RPNS7s: Bromsgrove win Rosslyn Park HSBC National School 7s Vase in thrilling final performance (Vase/Bowl Roundup)

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Bromsgrove secured the Rosslyn Park HSBC National School 7s U18 Vase title on Wednesday after an epically well-contested two days of rugby.

 

The Midlands side were sensational in the final, beating Rugby School 26-5 after a stunning first half saw them lead 14-0 before they really stretched out in the second half for a 26-0 lead.

 

Rugby deservedly pulled one back in the end for 26-5, a fitting score as they truly had been magnificent all day.

 

Indeed the Vase competition was completely draining for all sides, such was the effort they had been forced to put in. It was, perhaps, the most impressive aspect of their performance in the final, their sheer energy. With each score they showed superb zip and in defence their enthusiasm to bounce back to their feet and keep working for the men either side of them truly was a sight to behold.

 

They had reached the day after winning their opening group on Tuesday ahead of an elimantion round 38-5 victory over Ysgol Y Preseli, who would go on to the Bowl semi finals.

 

That left Bromsgrove in a quarter final pool alongside Norwich School and Cathedral School, Llandaff. The Vase competition consisted of six quarter final groups of three, from which the winners progressed to two semi final groups of three, with the winner of each of those meeting in the final.

 

Bromsgrove headed up that quarter final pool, while Rugby School finished ahead of RGS Guildford and Wimbledon College, who had both impressed so much on the opening day.

 

Rugby’s semi final pool was as tough as it gets, alongside Merchiston Castle and Epsom College, two sides that had come under some heat for their position in this Vase competition rather than the Cup. Epsom had come through a tricky quarter final pool ahead of George Watson’s College and Eton College, while Merchiston had been superb against Tonbridge and Cheltenham College.

 

Bromsgrove meanwhile found themselves in a semi final pool against Oakham and Seevic College. Seevic had finished ahead of Millfield 2nd VII and Durham in their quarter final pool, Oakham finishing ahead of Downside and Gower College in theirs.

 

Bromsgrove were in fine form against Seevic for a 32-12 victory, but Oakham, who had looked like one of the favourites, gave them probably their toughest game of the tournament. However this Bromsgrove side, who earlier in the season won the Solihull 7s, toughed it out for a 26-21 victory.

 

Over in Rugby’s Pool, things were tight, it seemed to be the pitchside view of many that either Merchiston or Epsom were the tournament favourites overall. As it turned out, all three were incredibly evenly matched, Merchiston edging out Epsom by a score before Rugby them did the same.

 

That left Rugby v Merchiston as the decider, and what a decider. Just three points separated them, Rugby were ahead 15-12 fairly early in the second half and then withstood a Merchiston onslaught for the rest of the game to hold on to that lead and secure their place in the final.

 

Perhaps that had simply tired them out too much ahead of that final, or perhaps Bromsgrove were just magnificent. Perhaps a bit of both.

 

Whatever the truth of it, what was certain was that Bromsgrove had played fantastic rugby all day and in the final the showed the very best of it, scoring some stunning tries and showing an intensity to their play that few could possibly have matched.

 

It was a wonderful achievement for this men in maroon and white, and a title that they have thoroughly earned.

 

U18 Bowl

 

For the sides losing in those Vase elimination games on Tuesday the U18 Bowl was the prize. There was some cracking rugby throughout, as shown by the quality of the sides in the Bowl draw.

 

Ultimately it was RGS Newcastle that took the title, beating Felsted 26-17 to add the U18 Bowl to the St Joseph’s Festival title that they won before Christmas.

 

They had to do it the hard way, coming through a brutal quarter final pool against Mount St Mary’s College and Berkhamsted, before heading into an even tougher semi final pool alongside St Peter’s York and Campion.

 

That Pool was as tough as it gets and that was shown by the way it was decided – on points difference. RGS beat St Peter’s but lost to Campion, who in turn had lost to St Peter’s, leaving them all level on points but with RGS progressing with a plus 5 points difference to St Peter’s plus 2 and Campion’s -7. There was some consolation for St Peter’s though, who claimed the Try of the Day through Barney Baker.

 

Felsted, meanwhile, had finished ahead of St George’s College Weybridge and Isle of Man Schools in their quarter final pool to set up a semi final pool against Ysgol Y Preseli and Exeter School, beating both to head into the final full of confidence.

 

It was a cracking final, with the score swinging back and forth with both sides giving it everything. Felsted had the lead at 17-14 and simply could not have given more to the cause.

 

RGS dug deep though, oh so deep, scoring for 19-17 and then hounding down Felsted, who looked like they might score themselves. Having won the ball back though, RGS slowly made their way downfield to finish off in magnificent style, scoring for a 26-17 victory and a brilliant U18 Bowl title.

 

Slick Bromsgrove

 

The final plaudits must go to Bromsgrove though, who were quite simply magnificent in their final against a Rugby side that had been impressing all onlookers throughout the day’s play.

 

The zip and verve that they showed throughout the final was outstanding and left them the deserving Rosslyn Park HSBC National School 7s Vase champions, a stunning achievement.

 

U18 Vase/Bowl Results and Standings:

 

U18 Vase Final: Bromsgrove 26-5 Rugby

 

U18 Bowl Final: RGS Newcastle 26-17 Felsted

 

U18 Vase Semi Final Pools – Final Standings:

 

PosVase AVase B
1RugbyBromsgrove
2Merchiston CastleOakham
3Epsom CollegeSeevic College

 

U18 Bowl Semi Final Pools – Final Standings:

 

PosBowl ABowl B
1RGS NewcastleFelsted
2St Peter’s YorkYsgol Y Preseli
3CampionExeter School

 

U18 Vase Quarter Final Pools – Final Standings:

 

PosVase AVase BVase C
1Epsom CollegeMerchiston CastleRugby
2George Watson’sTonbridgeRGS Guildford
3Eton CollegeCheltenham CollegeWimbledon College

 

PosVase DVase EVase F
1BromsgroveSeevic CollegeOakham
2NorwichMillfield 2nd VIIDownside
3Cathedral Sch LlandaffDurhamGower College

 

U18 Bowl Quarter Final Pools – Final Standings:

 

PosBowl ABowl BBowl C
1St Peter’s, YorkCampionRGS Newcastle
2St Edwards, OxfordChislehurst & SidcupMount St Mary’s
3Eastbourne CollegeRoyal Hospital SchoolBerkhamsted

 

PosBowl DBowl EBowl F
1Ysgol Y PreseliFelstedExeter School
2Pangbourne CollegeSt George’s CollegeWallington County GS
3Sir William Borlase’sIsle of Man SchoolsTaunton School

 

Elimination Round Results:

 

St Peter’s York 19-26 George Watson’s College

Epsom College 27-0 St Edward’s Oxford

Eastbourne College 7-26 Eton College

 

Cheltenham College 22-17 Campion

Merchiston Castle 35-12 Royal Hospital School

Tonbridge 38-7 Chislehurst & Sidcup GS

 

Wimbledon College 34-5 Berkhamsted

Rugby 29-0 RGS Newcastle

Mount St Mary’s College 0-36 RGS Guildford

 

Cathedral School, Llandaff 22-7 Sir William Borlase’s GS

Pangbourne College 5-38 Norwich

Bromsgrove 38-5 Ysgol Y Preseli

 

Felsted 19-35 Durham

St George’s College, Weybridge 10-33 Millfield 2nd VII

Seevic College 24-5 Isle of Man Schools

 

Taunton School 21-31 Gower College

Exeter School 5-33 Downside

Wallington County Grammar 5-43 Oakham

 

U18 Vase Final Group Standings

 

PosGroup AGroup BGroup CGroup D
1St Peter’s, YorkGeorge Watson’s CollegeEpsom CollegeSt Edward’s, Oxford
2CaterhamUppingham SchoolShrewsburyRGS Worcester
3Bryanston SchoolIpswichLancaster RGSReed’s
4Bristol Grammar SchoolKingswoodThe OratoryMalvern College
5Radley CollegePark HouseMuvuti Boys HSPrior Park College

 

PosGroup EGroup FGroup GGroup H
1Eastbourne CollegeEton CollegeCheltenham CollegeCampion
2Marlborough CollegeSt Paul’sBishop Wordsworth’sDollar Academy
3HayesColston’sMerchant Taylors’Hereford Cathedral School
4Wycliffe CollegeTorquay Boys GrammarCardiff HighManchester Grammar
5KES BirminghamYsgol Gyfun GwyrTrinityQEH

 

PosGroup IGroup JGroup KGroup L
1Merchiston CastleRoyal Hospital SchoolTonbridgeWimbledon College
2Shiplake CollegeKES BathPortsmouth GrammarChrist College, Brecon
3Truro SchoolCollege of Richard CollyerBirkdaleThe Leys
4Lord WandsworthWorthHaverfordwestEllesmere College
5Brynteg ComprehensiveTrent CollegeQES BarnetColfe’s

 

PosGroup MGroup NGroup OGroup P
1BerkhamstedRugbyRGS NewcastleMount St Mary’s College
2Loughborough CollegeAbingdonCanfordQueen Ethelburga’s
3LangleyYsgol Gyfun RhydywaunRydal PenrhosSir Joseph Williamson’s
4Sutton ValenceEmanuelGravesend GrammarLangley Park
5Bedford ModernTiffinKing Edward’s, Whitley (w/o)UCS (w/o)

 

PosGroup QGroup RGroup SGroup T
1RGS GuildfordCathedral School, LlandaffSir William Borlase’s GSPangbourne College
2Gresham’sCaerleon ComprehensiveLondon OratoryLoughborough Grammar
3YarmSt Olave’s GrammarQES Kirkby LonsdaleFramlingham College
4BeaufortKing’s WorcesterRyde (w/o)Duke of York’s RMS
5Bassaleg (w/o)The PerseBridgwater (w/o)Coleg Sir Gar

 

PosGroup UGroup VGroup WGroup X
1NorwichBromsgrove SchoolYsgol Y PreseliFelsted
2City of London Freemen’sPocklingtonNewcastle-Under-LymeKing’s Macclesfield
3Ampleforth CollegeWorksop CollegeThomas HardyeBradford Grammar
4WelbeckWisbech Grammar SchoolBirkenheadRavens Wood
5Cardinal NewmanKing’s BrutonBrentwoodLeicester Grammar

 

PosGroup YGroup ZGroup AAGroup BB
1DurhamSt George’s CollegeMillfield 2nd VIIChislehurst & Sidcup GS
2Shebbear CollegeOundleMill HillPembrokeshire College
3Bishop’s Stortford CollegeWellingboroughAshville CollegeGiggleswick
4Wirral Grammar SchoolWrekin CollegePlymouth CollegeHertfordshire & Essex
5Stockport GrammarSevenoaksColeg GwentSidcot

 

PosGroup CCGroup DDGroup EEGroup FF
1Seevic CollegeIsle of Man SchoolsTaunton SchoolGower College
2Churcher’s CollegeAberdareKing’s CanterburyMonmouth
3Queen’s College, TauntonJuddReigate GrammarEmmanuel College
4Nottingham High SchoolSt ChristopherOswestryThe Crypt
5HarrodianPeterborough RegionalHarris City AcademyMelksham Oak

 

PosGroup GGGroup HHGroup IIGroup JJ
1Exeter SchoolDownsideWallington County GSOakham
2Weston CollegeCoventry CollegeMount Kelly SchoolNew Hall
3Reading Blue CoatKing’s ElyLiverpool CollegeGordon’s
4Royal Wootton BassettSimon Langton GSRossallIbstock Place
5Ysgol Gyfun Bryn TaweLycee InternatonalKings of WessexOlchfa
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