Dr Challoner’s Grammar School and Brighton College will meet at Sixways for the U15 Schools Plate final on Tuesday, kicking off at 12.30pm.
For Dr Challoner’s it is a third final in a row, but this is the most prestigious, coming in a higher tier. In 2016 they won the U15 Vase competition, while in 2017 they were runners up, this year though they started in the Cup and are now through to a third final, the U15 Plate final.
It has been quite a tournament for them too, the only narrowly lost out in the main Cup, going down 19-15 to St Albans, and since then have sailed through the Plate in relative comfort.
Last week’s semi final was the first time that they have scored less than forty points, and even then they scored thirty-six en route to a 36-17 victory over St Anselm’s.
That run has seen them put some top rugby schools away, not leas a 52-7 last 16 win over Oundle, or their 44-17 win over King’s Worcester in the quarter finals.
It has not been quite so spectacular in Brighton College’s case, yet they have still made their way through without too much bother, the only really close one being their 24-19 win over Watford Grammar in the quarter final.
Their 62-12 opening round win over Trinity was spectacular, but so was a 22-3 semi final win over Chosen Hill. Semi finals are notoriously tetchy and nervous, to come away with such a strong win is a real sign both of Brighton’s ability, and keeping Chosen Hill to 3 suggests a very handy defence indeed.
The South Coast side, who were 2010 Vase runners-up, ought to be inspired by the years above them in the school too. For a few years now the Brighton College 1st XV have been among the handful of absolute top sides in the country. That filters down and inspires the younger years, as it no doubt has with this group.
Dr Challoner’s groups of U15s from 2016 and 2017 can help inspire them too though, they have tasted victory and defeat in these finals and can pass on that experience.
Whoever wins, what seems clear is that we have two cracking sides going head to head in this U15 Schools Plate Final.
U15 Schools Plate Final – Tuesday 13th March, 12.30pm, Sixways Stadium
Dr Challoner’s Grammar School v Brighton College
Route to the Final
Dr Challoner’s (Midlands A)
36-17 v St Anselm’s College – Semi Final
44-17 v King’s Worcester – Quarter Finals
52-7 v Oundle – Last 16
59-7 v Norwich – Round 3
46-10 v St Columba’s College – Round 2
Bye – Round 1
Lost 15-19 v St Albans – Cup Round 1
Brighton College (London & South East B)
22-3 v Chosen Hill – Semi Final
24-19 v Watford GS – Quarter Final
14-5 v Eltham College – Last 16
45-7 v Maidstone GS – Round 3
37-10 v Christ’s Hospital – Round 2
62-12 v Trinity – Round 1
Lost 7-52 v Eastbourne College – Cup Round 1
Past Performance
Dr Challoner’s – 2016 U15 Vase Champions. 2017 U15 Vase Runners Up.
Brighton College – 2010 U15 Vase Runners Up.
