The knockout competitions have dominated the schools rugby world in this first week back after half term, such has been the excitement they have generated.
However there has been plenty of other rugby outside of the Champions Trophy, Schools Cup, and Schools Plate, (all three of which are covered elsewhere), not least some high level clashes on Wednesday and of course the Schools Vase and Bowl.
We dive into the rest of the week’s school rugby, and some outstanding games all over the country.
Monday
It was an early start to the Schools Rugby week with Leicester Grammar and Loughborough College meeting in the Schools Vase on Monday. The Midlands A fourth round clash could barely have been tighter, Leicester Grammar just edging it with a 23-22 victory to send them into the Regional Final.
Tuesday
Scotland dominated on Tuesday with the impressive George Watson’s College securing 31-0 victory over Strathallan to send them into the Scottish Schools Cup semi finals. Stewart’s Melville will join them there after a close 26-21 victory at Dollar Academy.
Elsewhere Merchiston Castle were in flying form for a 64-12 victory at Robert Gordon’s College, while Boroughmuir High School secured an excellent 26-19 victory at Loretto, with Dundee High School winning 23-10 at Glenalmond College.
Meanwhile in England it was the big derby at Bishop’s Stortford, as Bishop’s Stortford College hosted local rivals Bishop’s Stortford High School and secured the bragging rights with a 12-5 victory.
Wednesday
One of Wednesday’s biggest games saw Millfield head across the Severn Bridge to take on Llandovery College, and the Somerset men came back with a 22-0 victory to give this second half of term a really strong start.
Wednesday was also a massive day in the Schools Vase, with Sutton Valence putting in one of the top displays of the day to send them into the London & South East B regional final thanks to a 44-3 defeat of Duke of York’s Royal Military School.
In South West B St Edward’s Oxford also secured a regional final spot, thanks to a 20-11 victory over Farnborough 6th form College, they will be playing Exeter School, who were utterly sensational as they charged to a 61-0 victory over Poole Grammar to set up that regional final.
The tightest of all games came in Midlands A though, where KES Stratford hosted Bablake. The game finished in a 12-12 draw, Bablake progressing as the away side. Meanwhile in North A Newcastle School for Boys will be contesting the regional final thanks to a 40-12 victory over Austin Friars. There was also a catch up third round game, Cambridge’s Hills Road 6th form College progressing in Midlands B thanks to a 29-15 defeat of Gresham’s.
There was also plenty of Schools Bowl action, Wallington County Grammar progressing with a 21-7 victory at Hemel Hempstead, and King John beating Beth’s Grammar 12-10. Maidstone Grammar secured a 20-5 victory at home to Chatham and Clarendon, while Worthing College were 48-0 victors at Royal Alexandra & Albert.
Cheadle Hulme reached the Cheshire County Cup final thanks to a 17-9 victory over Wilmslow High School, while in the Scottish Schools Plate, Hutchesons’ Grammar were 17-14 victors at home to Lasswade High.
Outside of those knockout games, Rishworth were on form for a 41-19 victory at AKS Lytham, while Stonyhurst College’s preparations for Saturday’s clash with Ampleforth College went well, they won 17-7 over QES Kirkby Lonsdale.
One of the performances of the day saw Trinity in absolutely spectacular form over a good Hayes side, securing a stunning 50-5 victory, while Bedford Modern won a bit of a thriller over Samuel Whitbread’s 2nd XV, 29-26.
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Schools Rugby Midweek Fixtures:
Monday
Leicester GS 23-22 Loughborough College (Schools Vase, MA Rd 4)
Tuesday
Bishop’s Stortford College 12-5 Bishop’s Stortford HS
Dollar Academy 21-26 Stewart’s Melville (Scottish Schools Cup QF)
Glenalmond College 10-23 Dundee HS
George Watson’s College 31-0 Strathallan (Scottish Schools Cup QF)
Loretto 19-26 Boroughmuir HS
Robert Gordon’s College 12-64 Merchiston Castle
Wednesday
AKS Lytham 19-41 Rishworth
Austin Friars 12-40 Newcastle School for Boys (Schools Vase, NA Rd 4)
Bedford Modern 29-26 Samuel Whitbread 2nd XV
Cheadle Hulme 17-9 Wilmslow HS (County Cup)
Exeter 61-0 Poole GS (Schools Vase, SWB Rd 4)
Hemel Hempstead 7-21 Wallington CGS (Schools Bowl)
Hills Road 29-15 Gresham’s (Schools Vase, MB Rd 3)
Hutchesons’ GS 17-14 Lasswade HS (Scottish Schools Plate)
KES Stratford 12-12 Bablake (Schools Vase, MA Rd 4)
King John 12-10 Beth’s GS (Schools Bowl)
Llandovery College 0-22 Millfield
Maidstone GS 20-5 Chatham & Clarendon GS (Schools Bowl)
Royal Alexandra & Albert 0-48 Worthing College (Schools Bowl)
St Edward’s, Oxford 20-11 Farnborough 6th form College (Schools Vase, SWB Rd 4)
Stonyhurst College 17-7 QES Kirkby Lonsdale
Sutton Valence 44-3 Duke of York’s RMS (Schools Vase, LSEB Rd 4)
Trinity 50-5 Hayes
