The U18 Schools Cup began in earnest this week with some brilliant games to kick things off.
In effect it was the regional last 16 stage and as such we now know the bulk of the regional quarter finals. For those that lost out there is still ample opportunity as they now move across to the Schools Plate, won last year by Bloxham, with that competition beginning at the quarter final stage.
Of course a few games took place in the Cup prior to this official first week of the competition, notably Whitgift getting the title off to a stunning start with a 78-0 defeat to St Olave’s Grammar School.
There are still a couple of first round games to be played, with Trinity hosting Langley Park tonight (Friday 27th) and Dr Challoner’s Grammar hosting The Crypt on Wednsday 2nd October, ahead of the regional quarter finals, which are due to commence on the week of the 7th October. 6 results from the first round are still to come in.
Below we will look at each section of the draw, what happened this week plus what is to come in the next round.
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U18 Schools Cup Draw:
North A
Round 1
Stonyhurst College 55-15 Stockport GS (Wednesday)
Lancaster RGS 50-0 Ermysted’s GS (Wednesday)
Giggleswick 0-32 QEGS Wakefield (Wednesday)
Cheadle Hulme 42-7 Bradford GS (Wednesday)
Silcoates 3-52 Manchester GS (Wednesday)
Wilmslow HS 26-16 Merchant Taylors’, Crosby (Wednesday)
King’s Macclesfield 36-21 Calday Grange GS (Wednesday)
Wirral GS 50-0 St Mary’s College (Wednesday)
Round 2
Stonyhurst College v Lancaster RGS
QEGS Wakefield v Cheadle Hulme
Manchester GS v Wilmslow HS
King’s Macclesfield v Wirral GS
All eight of the fixtures in North A took place this week, making in the perfect section. Stonyhurst College started with a bang, a 55-15 defeat of Stockport Grammar to set up a regional quarter against Lancaster RGS, who defeated Ermysted’s 50-0. Cup legends QEGS Wakefield were off to a strong start, beating Giggleswick 32-0 away from home to set up their next match against Cheadle Hulme, who beat former champions Bradford Grammar 42-7. Manchester Grammar are through after an impressive 52-3 victory at Silcoates, Wilmslow High are up next for them after their 26-16 defeat of Merchant Taylors’ and are always a threat in this competition. King’s Macclesfield meanwhile came through a thriller against Calday Grange Grammar, 36-21 and will host a strong Wirral Grammar side that were in great form for their 50-0 victory over St Mary’s College.
North B
Round 1
RGS Newcastle 64-13 Dame Allan’s (Wednesday)
Durham w/o Emmanuel College (Wednesday)
East Durham College v Hartlepool 6th form College – TBA
Barnard Castle w/o Carmel College (Wednesday)
St Peter’s, York 24-22 Grammar School at Leeds (Wednesday)
BYE v BYE
Woodhouse Grove w/o Prince Henry’s GS
Hymers College 12-40 Pocklington (Wednesday)
Round 2
RGS Newcastle v Durham
East Durham/Hartlepool v Barnard Castle
St Peter’s, York v BYE
Woodhouse Grove v Pocklington
A brilliant North East derby has been set up after RGS Newcastle were on fire in a 64-13 defeat of Dame Allan’s, setting up a game against Durham, whom they have already beaten this year, who earned a walkover. Cup legends Barnard Castle also had a walkover but have to wait to find out if it will be a trip to East Durham College or Hartlepool 6th form College in their regional quarter, that result is yet to come in. St Peter’s York came through the tightest of games against Grammar School at Leeds, 24-22, but can rest safe in the knowledge of a regional semi now, thanks to a bye in the next round. In that semi they will face either Woodhouse Grove or Pocklington, Woodhouse Grove earned a walkover, while Pocklington put on a strong display at Hymers College for a 40-12 victory.
Midlands A
Round 1
Lymm HS v BYE
Sir John Dean’s 17-37 Ellesmere College (Wednesday)
Wrekin College v Old Swinford Hospital (Wednesday)
Bromsgrove 38-7 King’s Worcester (Wednesday)
Mount St Mary’s College v Worksop College
Trent College 12-38 Loughborough GS
Bishop Vesey’s GS 17-23 Solihull (Wednesday)
Warwick 24-5 Bloxham (Wednesday)
Round 2
Lymm HS v Ellesmere College
Wrekin/Old Swinford v Bromsgrove
Mount St Mary’s/Worksop v Loughborough GS
Solihull v Warwick
Midlands A always felt brutal and so it proved, 2017 and 2018 champions Warwick, who lost out in last year’s final to Whitgift, progressed against last year’s Plate champions Bloxham, 24-5. A tight first half saw Bloxham fail to turn their chances into points, while Warwick scored in the left hand corner for a 7-0 half time lead. After the break, Warwick started to exert control and scored three more tries before Bloxham pulled one back. Warwick now travel to rivals Solihull, who won a tight one at Bishop Vesey’s, 23-17. Loughborough Grammar booked their passage last week with a 38-12 victory at Trent College, the winner of Mount St Mary’s v Worksop College will be their hosts in the next round. Bromsgrove, champions in 2015 and 2016, are also through, thanks to a strong 38-7 victory over King’s Worcester, a trip to either Wrekin College or Old Swinford Hospital is their reward. Meanwhile Lymm High School had a bye and will now host Ellesemere College, who defeated Sir John Dean’s 37-17.
Midlands B
Round 1
Northampton SfB 45-12 Stowe (Wednesday)
Oundle v BYE
Bedford Modern 0-50 Samuel Whitbread Academy
Bishop’s Stortford College v BYE
Bishop’s Stortford HS 0-34 Felsted (Tuesday)
BYE v BYE
Royal Hospital School 10-14 St Joseph’s College (Wednesday)
Norwich v BYE
Round 2
Northampton SfB v Oundle
Samuel Whitbread v Bishop’s Stortford College
Felsted v Bye
St Joseph’s College v Norwich
Midlands B saw former finalists Northampton School for Boys perform excellently for a 45-12 victory over Stowe, they now host Oundle, who had a bye. Reigning Vase champions enjoyed their start to life in the Cup with a 50-0 win at Bedford Modern, they will now turn host against Bishop’s Stortford College. On Tuesday Felsted began their campaign in style with a 34-0 victory at Bishop’s Stortford High School, and the reward is a big one – passage straight to the regional semis thanks to a bye. St Joseph’s College meanwhile won a really tight game at Royal Hospital School, 14-10, and will now host Norwich. Norwich had a first round bye but will be eyeing up this regional quarter final excitedly, having beaten St Joseph’s last weekend.
London & South East A
Round 1
Watford GS 17-19 Mill Hill
UCS 29-15 St Benedict’s (Wednesday)
KCS Wimbledon 26-19 St George’s College, Weybridge (Wednesday)
St Clement Danes v BYE
Tiffin 5-43 Emanuel (Saturday)
Wimbledon College 40-0 ACS Cobham International (Wednesday)
John Fisher 21-12 Reed’s (Wednesday)
City of London Freemen’s 31-7 Christ’s Hospital (Wednesday)
Round 2
Mill Hill v UCS
KCS Wimbledon v St Clement Danes
Emanuel v Wimbledon College
John Fisher v City of London Freemen’s
Mill Hill won a tight game at Watford Grammar 19-17 last week and on Wednesday found out that UCS will be their next opponents after they beat former champions St Benedict’s 29-15. KCS Wimbledon meanwhile were on form in a close game on their new pitch, beating St George’s College Weybridge, former Bowl winners, 26-19, St Clement Danes are up next for them after they had a bye. Emanuel also booked their passage last week thanks to a 43-5 victory at Tiffin, Wimbledon College are up next for them after their 40-0 victory over Cobham International. John Fisher are also through, they secured a 21-12 victory over Reed’s and will now face City of London Freemen’s, who were 31-7 victors at home to Christ’s Hospital.
London & South East B
Round 1
Campion 27-7 Eltham College
Seevic College 61-0 Colfe’s
Whitgift 78-0 St Olave’s GS
Trinity v Langley Park (Friday)
Ravens Wood v Richard Challoner (Wednesday)
Judd v BYE
Cardinal Newman v Simon Langton GS (Wednesday)
Sevenoaks v BYE
Round 2
Campion v Seevic College
Whitgift v Trinity/Langley Park
Ravens Wood/Richard Challoner v Judd
Cardinal Newman/Simon Langton v Sevenoaks
London & South East B has actually seen very little confirmed action this week. Campion and Seevic knew they would meet each other in the second round last week after Campion beat Eltham College 27-7 and Seevic were excellent for their 61-0 victory over Colfe’s. Reigning champions Whitgift, as mentioned earlier, were on fire for a 78-0 win over St Olave’s and will play the winner of tonight’s (Friday’s) game between Trinity and Langley Park. The Ravens Wood v Richard Challoner result is yet to confirmed but the winner will host Judd, who had a bye, similarly the Cardinal Newman v Simon Langton result is as yet unconfirmed but the winner will host an in form Sevenoaks side, who also had a bye.
South West A
Round 1
Dean Close 7-20 Sir Thomas Rich’s (Tuesday)
BYE v BYE
Sherborne 45-3 Downside (Wednesday)
QEH v BYE
Bridgwater & Taunton College 0-56 Taunton (Wednesday)
King’s College, Taunton 28-12 Richard Huish (Wednesday)
Ivybridge Community College v BYE
Colston’s v BYE
Round 2
Sir Thomas Rich’s v Bye
Sherborne v QEH
Taunton v King’s College, Taunton
Ivybridge Community College v Colston’s
Sir Thomas Rich’s pulled off a brilliant result with a 20-7 victory at Dean Close in South West A, and their reward is massive, a bye straight to the regional semi finals. Sherborne were also utterly excellent as they defeated Downside 45-3, QEH will be their next opponent, they had a first round bye. It will be a Taunton derby in the next regional quarter, Taunton School host after a 56-0 victory at Bridgwater, with King’s College Taunton the visitors after their 28-12 defeat of Richard Huish. Ivybridge Community College v Colstons, the Cup’s most successful side ever, is the remaining regional quarter, both sides had first round byes.
South West B
Round 1
Dauntsey’s 35-21 Marlborough College (Wednesday)
Abingdon 45-5 Reading Blue Coat (Wednesday)
Pangbourne College 10-47 RGS High Wycombe (Wednesday)
Dr Challoner’s GS v The Crypt (Wednesday 2nd October)
Lord Wandsworth College 18-17 Portsmouth GS
Seaford College w/o East Sussex College
Canford 32-5 Bishop Wordsworth’s (Thursday)
BYE v BYE
Round 2
Dauntsey’s v Abingdon
RGS High Wycombe v Dr Challoner’s GS/The Crypt
Lord Wandsworth College v Seaford College
Canford v Bye
South West B has many heavy hitters, among them Dauntsey’s and Marlborough College, who put on a fantastic display. Marlborough took a 21-13 lead into half time but a superb Dauntsey’s fightback saw them run out 35-21 victors in an absolute thriller. They will next host Abingdon, who were brilliant in their 45-5 defeat of Reading Blue Coat. RGS High Wycombe, who are a huge name in the Schools Cup, carried on their excellent form with a 47-10 victory at Pangbourne College and will host the winner of Wednesday’s game between Dr Challoner’s Grammar and The Crypt. Lord Wandsworth College booked their passage last week with a tight and exciting 18-17 victory over Portsmouth Grammar. They are due to host Seaford College, who had a walkover, though Seaford did beat them 60-7 last week so it is possible that the two may agree to give that game Cup status. Canford meanwhile booked their passage on Thursday with a superb 32-5 defeat of former finalists Bishop Wordsworth’s and will head straight to the regional semi finals thanks to a bye in the next round.
Image via Sophie Jones
