A crucial weekend of schools rugby awaits us as across the country, with some of the best in the country going head to head and some cracking local derbies taking place as well.
It looks likely to be a highly competitive weekend once again, last week we saw a huge proportion of games going right to the wire and being settled by less than a single score in a huge number of cases. With any luck, we could be in for a similar weekend given the competitiveness of so many fixtures on the card.
Focus On
Campion v John Fisher
One of the biggest state school clashes in the whole of the country. These two have incredibly strong rugby histories, and Campion are once again enjoying a brilliant season, so far reaching the last 16 of the Schools Cup and losing just once all season, to Eltham College who were unbeaten until Wednesday. John Fisher’s season has been a little tougher, however it is somewhat of a false reflection as their fixture list is so strong. They will give absolutely everything in this and it really could go either way. It is not one to be missed.
Prediction: Campion
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Cheltenham College v Millfield
These two are both incredibly strong sides, but both suffered defeats last weekend and will be desperate to quickly turn back to winning ways. Cheltenham were defeated fairly convincingly by Clifton College, who ran Millfield close earlier in the season, so they know that they will need to be bang on form. Millfield lost their unbeaten record on Saturday though, with Blundell’s edging them out by a point. You can be certain that Millfield will come out absolutely firing after that, and that could set us up for a really exciting 70 minutes of rugby.
Prediction: Millfield
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Durham v Woodhouse Grove
Woodhouse Grove remain unbeaten this season and are looking like one of the very best around. This is a crucial game though, with RGS Newcastle in the Cup plus Sedbergh and Kirkham Grammar, all coming up they are entering the key point of their season, the point that will determine whether they are a very good side or one of the very best in the country. Durham will provide a test, only Sedbergh, RGS Newcastle, and St Peter’s have beaten them this year, and they will be eagerly chasing this scalp. It could be a very interesting game, and a key one of Woodhouse Grove’s momentum.
Prediction: Woodhouse Grove
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Eton College v St Paul’s
A real schoolboy classic between two of the most prestigious schools in the country. Rugby-wise, St Paul’s have really been on song this year. A slow start against Epsom College was followed by a brilliant run in which on Harrow and Bristol Grammar have beaten them, and only narrowly. However Eton have every chance here, they have been in good form this season and could just sense an opportunity against St Paul’s, who lost out to Bristol Grammar last midweek and then drew with Tonbridge on Saturday. We could be in for a real cracker on Saturday, one that really could go either way.
Prediction: St Paul’s
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Radley College v Abingdon
The ever exciting Oxford derby, or indeed to get even more local, the Abingdon derby. This has been a fantastic game in recent years, Abingdon won three in a row between 2014 and 2016 before last year’s incredibly tight game ended 5-3 in Radley’s favour. This year form is one Radley’s side, they have been looking good, particularly in recent weeks, while Abingdon have had a bit of a tough season. However in midweek they had a really strong victory over St Peter’s York in the Schools Plate, which could prove a timely boost. Either way, in such derbies form goes out of the window, this is about enjoyment and passion, and should be an excellent afternoon of rugby.
Prediction: Radley College
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Sedbergh v Warwick
A massive game of rugby between two sides that mopped up almost all of the major schools rugby trophies between them last season, Sedbergh winning the Rosslyn Park HSBC National School 7s, Sedbergh 10s, and Daily Mail Trophy, while Warwick won the Schools Cup. Both are playing well again this year, Sedbergh are unbeaten, while Warwick have reached the last 16 of the Cup again and have only been defeated by Wellington College and Whitgift, two top teams. Indeed Whitgift came within seconds of beating Sedbergh. This should be another great game of rugby, Sedbergh will be favourites but it will be full of passion and whichever side gets things right consistently will surely come out the winner.
Prediction: Sedbergh
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Stamford v Rugby
Three losses on the bounce is not ideal preparation for Stamford as they get ready to face the unbeaten Rugby, but Stamford are a side with a proud home record historically and they will be going all guns blazing to get on top of it again. For Rugby each game now is crucial, undoubtedly the players will now be deeply keen to go unbeaten through the season, which adds extra spice to each and every game. They are a fantastic side though, and you would expect them not to feel the heat too much.
Prediction: Rugby
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St Peter’s, York v Barnard Castle
A fairly torrid St Joseph’s Festival followed by defeat to RGS Newcastle at the weekend has left things looking a little downhill for St Peter’s, but prior to half term they were ticking along nicely and they will be targeting Saturday as a chance to shift back the momentum. Two comfortable wins over Barnard Castle in the last two years ought to fuel some confidence. However Barnard Castle are having a really strong season, only superstars Woodhouse Grove and RGS Newcastle have beaten them and they are on a four game winning streak, they will fancy a first win over St Peter’s since 2015.
Prediction: Barnard Castle
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Wellington College v Denstone College
It is a first meeting between these two sides but it should be a good one, both are fantastic outfits. Wellington have been one of the best in the country for a long while and are looking good again this year, only Millfield have beaten them and they are in the Champions Trophy semi finals and looking like probable favourites for the title. Denstone are having a cracking season too though, a strong St Joseph’s Festival performance impressed many and their regular season form has only seen them lose to Woodhouse Grove and Sedbergh, two sides acknowledged as being among the best. Their experiences against them should stand Denstone in good stead against Wellington, who are of a similar standard, but naturally it will take something special. It should be a cracking game of rugby.
Prediction: Wellington College
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Whitgift v Dulwich College
This is always one of the highlights of the season, a relatively local rivalry between two sides that are almost always right at the upper echelons of the school game. Both are looking in fine fettle this season too, Whitgift are unbeaten since late September and only Wellington College and Sedbergh have toppled them, indeed it took a last second score form Sedbergh to settle things. Dulwich, too, are in good nick. Like Whitgift they were defeat by Wellington, though by slighty less, while Hampton are the only other side to defeat them, scoring a last minute try in their Champions Trophy tie. This one really does look incredibly finely balanced and could go either way easily. It should make for fascinating viewing.
Prediction: Whitgift
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Around the Grounds
There are loads of really exciting fixtures this weekend, not least Epsom College, fresh from reaching the Champions Trophy semi finals, travel to RGS Guildford, who will doubtless give a strong account of themselves making for a cracking game.
Moving to Yorkshire, there is a fantastic looking game as QEGS Wakefield and Bradford Grammar compete in what really ought to be a superb game between two well-matched sides. Meanwhile in the Midlands Oakham host Bedford, with Bedford looking for a signature win, though Oakham are in great form, Oundle meanwhile host The Perse, in what promises to be an excellent game.
There are some awesome games in the South West, among them Bishop Wordsworth’s hosting Downside, it looks as though it should be a really close game. Bristol Grammar meanwhile prepare for Tuesday Champions Trophy semi final against Wellington with a home game against Colston’s, a tough tes particularly as they will likely have to rest a couple of bodies.
Sticking in the region, in form Clifton College are hosting a good Sherborne side in what should be a real highlight of the weekend. Canford, meanwhile, face the tricky task of welcoming a Seaford College side that is playing some brilliant rugby.
The South East sees Brighton College travel along to Eastbourne College, where they will look to add to last week’s strong performance against Epsom. Meanwhile Tonbridge, in great form since half term, are travelling to King’s Canterbury.
St John’s Leatherhead host Haileybury in what has started to become a really strong fixture on the schools rugby list, while Felsted are in action at a good Royal Hospital School side.
Bromsgrove, meanwhile, look to bounce back from their midweek Schools Cup defeat to Warwick with a home game against RGS High Wycombe.
Friday
It is one of the busiest Fridays of the season this week, one major highlight will be Kirkham Grammar School’s trip to Harrow, a massive game between two of the top sides in the country over the past couple of years.
There is an absolutely massive game at Wymondham RFC on Friday too as Langley, the current Vase holders, take on the unbeaten Norwich in a huge Norfolk derby. There is a big Suffolk derby too as Ipswich host Woodbridge, while Chislehurst & Sidcup host Ravens Wood.
Beckenham RFC hosts St Olave’s Grammar v Langley Park, which ought to be a cracker. Meanwhile Merchant Taylors’ ‘rugby week’ is rounded off with their game against Reading Blue Coat. Shiplake College and St Benedict’s are also in action in a massive game on Friday, while at Cardiff Met Uni Hereford Cathedral School and Llandaff Cathedral School both meet.
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Schools Rugby Weekend Fixtures – Saturday 17th November (predictions in bold):
Focus On
Campion v John Fisher
Cheltenham College v Millfield
Durham v Woodhouse Grove
Eton College v St Paul’s
Radley College v Abingdon
Sedbergh v Warwick
Stamford v Rugby
St Peter’s, York v Barnard Castle
Wellington College v Denstone College
Whitgift v Dulwich College
Saturday
Ampleforth College v Newcastle School for Boys
Bancroft’s v Coopers’ Coborn
Bedford Modern v St Columba’s
Birkenhead v Rydal Penrhos
Bishop Wordsworth’s v Downside
Bloxham v Bishop Vesey’s GS
Brentwood v Bishop’s Stortford HS
Bristol GS v Colston’s
Bromsgrove v RGS High Wycombe
Bryanston v Portsmouth GS
Canford v Seaford College
Caterham v St George’s College, Weybridge
Cheadle Hulme v Wilmslow HS
Churcher’s College v KES Southampton
Clifton College v Sherborne
Clifton HS v St Edward’s, Cheltenham
Cranbrook v Dartford GS
Dauntsey’s v Kingswood
Dundee HS v Stewart’s Melville
Eastbourne College v Brighton College
George Heriot’s v Edinburgh Academy
Glasgow Academy v Dollar Academy
Grammar School at Leeds v Hymers College
Gravesend GS v King’s Rochester
Halliford v Wallington CGS
Hampton v Trinity
Hill House v Birkdale
Hurstpierpoint College v KCS Wimbledon
Judd v Simon Langton
KES Birmingham v Loughborough GS
King’s Bruton v Clayesmore
King’s Canterbury v Tonbridge
King’s College, Taunton v Exeter
King’s Ely v Culford
King’s Grantham v Northampton School for Boys
King Henry VIII, Coventry v Ratcliffe College
King’s Worcester v Dean Close
Latymer Upper v Colfe’s
Liverpool College v Newcastle-Under-Lyme
London Oratory v Wimbledon College
Loretto v Strathallan
Magdalen College v KES, Stratford
Malvern College v King’s Macclesfield
Manchester GS v Altrincham GS
Mount Kelly v Warminster
Oakham v Bedford
Oundle v The Perse
Pangbourne College v Lord Wandsworth College
Pocklington v Dame Allan’s
QEGS Wakefield v Bradford GS
QEH v The Crypt
QES Barnet v Richard Hale
Queen’s College, Taunton v Plymouth College
RGS Colchester v St Joseph’s College
RGS Guildford v Epsom College
RGS Worcester v Monmouth
Robert Gordon’s College v Dundee High School
Royal Hospital School v Feslted
Sevenoaks v Sutton Valence
Sir Thomas Rich’s v Pate’s GS
Skinners’ v Reed’s
Solihull v Nottingham HS
St Ambrose College v Sandbach
St Dunstan’s College v Ashford
St George’s, Harpenden v St Albans
St John’s, Leatherhead v Haileybury
St Lawrence College v Chatham & Clarendon
Stockport GS v Bolton
Taunton v KES Bath
Tettenhall College v St Joseph’s College, Stoke
Truro v Shebbear College
Watford GS v UCS
Welbeck v Trent College
Wellingborough v Princethorpe College
Wellington School v Monkton Combe
Wells Cathedral v West Buckland
Windsor Boys v Tiffin
Wisbech GS v Worksop College
Wycliffe College v Prior Park College
Yarm v Pocklington 2nd XV
Friday
Chislehurst & Sidcup v Ravens Wood
Harrow v Kirkham GS
Hereford Cathedral v Cathedral School, Llandaff (Cardiff Met Uni)
Ipswich v Woodbridge
Langley v Norwich (Wymondham RFC)
Merchant Taylors’ v Reading Blue Coat
Shiplake College v St Benedict’s
St Olave’s GS v Langley Park (Beckenham RFC)
