The 80th edition of the Rosslyn Park HSBC National School 7s kicked off in glorious sunshine in South West London on Monday.
A 7s season has been gripping by rain and storms this season, but for the biggest tournament of them all the clouds finally parted and the sunshine came bursting through for the annual curtain-raiser that is the Junior Tournament.
132 teams entered the waterfall tournament and played some wonderful rugby throughout the day.
The Junior and Prep tournaments, as has been the case for a few years now, do not have outright winners, instead the sides are entered simply into round-robin style groups.
Nevertheless, twenty-one teams came through the Junior tournament without defeat, seventeen of those with a perfect five out of five record from their group.
Langley, who U18s won the Schools Vase last year, came through Group B with a perfect record, so too Christ’s Hospital in Group C and KES Bath in Group E.
Group F saw Trinity emerge with a five wins from their five games, while King’s Macclesfield performed wonderfully in Group J for their perfect record.
In last week’s U18 Schools Cup final Whitgift and Warwick played out one of the great finals, and it looks as though both have thoroughly bright futures ahead too after Warwick came through Group G with five wins out of five and Whitgift did the same in Group H.
Group H also provided the Try of the Day when Ysgol Gyfun Bro Edern’s Ben Roberts finished off a stunning team move to earn plaudits from all around the grounds.
Stamford came through a tricky Group K as another of the sides to win all of their games, likewise Ysgl Gyfun Bro Myrddin in Group L and Hampton, who will have a good shot at silverware later in the week, secured 5/5 in Group M.
St John’s Leatherhead and King’s Worcester were two of the other sides with perfect records, from Group O and Group Q respectively, likewise Solihull in Group R and St George’s College Weybridge in Group S.
Groups T, U, and V all had sides with five wins from their five games on the day, Hugh Sexey Church of England School, Monmouth, and St Peter’s Gloucester.
As ever though the real point of the Junior Tournament at the Rosslyn Park HSBC National School 7s was that is was just a sheer celebration of all that is good about schools rugby.
Every pitch saw teams playing for the pure joy of it, made all the more enjoyable by the sunshine that swept across these playing fields. When the sunshine comes through and the rugby is as good as this, there really are few places to be than the National Schools 7s at Rosslyn Park.
The action continues tomorrow when the U18s take over with the Vase competition and, fingers crossed, the sunshine looks set to continue. You can check out our preview of the action here: U18 Vase Draw & Preview.
2019 Rosslyn Park HSBC National School 7s Juniors Final Group Standings:
| Pos | Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D |
| 1 | UCS | Langley | Christ’s Hospital | Isleworth & Syon |
| 2 | Dover College | QES, Barnet | Wallington County GS | Penyrheol |
| 3 | Burford | Hill House | Wisbech Grammar | Red House |
| 4 | Stockport Grammar | Manchester Grammar | Porthcawl | Bishop Gore |
| 5 | Torquay Academy | Royal Hospital School | King John | Kew House |
| 6 | Colston’s | Merchant Taylors’ | Queen Ethelburga’s | Whitmore HS |
| Pos | Group E | Group F | Group G | Group H |
| 1 | KES Bath | Trinity | Warwick School U13 | Whitgift |
| 2 | Prince Henry’s GS | Ysgol Gyfun Gwyr | Rodillian Academy | Woodhouse Grove |
| 3 | KES Birmingham | Bedford Modern | John Fisher | Ysgol Gyfun Bro Edern |
| 4 | Dulwich College Singapore | Dubai College | Cowbridge Comprehensive | |
| 5 | Portsmouth Grammar | Tiffin | Newbridge | Orelans Park |
| 6 | Devonport HS | St Olave’s Grammar | Dubai English Speaking | Bohunt |
| Pos | Group I | Group J | Group K | Group L |
| 1 | Woodlands | King’s Macclesfield | Stamford | Ysgol Gyfun Bro Myrddin |
| 2 | Ysgol Dyffryn Taf | The Crypt | Haileybury | Lancaster RGS |
| 3 | Sir Joseph Williamson’s | Chislehurst & Sidcup | St Anselm’s College | Oakham |
| 4 | Newquay Tretherras | Norwich | Prior Park College | Reed’s |
| 5 | St Benedict’s | Westbourne House | Newcastle School for Boys | Woodbridge |
| 6 | Coopers Coborn | Ysgol Gyfun Plasmawr | St John’s College | Rutlish |
| Pos | Group M | Group N | Group O | Group P |
| 1 | Hampton | Ivybridge CC | St John’s Leatherhead | Berkhamsted |
| 2 | Torquay Boys Grammar | St Joseph’s College | Dulwich College | Emanuel |
| 3 | Blundell’s | Campion | Uffculme | Mount St Mary’s College |
| 4 | Welland Park | Knights Templar | QEH | Mary Immaculate |
| 5 | The Oratory | Cardiff HS | Stanwell | Gravesend Grammar |
| 6 | Scarisbrick Hall | Hampshire Collegiate | Richard Collyer | Ysgol Gyfun Rhydywaun |
| Pos | Group Q | Group R | Group S | Group T |
| 1 | King’s Worcester | Solihull | St George’s College | Hugh Sexey CofE |
| 2 | Loughborough Grammar | Richard Challoner | Brentwood | Fulham Boys |
| 3 | Bourne Grammar | Bromsgrove | Sevenoaks | Churcher’s College |
| 4 | RGS Guildford | Perins | Leicester Grammar | Ysgol Gyfun Bryn Tawe |
| 5 | Yarm | Gordon’s | Sidcot | Aberdare Community |
| 6 | London Oratory | City of London Freemen’s | QEHS | Treorchy Comprehensive |
| Pos | Group U | Group V |
| 1 | Monmouth | St Peter’s, Gloucester |
| 2 | New Hall | St Ambrose College |
| 3 | Packwood Haugh | RGS High Wycombe |
| 4 | Monkton Prep School | Hurstpierpoint College |
| 5 | Colfe’s | Brighton College |
| 6 | Cefn Hengoed Community | Y Pant Comprehensive |