While the weekend saw many schools play their final rugby fixtures of the term, there is still some mileage left in the schools rugby season for many other and a busy midweek of rugby to prove it.
With games on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, the pace is unrelenting, and some of the games are massive – Schools Cup, Plate, Vase, and Bowl quarter finals, the defining Daily Mail Trophy game, and plenty more.
Tuesday
The key game on Tuesday is a last 16 tie in the Schools Bowl as West Buckland and Wycliffe College go head to head in the South West B decider. The winner of it will be hosting Eastbourne College in the Quarter Finals, a game scheduled for the 15th December.
Elsewhere there are some big head to heads in East Anglia, with Langley and Wymondham College facing an exciting contest, while Culford host King’s Ely. Meanwhile Eton College’s U17s get an early look at like together in 2022 as they take on Windsor Boys’, and Colston’s, who have impressed this year, host Beechen Cliff’s non-ACE side.
Wednesday
On Wednesday the key game is the huge Daily Mail Trophy showdown between Sedbergh and Millfield. Sedbergh are currently top of the table while Millfield are in 6th but they are two of just four sides now that can win it, Berkhamsted and St Benedict’s being the others. The equation for Sedbergh is simple, a bonus point win will do it, a win without the bonus point might do it but could leave things down to points difference, depending on how Berkhamsted go against Dulwich College on Saturday. For Millfield, a victory is a must if they are to lift the title, adding to their St Joseph’s Festival title, and even then they will need Dulwich College to do them a bit of a favour against Berkhamsted.
Both have recently appeared on our live streams in games of the absolute highest order, you can watch highlights from Sedbergh v Wellington College above and Millfield v Clifton College below, and both head into this unbeaten. There is so much on the line and yet such is the style of these sides that they will almost certainly both play with the attacking flair that we are all so used to from them. The reality is that these are the two best teams in the country this year, and that the season is going to culminate in such a massive clash between the two is a mouth-watering prospect. The only shame is that there will be no cameras there to stream it but reports will be coming in with regularity.
The big games do not end their either, with some massive knockout quarter finals on Wednesday. Barnard Castle and Oakham go head to head in a massive quarter final, Barnard Castle came through an obscenely difficult North B section, overcoming Woodhouse Grove, St Peter’s York, and RGS Newcastle along the way, while Oakham’s route through Midlands A was equally challenging, with Northampton School for Boys, Moulton College, and the fantastic Rugby School to contend with. It should be a rip-roaring quarter final between two of the Schools Cup greats.
The Schools Plate quarter finals also get underway on Wednesday. Henley College and Caterham go head to head in a fascinating one, Henley College have been brilliant and their tie-in with Ealing Trailfinders seems to be producing top results. Their route through took them through tight game against RGS High Wycombe, RGS Guildford, and King’s Worcester, and they face a Caterham side that can produce some great rugby, as we saw last Friday against Hurstpierpoint College (check out those highlights below). Caterham’s route to the quarters was simpler though, their only game was in the regional final, where they beat Wimbledon College.
Wednesday’s other Schools Plate quarter final sees Norwich make the trip up to Stockport Grammar, a proper away knockout tie, the likes of which we don’t get to see too often after the decision to regionalise the quarter finals was made a few years ago. Stockport have had to be dogged to get here, beating King’s Macclesfield and Merchant Taylors’, before an epic 29-29 draw with Stonyhurst saw them sneak into the quarters via try count. Norwich meanwhile have seemed to get better and better, first beating Gresham’s, then Finborough, and then Campion in the last 16.
Over in the Schools Vase there are two games, one of which will have our live streaming cameras as Reading Blue Coat host Wallington County Grammar. We live streaming Reading Blue Coat’s epic last 16 tie against Bryanston, highlights of which you can see below, and on Wednesday they go again against Wallington. Prior to Bryanston, Reading Blue Coat had beaten Dauntsey’s, Windsor Boys’, The Oratory, and St James, while in progressing from London & South East A Wallington County Grammar had beaten Mill Hill, Tiffin, Worthing College, Saint Cecilia’s, and Harris Academy.
The other Vase Quarter Final on Wednesday is another cracker as Sutton Valence, so impressive all season and then so patient in their second half turnaround in the last 16 against Skinners’, host Bristol Grammar. Sutton Valence came from behind to win that last 16 tie and prior to that had seen off Simon Langton, Oakwood Park, Dartford Grammar, and Beth’s, while Bristol Grammar beat Truro 34-0 to progress from South West A having previously beaten The Crypt, Marling, QEH, and Bristol Cathedral School.
The Schools Bowl also sees two of its four quarter finals take place as Midlands A champions Hills Road host North B champions Nottingham High School in Cambridge, while Lord Wandsworth College, the South West B winners, host London & South East A Bowl champions, Glyn.
Of course there is plenty of non-knockout rugby too, including some absolute belters in Wales. Monmouth, who have been endlessly impressive this year, are in action in a prestigious fixture against Crawshays Welsh XV, while The Oratory make the trip to Christ College Brecon, who have looked so impressive this season too. There is another cross-border clash too, a battle of the Cathedral Schools as Cathedral School Llandaff host Hereford Cathedral School in what should actually be really good game of rugby.
Outside of the knockouts there is another massive game on Wednesday that is going to attract plenty of attention as Whitgift and Ipswich go head to head. Whitgift will have been disappointed to just miss out to Denstone College in midweek, but not as disappointed as Ipswich, whose game against Royal Hospital School was cancelled altogether. It should be a fascinating game, one of schools rugby’s oldest and proudest names against one of the rising stars of the school game, who have that massive Vase quarter final next week.
Elsewhere in and around the capital, St Albans, who have been excellent this year, host Watford Grammar, while not far from there QES Barnet welcome Haberdashers’. Meanwhile Tiffin and Saint Cecilia’s go head to head, and Ewell Castle welcome The Cedars.
Eltham College v Hayes should be a cracking game, and look out for Coopers’ Coborn’s trip to KEGS Chelmsford. Meanwhile Claries Court host Furze Platt, Southend High travel to Davenant Foundation, and Sir William Borlase’s host Piggot.
In the Midlands and South West there are some cracking games too, high among them being Old Swinford Hospital’s trip to Adams Grammar. Meanwhile Newcastle-Under-Lyme head to KES Litchfield and Princethorpe College host Northampton School for Boys’ 2nd XV, while South Bromsgrove make the trip to Alcester Grammar.
Exeter School will hope to back up that brilliant victory over Truro on Saturday with a Devon derby victory over Plymouth College, while Mount Kelly Welcome Devonport High, The Crypt travel to Cokethorpe, and St Edward’s Cheltenham host Balcarras.
Moving North, Woodhouse Grove, who have been so brilliant this season, are at home against Ripon Grammar, while Durham, fresh from that top performance on Saturday, welcome Dame Allan’s, andCrossley Heath travel to Stonyhurst. Meanwhile Merchant Taylors’ are in action at Bury Grammar, with Manchester Grammar at AKS Lytham, and QEGS Penrith at QES Kirkby Lonsdale, while The Grange take on Wirral Grammar’s 2nd XV.
Thursday
Thursday sees the Schools Cup in action again with an absolute belter of a Quarter Final as 2020 semi finalists Sherborne host the excellent Harrow. Sherborne made it to this point after winning South West A with an 18-3 defeat of Canford on Saturday, backing up earlier triumphs against Ivybridge, King’s College Taunton, and Colston’s. Harrow, meanwhile, had a tough route that included a tight last 16 victory over Hampton last week, preceded by victories over St Benedict’s and Watford Grammar. It has all the making of a Schools Cup classic.
The Schools Plate Quarter Finals continue, and again it is a proper cup tie in terms of travel as Stowe make the trip up from Buckinghamshire to Yorkshire to take on Grammar School at Leeds. It is actually Stowe’s first game in the competition after they had byes all the way through the rounds, more on that over the Christmas break. Grammar School at Leeds have barely played more, a strong victory over Bradford Grammar in the opening round being their only game so far.
Elsewhere there are some massive games, not least an epic looking Anglo-Scots clash as Rugby School host Fettes College for what is sure to be a true celebration of the game and all that it represents. The founders of the game hosting one of Scotland’s most prestigious schools, it should be a superb occasion.
As should St Edward’s Oxford v Cheltenham College, a classic schools rugby fixture and both will be looking to end the year on a real high after narrow defeats on Saturday. There is also a massive Suffolk/Norfolk game on Thursday as Framlingham College and Gresham’s go head to head in what should be another good contest.
If you have any photos, video, reports, or any other content from the week’s school rugby then please do send it in via our social media channels or admin@nextgenxv.com and if you are interested in us live streaming one of your games or an event then please do get in touch!
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Tuesday 7th December
Colston’s v Beechen Cliff 2nd XV
Culford v King’s Ely
Eton College U17 v Windsor Boys’
Langley v Wymondham College
Leicester Grammar v Stamford
West Buckland v Wycliffe College (Schools Bowl) – South West B Regional Final
Wednesday 8th December
Adams Grammar v Old Swinford Hospital
AKS Lytham v Manchester Grammar
Alcester Grammar v South Bromsgrove
Barnard Castle v Oakham (Schools Cup QF)
Bury Grammar v Merchant Taylors’
Cathedral School, Llandaff v Hereford Cathedral School
Christ College v The Oratory
Claires Court v Furze Platt
Cokethorpe v The Crypt
Crawshay’s Welsh v Monmouth
Davenant v Southend High
Durham v Dame Allan’s
Eltham College v Hayes
Ewell Castle v The Cedars
Exeter v Plymouth College
Henley College v Caterham (Schools Plate QF)
Hills Road v Nottingham High (Schools Bowl QF)
KEGS Chelmsford v Coopers’ Coborn
KES Lichfield v Newcastle-Under-Lyme
Lord Wandsworth College v Glyn (Schools Bowl QF)
Mount Kelly v Devonport High
Princethorpe College v Northampton School for Boys 2nd XV
QES Barnet v Haberdashers’
QES Kirkby Lonsdale v QEGS Penrith
Reading Blue Coat v Wallington County Grammar (Schools Vase QF)
Sedbergh v Millfield
Sir William Borlase’s Grammar v Piggott
St Albans v Watford Grammar
St Edward’s, Cheltenham v Balcarras
Stockport Grammar v Norwich (Schools Plate QF)
Stonyhurst v Crossley Heath
Sutton Valence v Bristol Grammar (Schools Vase QF)
Tiffin v Saint Cecilia’s
Whitgift v Ipswich
Wirral Grammar 2nd XV v The Grange
Woodhouse Grove v Ripon Grammar
Thursday 9th December
Framlingham College v Gresham’s
Grammar School at Leeds v Stowe (Schools Plate QF)
Rugby v Fettes College
Sherborne v Harrow (Schools Cup QF)
St Edward’s, Oxford v Cheltenham College
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