This week has seen some superb schools rugby played, with teams across the county involved in some cracking contests.
The cold weather came swinging through, but fortunately it was dry, and with the games taking place in the afternoons the pitches appear to have been playable, meaning that it looks like we had a fully completed fixture list!
Tuesday
There was just the one game on Tuesday as Repton put in a superb performance to kick the week off, beating Derby Grammar by a highly impressive 59-7 margin away from home.
Wednesday
There were plenty of games on Wednesday afternoon, including two U18 Vase semi finalists being in action, a competition that has certainly been the focus of much attention this week, with one unnamed quarter finalist side retrospectively disqualified from the tournament for a half game rule breach.
Newcastle School for Boys are one of those semi finalists, and on Wednesday they retained the Hadrian Cup as they beat Austin Friars 50-12, with Newcastle Falcons’ Brett Connon handing out the trophy to the joyous North Eastern side.
Sutton Valence are another semi finalists in the competition and they too secured victory on Wednesday, beating U18 Schools Bowl semi finalists Maidstone Grammar 24-10.
Elsewhere AKS Lytham were in form for a 38-5 victory over Ashton 6th from College, while Birchwood won a tight game against Dame Alice Owens, 22-17.
Bishop Vesey’s Grammar were again playing some superb rugby on their way to a 34-0 victory over KES Camp Hill, while Harrodian and Gravesend Grammar picked up tight victories over St James’ and King’s Rochester respectively.
There was some exciting Anglo-Welsh action too, with Wales coming out very much on top. Llandovery College travelled to Sir Thomas Rich’s and came away with an impressive 24-12 victory, meanwhile in Wales Christ College were on fire for a 51-12 victory over Shrewsbury.
Schools Cup semi finalists Whitgift, the reigning champions, were in action on Wednesday too. They hosted Ravens Wood and earned a 34-5 victory that should keep the confidence high ahead of that semi final.
Elsewhere Newcastle-Under-Lyme beat Bishop Heber 36-14, with Box Hill winning 20-14 at Wetherbury, meanwhile Glyn won a really top contest against St Benedict’s, a really tough encounter, 18-12.
St Joseph’s College were also in fine form on Wednesday, they were up against Loughborough College and showed their class once more with a brilliant 26-3 victory.
Thursday
On Thursday Canford and Marlborough College travelled to Bryanston for a warm up 7s triangular ahead of the start of the 7s series, which kicks off in earnest on Sunday with the Seaford 7s.
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Schools Rugby Midweek Results:
Tuesday
Derby GS 7-59 Repton
Wednesday
AKS Lytham 38-5 Ashton 6th form College
Birchwood HS 22-17 Dame Alice Owens
Bishop Vesey’s GS 34-0 KES Camp Hill
Christ College 51-12 Shrewsbury
Glyn 18-12 St Benedict’s
Gravesend GS 13-7 King’s Rochester
Harrodian 17-10 St James
Loughborough College 3-26 St Joseph’s College
Newcastle-Under-Lyme 36-14 Bishop Heber HS
Newcastle School for Boys 50-12 Austin Friars (Hadrian Cup)
Sir Thomas Rich’s 12-24 Llandovery College
Sutton Valence 24-10 Maidstone GS
Wetherby 14-20 Box Hill
Whitgift 34-5 Ravens Wood
Thursday
Bryanston Triangular 7s – Bryanston, Canford, Marlborough College
Still to Come
Coopers’ Coborn v Barking & Dagenham College
Dartford GS v Richard Hale
Wolverhampton GS v Shrewsbury 2nd XV
