SGS Filton College), 13 Charlie Powell (Bristol GS), 12 Soloman Hutchings (Clifton College), 11 Will Hines (Redland Green), 10 Nathan Chamberlain (SGS Filton College), 9 Blake Boyland (SGS Filton College), 1 Sean Ihegie (Cabot), 2 Will Capon (Bristol GS), 3 Jay Burley (SGS Filton College), 4 George Brazier (Clifton College), 5 Ben Tothill (SGS Filton College), 6 Ethan Organ (Clifton College), 7 Tomi Adgebite (Cabot), 8 George Kloska (SGS Filton College).
Replacements: 16 Ben Morgan (Cotham), 17 Harry Samuel (Hartpury College), 18 Owen Evans (SGS Filton College), 19 Chris Moseley (SGS Filton College), 20 Finn Langford (SGS Filton College), 21 Ben Roach (SGS Filton College), 22 Tom Wilstead (Colston’s), 23 Bertie Scoble (U19, St Mary’s Uni).
London Irish
15 Ronan Maloney, 14 Dan Stoller, 13 Cieran McGann, 12 Philip Cokanasiga, 11 Ben Harris, 10 Edward Morgan, 9 Sam Clough, 1 Jamie Henson, 2 Ben Atkins, 3 Brandon Baker, 4 Ben Donnell, 5 James Griffiths, 6 Jez Traynor, 7 Gwilym Bradley, 8 Josh Smart.
Replacements: 16 Nathan Langdon, 17 Luke Green, 18 Oisin Kearney, 19 Doug Armes, 20 Toby Smith, 21 Gruffydd Williams, 22 Jack Jesty, 23 Victor Nzotele.
Harlequins (from)
Forwards: S Riley (St George’s, Weybridge), J Morris (Whitgift), B Mott (Tonbridge), J Salomon (Whitgift), A Salomon (Whitgift), K Sassone (Sevenoaks), H Tizard (Cranleigh), G Hammond (Whitgift), D Cuthbert (City of London Freemens), V Everitt (Hartpury College), J Reid (Wellington College), J Kenningham (Reed’s), H Glover (Harrow).
Backs: J Botterill (Fulbrook), F Sofolarin (Dulwich College), C Englefield (St Paul’s CC), J Potter (St John’s, Leatherhead), S Jardine (Dulwich College), H Hyde (Cranleigh), L Anyanwu (Christ’s Hospital), J Searle (Brighton College), H Barlow (Cranleigh), L Smith (Brighton College).
Gloucester
15 Reece Dunn, 14 Jack Curtis, 13 Tom Stanton, 12 Isaac Marsh, 11 Jacob Morris, 10 George Barton, 9 Ewan Fenley, 1 Olly Adkins, 2 Morgan Nelson, 3 Jack Bartlett, 4 Archie Tarbuck, 5 Joe Howard, 6 JJ Tonks, 7 Bailey Watts, 8 Cameron Terry.
Replacements: 16 Bertie Stretch, 17 Shay O’Malley, 18 Alex Hunt, 19 Josh Gray, 20 Dec Fissenden, 21 Stephen Varney, 22 Jack Reeves, 23 Louis Rees-Zammitt.
Saracens
15 Max Bliss (Dulwich College), 14 Jake Morris (Bishop Stortford College), 13 Ade Lipede (Whitgift), 12 Charlie Watson (King’s Canterbury), 11 David Jimoh-Ibrahim (New Hall), 10 Manu Vunipola (Harrow), 9 Matteo Petrozzi (Tonbridge), 1 Sam Crean (Harrow), 2 Kapeli Pifleti (Haileybury), 3 Harry Sturge (Felsted), 4 Jonathan Kpoku (Oaklands College), 5 Cameron Boon (Bishop Stortford College), 6 Ethan Benson (Hayes), 7 Dylan Taylor (Tonbridge), 8 Tobias Munday (Harrow, captain).
Replacements: 16 Theodore Dan (Alleyn’s), 17 Edward Thompson (Eltham College), 18 Harvey Beaton (Sutton Valence), 19 Matas Jurevicius (Hayes), 20 Alfie Scopes (Tonbridge), 21 Josh Barton (Berkhamsted), 22 Oliver Bluck (New Hall), 23 Tom Walker (Felsted).
Exeter Chiefs
15 Robbie Weeks, 14 Kian Atkinson, 13 Francesco Scardamaglia, 12 Luke Flack, 11 Archie Hill, 10 Olly Toomey, 9 Sam Maunder (captain), 1 Alfie Petch, 2 Will Ridout, 3 Elliot Salt, 4 Lewis Pearson, 5 Joseph Parker-Cook, 6 Flynn Elworthy, 7 Richard Capstick, 8 Rus Tuima.
Replacements: 16 Harvey Dunn, 17 Oliver Andrews, 18 Henry Trudgill, 19 Jake Clemson, 20 Cory Teague, 21 James Tait, 22 Devon Jewsbury, 23 Dan Lilley.
Image: Richard Papworth
