With the weekend almost upon us, there is just time for a quick look back at what has been a busy midweek of school rugby.
There were games in the Champions Trophy, Schools Cup, various County Cups, and so much more, with some fantastically competitive rugby played throughout the week.
Tuesday
Leicester Grammar became the first school to qualify, save for those with byes, for the fourth round of the Schools Vase with a superb 22-0 defeat of Wellingborough. Meanwhile in their County Cup Lymm High School enjoyed a superb 45-17 victory at Calday Grange Grammar.
There were a couple of big Scottish Schools Cup games too, with Bell Baxter and George Watson’s College both recording big victories over Morrison’s Academy and George Heriot’s respectively.
Perhaps the biggest game of the day though was the massive Oxford derby between St Edward’s and Radley College. Always a massive game, it was Radley College that came out on top this time with 28-7 victory, made all the more impressive for being at the home of their local rivals.
Elsewhere The Leys were in excellent form against Queen’s College Taunton for a 43-0 victory, while Sidcot won a thriller against Clifton High School, 29-24. King’s Ely continue to impress, their latest excellent performance was a 49-7 victory at home to Wymondham College.
Wednesday
The big game on Wednesday was the last of the Champions Trophy first round fixtures as Hampton hosted Tonbridge. A tight and tense game ensued, with Hampton emerging victorious, 24-15, to set up a second round tie at Berkhamsted. You can read our report from that game here: Hampton secure victory to progress to Champions Trophy second round.
There was also action in the Schools Cup, where The Crypt progressed to the second round in South West B, where they will travel to Cup legends RGS High Wycombe, thanks to a 12-7 victory at Dr Challoner’s. Mill Hill meanwhile secured a 3rd round spot in London & South East A thanks to a thrilling 28-26 second round victory over UCS.
Over in the Schools Vase there was an absolute thriller in London & South East B as Southend High School just edged out Coopers’ Coborn 33-30 to earn a spot in round 3. Over in the A section Reigate Grammar School progressed thanks to a 22-12 victory at London Oratory. There was absolutely brilliant entertainment in North A meanwhile, where Gateshead College set up a third round tie at Austin Friars after the most tense of games against Yarm, where they ran out 29-27 victors.
There was some Bowl action too, Princethripe College, KES Birmingham, and St Laurence all making progress after strong performances. Over in the Scottish Schools Cup Marr College were smiling on Wednesday after a narrow 15-12 victory over Glasgow Academy.
One of Wednesday’s, and indeed the season’s, most highly anticipated fixtures was the Croydon derby between Whitgift and John Fisher. It is one of the fiercest derby games in the country, between two sides with glittering reputations. This year it was Whitgift that came out on top, demonstrating their place as one of the top sides around with a 22-0 victory.
Elsewhere there were some really exciting games, Durham Johnson edging it 26-24 against Emmanuel College, Reading winning a high scoring game against Halliford, 43-38, and Cleeve coming away with a 22-15 victory at Prince Henry’s.
St Peter’s Gloucester impressed en route to a 22-17 victory at home to Solihill, while there was an incredibly tense 7-7 draw between St Ambrose College and Wilmslow High School. Saint Cecilia’s meanwhile edged a thriller against Wetherby, 27-24. Elsewhere Worksop College were in stunning form for a 79-10 victory over Hall Cross, while RGS Newcastle’s 2nd XV were in similar form for a 76-19 victory at Bede Academy.
There was some really exciting action at Haileybury on Wednesday too as they hosted the Hertfordshire Cup. Eighteen sides were in attendance, with over 300 boys getting to play. It was Haileybury that came out on top to win the Cup, continuing their sparkling start to the season, while Bishop’s Stortford High School claimed the Plate, and Sandringham the Shield.
Thursday
Some of Thursday’s results are yet to come in, however in the Schools Vase Wellignton School won a really tight one at Mount Kelly, 8-6. The result sends them through to the third round in South West A. Elsewhere Cathedral School Llandaff won a tight game at Katharine Lady Berkeley’s, 17-12.
As we say every season and every week, please do get in touch with your stories, photos, videos, reports, and opinions from the week’s rugby. It all makes a massive difference and allows us to feature your school and your team! You can get in touch via any of the below methods:
Twitter: @FifteenRugbyXV
Facebook: www.facebook.com/FifteenRugby
Instagram: @fifteenrugbyxv
Email: writers@fifteenrugby.com
Schools Rugby Midweek Results:
Tuesday
Bell Baxter 55-5 Morrison’s Academy (Scottish Schools Cup)
Calday Grange GS 17-45 Lymm HS (County Cup)
George Heriot’s 5-50 George Watson’s College (Scottish Schools Cup)
King’s Ely 40-7 Wymondham College
Leicester GS 22-0 Wellingborough (Schools Vase)
The Leys 43-0 Queen’s College, Taunton
Sidcot 29-24 Clifton HS
St Edward’s, Oxford 7-28 Radley College
Wednesday
Bede Academy 19-76 RGS Newcastle 2nd XV
Coopers’ Coborn 30-33 Southend HS (Schools Vase)
Dr Challoners’ GS 7-12 The Crypt (Schools Cup)
Emmanuel College 24-26 Durham Johnston
Gateshead College 29-27 Yarm (Schools Vase)
Hampton 24-15 Tonbridge (Champions Trophy)
John Hampden GS 52-7 Sir William Borlase’s GS
Kenilworth 10-24 Princethorpe College (Schools Bowl)
King Henry VIII, Coventry 19-26 KES Birmingham (Schools Bowl)
London Oratory 12-22 Reigate GS (Schools Vase)
Marr College 15-12 Glasgow Academy (Scottish Schools Cup)
Mill Hill 28-26 UCS (Schools Cup)
Prince Henry’s HS 15-22 Cleeve
Reading 43-38 Halliford
Saint Cecilia’s 27-24 Wetherby
St Ambrose College 7-7 Wilmslow HS
St Laurence 26-12 Sheldon (Schools Bowl)
St Peter’s, Gloucester 22-17 Solihull
Whitgift 22-0 John Fisher
Worksop College 79-10 Hall Cross
Hertfordshire Cup:
Cup Winners – Haileybury
Plate Winners – Bishop’s Stortford High School
Shield Winners – Sandringham
Thursday
Katharine Lady Berkeley’s 12-17 Cathedral School, Llandaff
Mount Kelly 6-8 Wellington (Schools Vase)
Still to Come:
Ashford v Bethany
KES Five Ways v Adams GS
Kingswood v Prior Park College
Ratcliffe College v Hill House
Robert Clack v Beth’s GS
