AASE League: Oaklands College and Beechen Cliff start with a bang

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The opening round of the 2018 AASE League took place on Wednesday, with one game on Tuesday, and saw a number of exciting games.

 

With the league again split into two conference of seven, north and south, there were three games in each conference with one side in each having a bye, Moulton College in the north and reigning champions Hartpury College in the south.

 

There was also the introduction of a new team, Stourport High School, who come into the northern conference in place of Worcester 6th form College this year and like the team they replace they will represent Worcester Warriors.

 

Northern Conference

 

Last year’s runners up were Gosforth Academy. The Newcastle Falcons AASE side have been among the most exciting sides in the country over the last few year, school, college, or AASE, and they continued that pattern away to Myerscough College in this opening round. A close but exciting game ensued and as expected there were plenty of points, 73 in total, with Gosforth taking the spoils away from home 43-30.

 

It was a tough start to AASE life for Stourport who went down 46-5 at Sixways to one of last year’s leading lights, Oaklands College. They will take heart though in the performance of last year’s newcomers Brooksby Melton College, who enjoyed a strong first season, and in Bishop Burton College. The Yorkshire Carnegie outfit were new in 2016 and struggled at first but have since progressed rapidly.

 

That progress was shown on Wednesday as they beat Brooksby Melton on Leicester Tigers’ territory, securing the 29-24 away win to get their campaign off to a perfect start.

 

Southern Conference

 

With Hartpury having a bye week in the opening round, this was a chance for everyone in the conference to steal a march on the perennial front-runners. The southern conference actually opened the league this year with an all Exeter Chiefs AASE derby of Exeter College v Truro College on Tuesday night.

 

A brilliant game ensued with both sides giving it everything after a long day that had seen the 2nd and 3rd XVs meet as well. Exeter College took the win, 34-21, and as the only side other than Hartpury to have ever won the league, back in 2016, they will be delighted to be putting the pressure on right from the start.

 

So too Beechen Cliff, who enjoyed an outstanding 42-7 victory over SGS Filton College on Wednesday. It was the third Bath v Bristol outing of the opening week of the season, with Bristol taking the Gallagher Premiership and Premiership Shield spoils, but Beechen Cliff struck back for Bath with this brilliant AASE showing.

 

The final game in the south was a brilliantly close game between St Paul’s Catholic College and Henley College. Both had great spells last season and look well matched again this, the home side, St Paul’s, took the spoils 19-17 but both sides will be eagerly awaiting the fixtures to come.

 

Coming Up

 

Next week Moulton College make their season debuts as they welcome Brooksby Melton, Stourport look to rectify their loss to Oaklands, who have a bye, when they make the tricky trip to Gosforth. Bishop Burton meanwhile will be looking to make it two in a row when they entertain Myerscough.

 

In the south the champions will take to the field for the first time as they host St Paul’s, Henley College meanwhile welcome Exeter College, giving us two games from which we should learn a lot about the season to come. Beechen Cliff will hope to back up that brilliant win over SGS Filton, who have a bye, but face a tough trip down to Truro.

 

AASE Round 1 Results:

 

North

Brooksby Melton College 24-29 Bishop Burton College

Myerscough College 30-43 Gosforth Academy

Stourport High School 5-46 Oaklands College

Moulton College – Bye

 

South

Beechen Cliff 42-7 SGS Filton College

Exeter College 34-21 Truro College (Tuesday)

St Paul’s Catholic College 19-17 Henley College

Hartpury College – Bye

 

Further Fixtures:

 

Round 2

 

North

Bishop Burton College v Myerscough College

Gosforth Academy v Stourport High School

Moulton College v Brooksby Melton College

Oaklands College – Bye

 

South

Hartpury College v St Paul’s Catholic College

Henley College v Exeter College

Truro College v Beechen Cliff

SGS Filton College – Bye

 

Round 3

 

North

Myerscough College v Moulton College

Oaklands College v Gosforth Academy

Stourport High School v Bishop Burton College

Brooksby Melton College – Bye

 

South

Beechen Cliff v Henley College

Exeter College v Hartpury College

SGS Filton College v Truro College

St Paul’s Catholic College – Bye

 

Round 4

 

North

Bishop Burton College v Oaklands College

Brooksby Melton College v Myerscough College

Moulton College v Stourport High School

Gosforth Academy – Bye

 

South

Hartpury College v Beechen Cliff

Henley College v SGS Filton College

St Paul’s Catholic College v Exeter College

Truro College – Bye

 

Round 5

 

North

Gosforth Academy v Bishop Burton College

Oaklands College v Moulton College

Stourport High School v Brooksby Melton College

Myerscough College – Bye

 

South

Beechen Cliff v St Paul’s Catholic College

SGS Filton College v Hartpury College

Truro College v Henley College

Exeter College – Bye

 

Round 6

 

North

Brooksby Melton College v Oaklands College

Moulton College v Gosforth Academy

Myerscough College v Stourport High School

Bishop Burton College – Bye

 

South

Exeter College v Beechen Cliff

Hartpury College v Truro College

St Paul’s Catholic College v SGS Filton College

Henley College – Bye

 

Round 7

 

North

Bishop Burton College v Moulton College

Gosforth Academy v Brooksby Melton College

Oaklands College v Myerscough College

Stourport High School – Bye

 

South

Henley College v Hartpury College

SGS Filton College v Exeter College

Truro College v St Paul’s Catholic College

Beechen Cliff – Bye

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