School rugby is back this weekend after the Christmas break following a handful of games on Wednesday.
The U18 Academy League is also in action this weekend and therefore a number of schools will be shorn of some of their top players, however there should still be some fantastic action from those still playing rugby this term.
This term is also the term for the shortened format of the game and we get our first taste for the term of the shortened game as Pocklington School host a ten-a-side tournament on Saturday before the start of the big wave of seven-a-side tournaments in a couple of weeks time.
Saturday
First through to the fifteen-a-side action, and there should be some absolute crackers. One that should definitely whet the appetite is that of Schools Cup semi finalists Warwick, bidding for a fourth final in a row, hosting John Fisher for what should be a cracking way to restart the season.
Fellow semi finalists Northampton School for Boys are also in action early on as they host Loughborough Grammar, the home side looking to keep their form high heading towards those semi finals later on in the term.
Scotland sees plenty of action this weekend, with perhaps no game bigger that the huge clash between traditional titans Dollar Academy and Merchiston Castle. There is plenty to be engaged in across Scottish Schools Rugby though, George Watson’s College host Glasgow Academy, Hutchesons’ Grammar meanwhile head to Linlithgow Academy. Meanwhile Edinburgh Academy host George Heriot’s.
There is plenty to be excited about in the North of England, too. Not least as the impressive Mount St Mary’s College head to the ever-challenging Hymers Colege. Manchester Grammar, meanwhile, are in action at Calday Grange Grammar, while Crossley Heath host Altrincham Grammar.
One of the biggest games in the North West though will be King’s Macclesfield’s trip to St Ambrose College, two sides that have produced some cracking games.
There were a couple of games in midweek, Ravens Wood beating Beth’s Grammar 36-15, while in a massive game to kick the new term off Millfield beat Sir Thomas Rich’s 41-19 away from home.
Both Millfield and Sir Thomas Rich’s are in action again on Saturday, Sir Thomas Rich’s heading for a cracking looking game at Solihull, while Millfield head to Portsmouth Grammar for the now traditional triangular fixture with Brighton College which will see the sides tinker with styles and laws across the three fixtures.
Ahead of hosting a 7s tournament later in the term, KES Stratford are in 15s action away at Bablake on Saturday, with Repton hosting Abraham Darby and Birkenhead heading to Shrewsbury.
In the South East there are some cracking games, Campion head to Skinners’ for what should be a really dogged encounter, while the ever exciting Hampton are in action at Tiffin. Judd meanwhile head to Chislehurst & Sidcup Grammar.
Eastbourne College and St Benedict’s meet for what promises to be a really strong contest, while St Joseph’s College will be in action at home to Coopers’ Coborn on Saturday.
10s
Saturday will also see Pocklington host a 10s tournament, the first shortened format competition of the term. Among those attending will be Ampleforth College, Bradford Grammar School, Durham, and Grammar School at Leeds, for what should be a really strong day of rugby to kick off the term with.
Please do get in touch with your stories, photos, videos, reports, and opinions from the weekend’s school rugby! 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 Fixtures – Saturday 11th January (predictions in bold):
Saturday
Bablake v KES Stratford
Calday Grange GS v Manchester GS
Chislehurst & Sidcup GS v Judd
Crossley Heath v Altrincham GS
Dollar Academy v Merchiston Castle
Eastbourne College v St Benedict’s
Edinburgh Academy v George Heriot’s
George Watson’s College v Glasgow Academy
Hymers College v Mount St Mary’s College
Linlithgow Academy v Hutchesons’ GS
Northampton SfB v Loughborough GS
Portsmouth GS v Brighton College v Millfield (Triangular)
Repton v Abraham Darby
Shrewsbury v Birkenhead
Skinners’ v Campion
Solihull v Sir Thomas Rich’s
St Ambrose College v King’s Macclesfield
St Joseph’s College v Coopers’ Coborn
Tiffin v Hampton
Warwick v John Fisher
Pocklington 10s: Ampleforth College, Bradford Grammar, Durham, Grammar School at Leeds, Pocklington
Midweek Results
Ravens Wood 36-15 Beth’s GS
Sir Thomas Rich’s 19-41 Millfield
Leave a Response