Heavy rain caused a few problems over the weekend, seeing a number of big games called off including Seaford College v St John’s Leatherhead from our Focus On series.
Most games did go to head though, and there were some absolute beauties all across the country as sides look to finish the season with a real flourish to leave their schools rugby careers with the sweetest of tastes.
Focus On
Brighton College and Hampton played out an incredibly close game on Saturday, one of many. It was always expected to be close, both sides have had such similar records this year, and so it proved as Brighton managed an 11-8 victory.
Things were close over in Cheltenham too, where Sherborne beat Cheltenham College in a really tight and low-scoring encounter, 5-0, a win that should keep their confidence up ahead of next week’s Schools Plate quarter final.
Clifton College v Bromsgrove always felt like it was going to be a massive game and that was absolutely the case on Saturday as they were kept incredibly close, Bromsgrove impressively winning by a score, 28-22.
Cranleigh were in particularly fine form on Saturday as they secured a highly impressive 24-0 victory over Marlborough College, a side that have been impressing throughout the season.
One of the most hotly anticipated games of the weekend was Epsom College v Hurstpierpoint College a re-run of the previous week’s Champions Trophy semi final. Epsom had Wednesday’s Final to think about, but Hurstpierpoint showed just how determined they were to avenge that semi final defeat as they won an incredibly tight game 10-7, a victory that will surely mean a huge amount to everyone involved.
Radley College enjoyed one of their best victories of the season against Berkhamsted on Saturday, beating the visitors 25-15 to send them towards next week’s final game with a real sense of confidence.
Dulwich College proved their undoubted quality once more on Saturday as they inflicted more pain on St Paul’s after their recent tough spell on the field, securing a highly impressive 33-7.
In keeping with the theme of many of our Focus On fixtures, Eton College’s trip to Tonbridge was another really close game, with Eton winning this one 17-12 after an extremely well contested encounter.
Seaford College v St John’s Leatherhead was unfortunately cancelled due to waterlogged pitches, while the Barnard Castle v Durham result is yet to come in.
Around the Grounds
Elsewhere there were some seriously outstanding performances, not leas a 50-0 victory for Blundell’s at home to Taunton and a really impressive 34-19 victory for Campion over Langley.
Caterham’s outstanding season just keeps on going and going, this time with a brilliant 34-10 victory over Eastbourne College. While Dean Close must be feeling excited about their upcoming Cup last 16 game after a stunning 64-0 victory over Prior Park College.
Downside also enjoyed a memorable victory on Saturday, playing excellently for a 31-9 victory over Canford. Things were much closer for Eltham College, who beat Skinners’ 19-17 to leave them unbeaten in the regular season, with the final game fast approaching.
There was an excellent 21-5 victory for Haileybury over Bishop’s Stortford College, while Harrow were in scintillating form at home to Bedford, winning 41-10. Uppingham, meanwhile, enjoyed a good win over Stowe, 26-5. Local rivals Oakham beat Solihull 41-10.
Millfield had plenty of players missing but still put on a fine performance to bounce back from last week’s defeat to Whitgift with a 20-7 victory over Monmouth, meanwhile Norwich’s quest for an unbeaten regular season remains firmly on after yet another strong win, this time beating Framlingham College 43-15.
Bloxham are also preserving a brilliant record this season and they continue after winning an attritional one against the Oratory, 10-5. They had gone 5-0 up through Rob Helyer but with ten minute to go The Oratory hit back, only for an incredible 28th try of the season for hooker Alfie Barbeary to seal the 10-5 victory.
Also enjoyed a quite stunning season are Rugby, who continued that in style on Saturday with a 33-11 victory over Oundle, while Magdalen College, enjoying a similarly impressive year, beat Pangbourne College 40-3 away from home.
Friday
Friday saw a stunning victory for Wisbech Grammar School as they put 87 points past Robert Clack while only conceding 7 in return. There was also a victory for Wymondham College, who were 14-8 victors over Woodbridge, while the Abingdon v RGS High Wycome result is yet to come in.
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Schools Rugby Weekend Results – Saturday 1st December:
Focus On
Barnard Castle v Durham – Still to Come
Brighton College 11-8 Hampton
Cheltenham College 0-5 Sherborne
Clifton College 22-28 Bromsgrove
Cranleigh 24-0 Marlborough College
Epsom College 7-10 Hurstpierpoint College
Radley College 25-15 Berkhamsted
Seaford College v St John’s, Leatherhead – Cancelled
St Paul’s 7-33 Dulwich College
Tonbridge 12-17 Eton College
Saturday
Ampleforth College 5-24 Pocklington
Bablake 14-5 Warwick 2nd XV
Bedford Modern 0-29 Richard Hale
Blundell’s 50-0 Taunton
Bryanston 7-15 Dauntsey’s
Campion 34-19 Langley (Cambridge)
Caterham 34-10 Eastbourne College
Cheadle Hulme 7-34 Lancaster RGS
Chislehurst & Sidcup GS 24-7 Coopers Coborn
Christ College 10-41 Kirkham GS 2nd XV
Churcher’s College 11-0 Christ’s Hospital
City of London Freemen’s 12-0 Worth
Clifton HS 19-15 Rendcomb College
Colfe’s 10-5 Reigate GS
The Crypt 0-33 Sir Thomas Rich’s
Culford 26-0 Wymondham College
Dean Close 64-0 Prior Park College
Dollar Academy v Glenalmond College – Cancelled
Downside 31-9 Canford
Duke of York’s RMS 12-32 Sutton Valence
Eltham College 19-17 Skinners’
Exeter v Clayesmore – Cancelled
Glasgow Academy 27-21 Edinburgh Academy
Grammar School at Leeds 8-0 St Peter’s, York
Haileybury 21-5 Bishops Stortford College
Harrow 41-10 Bedford
Hereford Cathedral 10-5 King Henry VIII, Coventry
Judd 25-15 Trinity
KES Stratford 12-17 Wellingborough
King’s Canterbury 34-5 Sevenoaks
King’s College, Taunton 19-0 Truro
King’s Worcester v Old Swinford Hospital – Cancelled
Langley Park 13-32 Ravens Wood
Latymer Upper 34-7 Cobham International
Leicester GS 43-5 Ratcliffe College
Loughborough GS 14-55 Stamford
Merchant Taylors’ 14-19 Reed’s
Monmouth 7-20 Millfield
Norwich 43-15 Framlingham College
Nottingham HS 49-0 KES Birmingham
Oakham 41-10 Solihull
The Oratory 5-10 Bloxham
Pangbourne College 3-40 Magdalen College
Pate’s GS 17-22 Bristol GS
Plymouth College v Llandovery College – Cancelled
Portsmouth GS U17s 20-26 KES Southampton
QEGS Wakefield 10-55 RGS Newcastle
QEH 21-12 Kingswood
Reading Blue Coat 19-14 Tiffin
RGS Guildford 40-7 KCS Wimbledon
Robert Gordon’s College 21-35 Strathallan
Royal Hospital School 17-0 Gresham’s
Rugby 33-11 Oundle
Shiplake College 12-12 Emanuel
Silcoates 0-35 Birkdale
St Albans 5-24 Felsted
St Ambrose College v Crossley Heath – Cancelled
St Anselm’s College 5-17 Ellesmere College
St Benedict’s 6-13 John Fisher
St Dunstan’s College 19-5 Kent College
St Edward’s, Oxford 36-5 Malvern College
St George’s College, Weybridge 31-0 Lord Wandsworth College
St Joseph’s College 47-7 Ipswich
St Olave’s GS v Dartford GS
St Peter’s, Gloucester 20-24 RGS Worcester
Uppingham 26-5 Stowe
Wallington CGS 10-7 Wimbledon College
Warminster v Wycliffe College – Cancelled
Watford GS 5-20 Mill Hill
Wellington School 25-17 KES Bath
Wells Cathedral v Monkton Combe – Cancelled
Wilmslow HS 14-17 Manchester GS
Worksop College v Mount St Mary’s – Cancelled
Friday
Wisbech GS 87-7 Robert Clack
Woodbridge 8-14 Wymondham College
Still to Come:
Abingdon v RGS High Wycombe
Abraham Darby v Wrekin College
Fettes College v George Heriot’s
Haberdashers’ v UCS
Kelvinside Academy v Marr College
King’s Bruton v Mount Kelly v Tavistock RFC v Milton Abbey
Oswestry v Liverpool College
The Perse v The Leys
Princethorpe College v KES Camp Hill
Rossall v St Mary’s, Crosby
St Columba’s College v New Hall
Stockport GS v Altrincham GS
Yarm v Ashville College
