It has been a busy week of school rugby as teams got some final fixtures in before half term, while the second round of the U18 Schools Cup took place alongside plenty of fixtures in the Plate, Vase, and Bowl as well.
There were some incredibly impressive performances and results across all areas, and in the Schools Cup it is already looking as though this could end up being one of the strongest sets of quarter finalists for many years. Despite the big gaps in the draw, the addition of a number of top schools to the draw has certainly added an air of competitiveness.
Below we will look at all four knockout competitions, plus the non-knockout action from the week.
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U18 Schools Cup Round 2
North A
Lancaster RGS 12-41 Kirkham Grammar
Liverpool College 5-34 Manchester Grammar
Altrincham v St Mary’s College – Wednesday 20th October
Cheadle Hulme – Bye
Kirkham Grammar booked their place in the third round with an impressive 41-12 victory at Lancaster RGS, a perfect momentum builder ahead of the St Joseph’s Festival this weekend. They will be hosting Manchester Grammar who won their tie at Liverpool College by a hugely impressive 34-5 margin. Altrincham Grammar and St Mary’s College meet next week, and the winner will face Cheadle Hulme in the third round, the regional semi finals.
North B
RGS Newcastle 7-20 Barnard Castle
St Peter’s York – Bye
Woodhouse Grove 31-0 QEGS Wakefield
Bye
The section of titans drew plenty of eyes this week, and it started off on Tuesday with former Plate winners Woodhouse Grove defeating Cup legends QEGS Wakefield, a result that send them straight to the regional final thanks to a bye. They will be awaiting the winner of Barnard Castle v St Peter’s York, St Peter’s York reached Round 3 thanks to a bye but Barnard Castle had to go to RGS Newcastle, another legend of the Cup, and did so in style with a 20-7 victory.
Midlands A
Warwick 25-8 Solihull
Rugby – Bye
Oakham v Northampton School for Boys – Wednesday, Result TBA
Moulton College – Bye
Midlands A is full of big names and on Wednesday one of the biggest in Schools Cup history booked their regional semi final berth, Warwick. They beat Solihull 25-8 and will now have a monstrous clash against Rugby School in Round 3. Moulton College are also in Round 3 after a bye, they will face the winner of Oakham v Northampton School for Boys, two sides with incredible Cup history, which has not yet had the result announced.
Midlands B
Bedford 31-18 Samuel Whitbread Academy
Royal Hospital School – Bye
Felsted 43-3 Haileybury
Bye
In September, Felsted lost a close game to Haileybury but on Tuesday they turned that around in incredible fashion, sealing a stunning 43-3 victory to book their place in the Regional Final, courtesy of a third round by. On Wednesday former Champions Trophy winners Bedford secured their regional semi final spot with a 31-18 victory over former Vase champions Samuel Whitbread Academy, they will face Royal Hospital School in Round 3, who had a bye.
London & South East A
Watford Grammar AWO Harrow
Winner of St Benedict’s v Latymer Upper in Round 1 has a Bye
St Paul’s 17-31 Hampton
Dulwich College – Bye
Harrow are into the third round here thanks to a walkover against Watford Grammar, they will face either St Benedict’s or Latymer Upper, who are yet to play their first round game. Hampton will be looking forward to the St Joseph’s Festival this weekend after a brilliant 31-17 victory at St Paul’s, which has secured them a regional semi final spot at home to three-time champions Dulwich College, who had a bye.
London & South East B
Trinity 21-7 Cardinal Newman
Epsom College – Bye
St John’s, Leatherhead 17-8 The Judd
Whitgift – Bye
Trinity won a potentially very tricky tie against Cardinal Newman on Wednesday, winning 21-7 to set up their third round tie at home to Epsom College, what a game that could prove to be. St John’s Leatherhead, meanwhile, were impressive in a 17-8 victory over The Judd on Wednesday and will now face Whitgift. Remarkably that regional semi will be Whitgift’s first game of the competition after several byes, they are in effect the reigning champions after winning in 2019 and reaching the 2020 final before the pandemic halted things.
South West A
Ivybridge Community College v Blundells
Sherborne 32-14 King’s College, Taunton
Canford v Sir Thomas Rich’s – Thursday 4th November
Bye
Ivybridge v Blundell’s has yet to have a score come in from Tuesday’s encounter, but the winner of it will be facing Sherborne after they sealed a strong 32-14 victory at home to King’s College Taunton on Wednesday. Canford and Sir Thomas Rich’s meet in two weeks, with the winner heading straight to the regional final thanks to a bye.
South West B
RGS Worcester 5-20 Monmouth – Wednesday
Bloxham v Bromsgrove – Wednesday 20th October
Radley College 12-39 Berkhamsted – Wednesday
Seaford College – Bye
Monmouth remain unbeaten this year and came through what could have been an almighty test away to the hugely impressive RGS Worcester on Wednesday, winning 20-5 to set up a regional semi final against the winner of next week’s fixture between Bloxham and Bromsgrove. On the other side, unbeaten Berkhamsted demonstrated their remarkable quality once again as they saw off the challenge of one of September’s hottest sides, Radley College. They won 39-12 away from home to set up a regional semi final against Seaford College.
U18 Schools Plate Round 1
Stockport Grammar 19-13 King’s Macclesfield – North A, winner hosts Merchant Taylors’ – Wednesday
Stonyhurst College 26-15 Rishworth – North A, Wednesday
Emanuel 7-54 KCS Wimbledon – London & South East A, winner hosts Langley Park – Wednesday
Bishop Wordsworth’s 5-26 Marlborough College – South West A, Wednesday
Abingdon 5-17 King’s Worcester – South West B, winner travels to Malvern College – Wednesday
Henley College 17-15 RGS High Wycombe – South West B, Wednesday
There was not a huge amount of Schools Plate action in this opening week of games for those knocked out in the first round of the Cup, but there were some huge names in action.
Stockport Grammar booked their North A semi final with an impressive 19-13 victory over King’s Macclesfield, they will host Merchant Taylors’ next, they had a bye. Also in North A, Stonyhurst College defeated Rishworth 26-15 to set up a regional semi final against Rydal Penrhos, who also had a bye.
In London & South East A KCS Wimbledon, who must fancy their chances in this Plate competition, defeat Emanuel 54-7, they will face Langley Park in the regional semi final, Langley Park had a bye. Over in South West A Marlborough College won a heavyweight clash at Bishop Wordsworth’s 26-5 and will head straight to the regional final thanks to a semi final bye.
Both games in South West B took place, King’s Worcester’s St Joseph’s Festival preparations are looking good as they won 17-5 at Abingdon, they will travel to Malvern College for their regional semi, Malvern had a bye. Henley College meanwhile defeated RGS High Wycombe in a really tight game, 17-15, and will now host RGS Guildford in the regional semi, RGS had a bye.
U18 Schools Vase Round 3
Giggleswick 5-5 Ermysted’s Grammar – North A
Wirral Grammar 24-14 AKS Lytham – North A
St Joseph’s College 0-55 St Anselm’s College – North A
Lymm High 45-10 Sandbach – North A
Dame Allan’s 31-17 KES Morpeth – North B
Ampleforth College 10-17 Harrogate Grammar – North B
Trent College 54-14 Loughborough Grammar – North B
Wymondham College 17-20 The Perse – Midlands A
Framlingham College 5-12 Ipswich – Midlands B
Aylesbury Grammar 20-8 St Edward’s, Oxford – Midlands B
Farnborough 6th form College 17-17 City of London Freemen’s – London & South East A
Wallington County Grammar 19-17 Worthing College – London & South East A
Skinners’ 41-12 Ravens Wood – London & South East B
Brentwood 15-12 Eltham College – London & South East B
Truro 22-10 Wellington School – South West A
Cotswold 7-28 The Crypt – South West A
Windsor Boys’ 10-49 Reading Blue Coat – South West B
Churcher’s College 50-0 KES Southampton – South West B
Bryanston 17-0 Clayesmore – South West B
Dauntsey’s 34-10 Monkton Combe – South West B
It was a bust day in the U18 Schools Vase. In North A Wirral Grammar defeated AKS Lytham 24-14 and will face either Giggleswick or Ermysted’s Grammar in the regional semi, they drew 5-5 and we need to determine which side progresses there. On the other side of the draw things were more clear cut, Lymm High will host St Anselm’s College after Lymm beat Sandbach 45-10 and St Anselm’s won 55-0 at St Joseph’s College, Stoke.
North B was bust too, Dame Allan’s are through after a 31-17 defeat of KES Morpeth, they will face Harrogate Grammar in the regional semi after they won a fantastic game at Ampleforth, 17-10. Trent College, meanwhile, beat Loughborough Grammar 54-14 on Tuesday but there will be a bit of a wit to find out their opponents.
Midlands A was quite quiet, but The Perse are through to the regional semi finals thanks to a 20-17 victory at Wymondham College, they will face either Oundle or Wellingborough. In Midlands B, Ipswich won 12-5 at Framlingham College to set up a game against either Bishop’s Stortford High or Hitchin Boys, while Aylesbury Grammar impressively won 20-8 against Teddies Oxford and will play either St Columba’s College or Hemel Hempstead.
London & South East A still has some unpicking to be done, City of London Freemen’s and Farnborough 6th form College drew 17-17, while Wallington County Grammar won an incredibly tight one 19-17 against Worthing College. Over in London & South East B, Skinners’ impressive form continued with a 41-12 defeat of Ravens Wood, and they will host Brentwood next after they defeated Eltham College 15-12 on Wednesday.
Into South West A, Truro School are through after a 22-10 defeat of Wellington School, so too The Cryptafter their 28-7 victory at Cotswold School.
South West B nearly had the full set, Churcher’s College will host Bryanston in the regional semi final after Churcher’s were sensational for a 50-0 victory against KES Southampton and Bryanston won 17-0 against Clayesmore. On the other side, Reading Blue Coat are through after a brilliant 49-10 win at Windsor Boys, they will face either St Bartholomew’s or Dauntsey’s after Dauntsey’s won their catch-up round 2 game against Monkton Combe 34-10.
U18 Schools Bowl Round 2
Pocklington 34-33 Ripon Grammar – North B
St George’s College, Weybridge 12-19 Glyn – London & South East A
Reddam House 0-24 Haberdashers’ – London & South East A
Eastbourne College 19-10 Hayes – London & South East B
Wilmington Grammar 0-42 Gravesend Grammar – London & South East B
John Hampden Grammar 19-0 St James – South West B
The Schools Bowl had a relatively quiet week but some cracking games, not least in North B where Pocklington edged a cracker against Ripon Grammar, 34-33. In London & South East A, Glyn were on song away at St George’s, winning 19-12, while it was a strong away win for Haberdashers’ too, beating Reddam House 24-0.
In London & South East B, Eastbourne College were in form, beating Hayes 19-10, while Gravesend Grammar were brilliant, winning 42-0 at Wilmington Grammar. Meanwhile in South West B, John Hampden Grammar won 19-0 against St James.
Other School Fixtures:
Wednesday 13th October
Bedford Modern 13-50 Norwich
Beth’s Grammar 10-41 Oakwood Park Grammar
Fulham Boys 19-47 Latymer Upper
King’s Gloucester 15-0 Cokethorpe
Leighton Park 42-10 Ranelagh
Newcastle-Under-Lyme 14-42 KES Birmingham
Portsmouth Grammar 55-5 Embley
Princethorpe College 19-14 KES Five Ways
Reigate Grammar 47-5 KCS Wimbledon 2nd XV
Shrewsbury 27-7 KES Aston
Wetherby 19-57 Mill Hill
Ysgol Gyfun Plasmawr 10-54 Christ College, Brecon
Thursday 14th October
Christ’s Hospital 14-43 Glyn
Rugby 33-14 Finborough
Ratcliffe College 29-0 Birkdale
St Lawrence College 8-43 King’s Rochester
Outside of the knockout competitions there were some fantastic contests through the week. On Wednesday Norwich were fantastic, beating Bedford Modern 50-13 away from home. Similarly Oakwood Park were in strong form away from home, beating Beth’s Grammar 41-10, as were Latymer Upper, 47-19 victors at Fulham Boys.
It was somewhat of a theme, with Mill Hill in sensational form for a 57-19 victory at Wetherby, while KES Birmingham won 42-14 at Newcastle-Under-Lyme, over in Wales it continued, with Christ College Brecon on fire at Ysgol Gyfun Plasmawr, winning 54-10.
There were strong home performances too, Portsmouth Grammar saw off Embley 55-5, while Reigate Grammar beat KCS Wimbledon’s 2nd XV 47-5 and Leighton Park defeated Ranelagh 42-10.
Others were closer, Shrewsbury defeated KES Aston 27-7, while King’s Gloucester beat Cokethorpe 15-0. Surely the game of the day though was Princethorpe College v KES Five Ways, the home side won 19-14 but it was a real contest.
Into Thursday and there were a couple of other big away performances, not least from Glyn just two days after their Bowl win at St George’s, they went to Christ’s Hospital and won 43-14, similarly King’s Rochester defeated St Lawrence College 43-8.
There was a really special game at Maidenhead as Rugby hosted Finborough, a game that ordinarily would not happen but both sides had a window and made the fixture happen, with Rugby continuing their brilliant form for a 33-14 victory. Meanwhile Ratcliffe College defeated Birkdale 29-0.
Still to Come:
Halliford v Reading
Langley v Hills Road – Midlands A (Schools Bowl)
London Oratory v Isleworth & Syon – London & South East A (Schools Vase, Round 2)
Richard Hale v Hitchin Boys
Sidcot v Bristol Cathedral
Woodbridge v RGS Colchester
