Schools Rugby Weekend Roundup: A stunning weekend sees top sides go head to head

BECOME A PATRON

This weekend was surely one of the best of the schools rugby season as some major debates were settled.

 

Coming into the weekend, for instance, we knew that Millfield were good, but were they good enough to beat Wellington College? Could Whitgift claim a big scalp away at Warwick, would Dulwich College’s great run of big scalps continue away at Brighton College, and could fast-rising Denstone College spring a surprise against Sedbergh – to name just a few of the high profile questions.

 

There was much much more besides, with some fantastic games of rugby played out across the country.

 

Focus On

 

Dulwich College continued their fantastic run of form by adding Brighton College to their list of scalps that also includes Epsom College and Harrow in recent weeks. It was a remarkably tight game, 17-17 until the very last play of the game, when Dulwich broke the length of the field to seal the most dramatic of victories against a superb Brighton College side.

 

Another side in remarkable form, arguably the best form in the country, are Sedbergh. They continued that fine unbeaten start to the season against Denstone College on Saturday but it was undoubtedly one of their toughest so far. They took themselves out to a 26-5 lead, but this high-quality and determined Denstone College side fought back to 26-17 to give the final score a much more reflective feel. For Sedbergh though, it was a continuation of their powerful start to the season, achieved without a number of their star names.

DoSH7cRXkAMHSGn

If those seem like big games, the next one was arguably even bigger, Millfield v Wellington College, two of the biggest names in school rugby, who have both started the season in stunning form and with unbeaten records. For one side that record would fall on Saturday, but not after a titanic tussle that was a true advert for schools rugby as these two gave everything to the cause. Millfield were the victors, 20-12, an impressive achievement after such a tough game against Clifton in midweek, and a win that again sets them up as one of the top sides in the country, be assured though, so are Wellington.

 

Another fantastic game came of the outskirts of Oxford, where Radley College hosted Cheltenham College, the first time in a long time that this one was played on a Saturday, not a Thursday. The two were expected to be relatively evenly matched, and so it proved as Cheltenham snatched a tight one, 12-5.

 

Stamford’s fine start to the season continued against another local rival on Saturday as they beat Oundle 28-14, a fine result that leaves them still with just one very narrow defeat to their name so far.

 

St John’s Leatherhead v Hurstpierpoint College was expected to be close, both sides are really climbing the ladder and becoming a real threat to some of the top teams around and they showed that on Saturday as they played out a fantastic game. Hurstpierpoint took it, 26-22, but they were made to fight for it all the way by their hosts.

 

St Paul’s v RGS Guildford was another interesting game, both sides have had ups and downs but arrived in good form, and this game seemed as though it would be a good indicator of where they are. On the evidence of the result then, it would seem that St Paul’s are in a very good place as they recorded a highly impressive 46-12 victory over their visitors.

 

One of the biggest games of the day was a repeat of last year’s Schools Cup semi final, between two sides who again look to be among the best around, Warwick and Whitgift. Warwick hosted the game with an unbeaten record, while Whitgift had been struggling for wins, however that was a misleading stat as Whitgift had been taking some of the very best teams in the country very close week after week. Finally in the West Midlands they got their reward for those efforts with a 23-19 victory in a game that was tight right the way through, a real schools rugby classic.

 

Woodhouse Grove’s superb unbeaten start to the season continued on Saturday when they beat one of the most famous names in all of schoolboy rugby, Barnard Castle, 36-12. The Yorkshire side are looking very strong indeed this year.

 

Finally in our focus on section was one of the biggest non fee paying games in the country as Wilmslow High School hosted Lymm High School. Always a classic game between two consistently high performers. It was Lymm this time that we’re in flying form though, taking a brilliant 36-7 victory.

 

Around the Grounds

 

There was a huge amount of exciting action outside of our ‘Focus On’ fixtures, not least Caterham’s continuing fantastic start to the season as they beat Christ’s Hospital 52-0.

DoUSCEMX0AAb0tz

Bristol Grammar were also in fine points scoring form as they beat Monmouth 52-28. Berkhamsted meanwhile, like Bristol, backed up their midweek Champions Trophy win with a 17-10 victory away at Abingdon.

DoXU3KmXkAI9_Bg

Eton College, after that midweek loss to Bristol, were back in business on Saturday with an impressive 17-14 victory over a very good Marlborough College side, while Wimbledon College enjoyed a tight victory in a big south London derby as they beat John Fisher 15-14.

 

Moving North, Hymers College’s strong start to the season carried on with an impressive 40-14 victory over Bradford Grammar, while Kirkham Grammar continue to prove their excellence, this time with a superb 46-8 victory over Lancaster RGS.

30082812497_54868eb2ab_z

Felsted put in one of the performances of the season to win a real tussle at Oakham, taking a close on 28-22, while Hampton were in good form at RGS High Wycombe, winning 34-22.

DoR_4t0X0AEbynX

Rugby continue to go from strength to strength, adding to their resume for the season an excellent 27-12 home win over an Uppingham side that have been performing well this year.

 

Bishop’s Stortford High School, meanwhile, put in one of the performances of the weekend for a 74-0 win away at St Columba’s.

 

Friday

 

There was some great action on Friday night, not least at KCS Old Boys RFC, where KCS Wimbledon hosted St George’s College Weybridge and recorded with it a hugely impressive 31-19 victory. Langley Park, meanwhile edged a tight one with Trinity, 22-21, while in the Glasgow derby Glasgow High School beat Glasgow Academy 39-17.

 

A reminder that we welcome any photos, videos, and reports from your school’s games – the more the merrier! You can send them in to us via any of the methods below:

Twitter: @FifteenRugbyXV

Facebook: www.facebook.com/FifteenRugby

Instagram: @fifteenrugbyxv

Email: writers@fifteenrugby.com

 

You can see photos from the weekend’s action in this week’s Gallery: Saturday 29th September.

 

Schools Rugby Weekend Results – Saturday 29th September:

 

Focus On

 

Brighton College 17-22 Dulwich College

Denstone College 17-26 Sedbergh

Millfield 20-12 Wellington College

Radley College 5-12 Cheltenham College

Stamford 28-14 Oundle

St John’s, Leatherhead 22-26 Hurstpierpoint College

St Paul’s 46-12 RGS Guildford

Warwick 19-23 Whitgift

Wilmslow HS 7-36 Lymm HS

Woodhouse Grove 36-12 Barnard Castle

 

Saturday

 

Abingdon 10-17 Berkhamsted

Aylesbury GS 18-21 Reading Blue Coat

Bede Academy 7-40 Austin Friars

Bel Baxter 5-63 Loretto

Birkdale 10-48 Ashville College

Bolton 17-21 Manchester Grammar

Bournemouth 7-33 KES Southampton

Bristol GS 52-28 Monmouth

Bromsgrove 25-5 Solihull

Caterham 52-0 Christ’s Hospital

Cheadle Hulme 17-17 Sandbach

Chislehurst & Sidcup GS 35-14 Sir Joseph Williamson’s

Dartford GS 45-5 Wallington CGS

Dean Close 34-17 KES Bath

Durham 50-0 Newcastle SfB

Edinburgh Academy 7-31 George Watson’s College

Eton College 17-14 Marlborough College

Glenalmond 62-14 Dundee HS

Glyn 57-0 Isleworth & Syon

Grammar School at Leeds 0-17 RGS Newcastle

Gresham’s 34-6 Culford

Haberdashers’ 36-5 Tring

Hereford Cathedral School 45-3 St Edward’s, Cheltenham

Hymers College 40-14 Bradford GS

John Fisher 14-15 Wimbledon College

Judd 19-14 Ravens Wood

King Henry VIII, Coventry 29-24 KES Camp Hill

King’s Gloucester 55-7 Clifton HS

King’s Macclesfield 52-0 Merchant Taylors’

Kirkham GS 46-8 Lancaster RGS

Latymer Upper 38-8 QES, Barnet

Leicester GS 38-17 Bablake

Loughborough GS 3-33 QEGS Wakefield

Magdalen College 15-20 Merchant Taylors’

Mill Hill 36-21 Richard Hale

Oakham 22-28 Felsted

Portsmouth GS 26-25 Churcher’s College

Princethorpe College 30-7 Bedford Modern

Ratcliffe College 7-50 Mount St Mary’s College

Reed’s 35-17 Eastbourne College

Reigate GS 15-47 Worth

RGS Colchester 26-36 Norwich

RGS High Wycombe 22-34 Hampton

RGS Worcester 45-10 Pate’s GS

Robert Gordon’s College v Fettes College

Rugby 27-12 Uppingham

Seaford College 66-7 Emanuel

Sir Thomas Rich’s 32-14 King’s Worcester

Stewart’s Melville 34-50 Dollar Academy

St Albans 20-19 St Benedict’s

St Columba’s College 0-74 Bishop’s Stortford HS

St George’s, Harpenden 12-39 London Oratory

Stockport GS 0-42 St Ambrose College

Strathallan 19-52 Merchiston Castle

Sutton Valence 40-26 Colfe’s

Taunton 60-5 QEH

Tiffin 14-15 Halliford

Truro 3-39 Blundell’s

Wellington School 15-26 King’s College, Taunton

West Buckland 17-41 Queen’s Colleg,e Taunton

Yarm 14-15 Ampleforth College

 

Friday

 

Glasgow HS 39-17 Glasgow Academy

KCS Wimbledon 31-19 St George’s College, Weybridge (KCS Old Boys RFC)

Trinity 21-22 Langley Park

 

Still to Come:

 

Bancroft’s v St Dunstan’s College

Campion v Royal Hospital School

City of London Freemen’s v Sevenoaks

Crossley Heath v Rodillian Academy

Culford v New Hall

KES Stratford v Adams GS

Liverpool College v King William’s College

The Oratory v UCS

Skinners’ v Brentwood

St Ignatius College v Enfield Grammar

St Olave’s GS v Gravesend GS

SHARING IS CARING!
Leave a Response

Related Articles

Back to top