Bristol Bears secured their first ever Premiership Rugby U18 Academy League title with another superb display in Sunday’s final against North Pool winners Northampton Saints and Sixways Stadium.
It was the final game of an epic finals day that had seen six other games taking place, with each side from the North Pool taking on their counterparts from the South Pool in a series of rankings finals, all held at the home of Worcester Warriors.
It culminated in the final at 5.30pm, and it was Northampton Saints that got off to the better start, a try from Northampton School for Boys’ Frankie Sleightholme giving them a 5-0 lead.
From there though Bristol Bears started to show the form that had seen them go through the entire campaign unbeaten as loosehead Louis Trevett, recalled to the starting XV for this final, scored from close range shortly after Sleightholme’s early score.
Clifton College’s England U18 star Sam Worsley, who has been one of the leading lights of school rugby this year, added the extras and added two early second half penalties to secure a tight but impressive 13-5 victory for Bristol and a maiden U18 Academy League title.
Earlier in the day Leicester Tigers, who had won or shared the previous three title, secured third place with a 29-19 victory over Harlequins, while Saracens claimed fifth in a high scoring affair against Sale Sharks, 53-33. Bath secured 7th, beating a Newcastle Falcons side that almost reached the final 38-19.
9th place was claimed by London Irish, defeating Worcester Warriors on their own patch 38-20. Wasps were in sensational final day form against Exeter Chiefs to seal 11th with a 59-20 victory, while 13th place was secured by Gloucester with their first victory of the campaign, 21-12 against Yorkshire Academy.
Ultimately though the day all boiled down to that final and the unbeaten Premiership Rugby U18 Academy League campaign from Bristol Bears – a stunning effort, yielding the 2022 title.
After a year without it, it has been utterly wonderful to see the Academy League back again, to see the top U18 players in the country scrapping it out week on week, playing some stunning rugby from first to fourteenth across 8 rounds of action including the finals.
Bristol Bears came out on top, and deserve huge credit for doing so, but all fourteen teams deserve huge admiration for having got through the campaign, particularly during the tricky period in the opening few rounds when covid was running rife. A superb Academy League season from all.
Premiership Rugby U18 Academy League Finals Day Results:
Final: Bristol Bears 13-5 Northampton Saints
3rd Place Play Off: Leicester Tigers 29-19 Harlequins
5th Place Play Off: Sale Sharks 33-53 Saracens
7th Place Play Off: Newcastle Falcons 19-38 Bath
9th Place Play Off: London Irish 38-20 Worcester Warriors
11th Place Play Off: Exeter Chiefs 20-59 Wasps
13th Place Play Off: Yorkshire Academy 12-21 Gloucester
Premiership Rugby U18 Academy League Final Standings:
1 Bristol Bears (S)
2 Northampton Saints (N)
3 Leicester Tigers (N)
4 Harlequins (S)
5 Saracens (S)
6 Sale Sharks (N)
7 Bath (S)
8 Newcastle Falcons (N)
9 London Irish (S)
10 Worcester Warriors (N)
11 Wasps (N)
12 Exeter Chiefs (S)
13 Gloucester (S)
14 Yorkshire Academy (N)
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Team News & Previews:
Final: Bristol Bears v Northampton Saints
Bristol Bears
15 Sami Hamid, 14 Gabe Lacey, 13 Isaac Campbell-Wu, 12 Lucas Berti, 11 Tom Ormsby, 10 Sam Worsley, 9 Pete Carter, 1 Louis Trevett, 2 James Randall, 3 Jimmy Halliwell, 4 Ollie Thraves, 5 Paddy Pearce, 6 Aaron Tull (c), 7 Tom Gardner, 8 Ed Harvey.
Replacements: 16 George Davey, 17 Billy Marsden, 18 Billy Moran, 19 Peter Paramore, 20 Charlie Cox, 21 Rhys Price, 22 Henry Hawkins, 23 Davies.
Northampton Saints
15 Jody Devine, 14 Ethan Thorne, 13 Toby Cousins, 12 Archie Kean, 11 Frankie Sleightholme, 10 Tommy Taylor, 9 Harry Hall, 1 Callum Smyth, 2 Craig Wright, 3 Nick Tarr, 4 Carn Richards-Farr, 5 George Lavender, 6 Ted Reid, 7 Henry Pollock, 8 George Patten (c).
Replacements: 16 Aston Gradwick-Light, 17 Sam Ferrari, 18 Lucas Nisbett-Hadaway, 19 James Bennett, 20 Levi Wilson, 21 Archie McParland, 22 Toby Thame, 23 Ewan Baker.
3rd Place: Leicester Tigers v Harlequins
Leicester Tigers
15 Ben Taylor (Oakham), 14 Malelili Satala (Brooksby Melton College), 13 George Loose (Gresham’s), 12 Joseph Woodward (Brooksby Melton College, captain), 11 Sam Jacques (Brooksby Melton College), 10 Morgan Meredith (Brooksby Melton College), 9 Matt Durbridge (Brooksby Melton College), 1 Tom Wand (Brooksby Melton College), 2 Max Nolan (Brooksby Melton College), 3 Oliver Crane (Oakham), 4 Finn Carnduff (Leicester Grammar), 5 Felix Starkey (Oakham), 6 Simon Koroiyadi (Trent College), 7 Joshua Manz (Northampton School for Boys), 8 Chester Owen (Brooksby Melton College).
Replacements: 16 Jack Hurst (Brooksby Melton College), 17 Harry Clarke (Denstone College), 18 Nathan Hind (Brooksby Melton College), 19 Phelton Tandoh (Stamford), 20 George Perkins (Denstone College), 21 Nicholas Gali (Denstone College), 22 Oscar van Deventer (Denstone College), 23 Alex Garrett (Denstone College).
Harlequins
15 Josh Bellamy (Trinity), 14 Finn Tawse (Wellington College), 13 Ben Waghorn (John Fisher), 12 Ethan Knight (Hampton), 11 Conor Byrne (Trinity), 10 Sean Kerr (Whitgift), 9 Charlie Clare (Brighton College), 1 Ethan Clarke (Worthing College), 2 Jack Doorey-Palmer (Worthing College), 3 Caleb Ashworth (Gordon’s), 4 Jonny Green (Seaford College), 5 Theo Currie (Gordon’s), 6 Jonny Smith (Brighton College), 7 Seb Driscoll (Whitgift), 8 Zach Carr (Dulwich College).
Replacements: 16 Will Ayton (Wellington College), 17 Tosin Teriba (Gordon’s), 18 Claudius Wheeler (St Paul’s), 19 Ben Elsey (Gordon’s), 20 Theo Martin (Gordon’s), 21 Murdoch Lock (Wellington College), 22 Jack Thomas (Churcher’s College), 23 Jamie Flatley (Whitgift).
5th Place: Sale Sharks v Saracens
Sale Sharks
15 Leo Zheng, 14 Ben Verbickas, 13 Aaron Pope, 12 Ben Motamed, 11 Owain Williams, 10 Charlie Wardle, 9 Will Wootton, 1 Jack Ellam, 2 Harry Thompson, 3 Patreece Bell, 4 Will Riley, 5 Oscar Walsh, 6 Yande Nkonge, 7 Tristan Woodman, 8 Huw Davies (c).
Replacements: 16 Rorio Zheng, 17 George Arnold, 18 Theo Bishop, 19 Paddy Jones, 20 Tom Campbell, 21 Niall Povall, 22 Finn Rogers, 23 Henry Harper.
Saracens
15 Jack Cullen (St Albans), 14 Micaal McFarlane (Skinners’), 13 Jenson McInulty (Sutton Valence), 12 Tom Barton (Sutton Valence), 11 Charlie Reynolds-West (Oaklands College), 10 Ben Mills (Brentwood), 9 Charlie Bracken (St Albans), 1 Freddie Chapman (Oaklands College), 2 James Isaacs (Berkhamsted), 3 Charlie Keith (Berkhamsted), 4 Anthony Mark (Ashford), 5 Kennedy Sylvester (Simon Langton), 6 Max Eke (St George’s, Harpenden), 7 Luca Fahy (Berkhamsted), 8 Nathan Michelow (Sutton Valence).
Replacements: 16 Henry Walker (Hartpury College), 17 Ikhi Osebor (Haileybury), 18 Will Stanford (Berkhamsted), 19 Olamide Sodeke (Gravesend Grammar), 20 Barnaby Merrett (Sutton Valence), 21 Louie Sinclair (Finborough), 22 Tyler Weeks (Sutton Valence), 23 Toby Clinch (Finborough).
7th Place: Newcastle Falcons v Bath
Newcastle Falcons
15 Ben Redshaw (Sedbergh), 14 Natty Greenwood (Gosforth Academy), 13 Jez Civil (Gosforth Academy), 12 Will Hindle (Gosforth Academy), 11 Oz Roberts (Austin Friars), 10 Harry Williams (Barnard Castle), 9 Ben Douglas (Gosforth Academy), 1 Micky Rewcastle (Gosforth Academy), 2 Charlie Smith (Dame Allan’s), 3 Isaac Keller (Gosforth Academy), 4 Finn Baker (Sedbergh), 5 Ayden Knott (Gosforth Academy), 6 Braemar Murray (Sedbergh), 7 Will Gibbons (Barnard Castle), 8 Ewan Venerus (RGS Newcastle).
Replacments: 16 Ben Wright (Sedbergh), 17 Morgan Hall (Gosforth Academy), 18 Sam Birkbeck (QES Kirkby Lonsdale), 19 Will Murray (Gosforth Academy), 20 Zach Oldham (Gosforth Academy), 21 Freddie Nickalls (RGS Newcastle), 22 Will Roue (Sedbergh), 23 Tom Burton (Sedbergh).
Bath
15 Byron Lloyd-Gilmour, 14 Kamoto Kamanga-Dyrbak, 13 Max Ashton, 12 Will Parry, 11 Rory Crum, 10 Sam Harris (c), 9 Ieuan Davies, 1 Scott Kirk, 2 Max Pearce, 3 Ellis Baker, 4 Eddie Erskine, 5 Will Jeanes, 6 Abdul-Khalik Akenzua Al Kareem, 7 George Timmins, 8 Alex Salah.
Replacements: 16 Tommy McLean, 17 Eric Nixon-Castillo, 18 Billy Sela, 19 Rory Cameron, 20 Jack Haythornthwaite, 21 Ollie Byrne, 22 Raff Weston, 23 Ben Adams.
9th Place: London Irish v Worcester Warriors
London Irish
15 Matt Salisbury (Bishop Wand), 14 Theo Williamson (Bishop Wand), 13 George Cubitt-Makepeace (Henley College), 12 Alex Enright (Bishop Wand), 11 Oscar Daniel (Mill Hill), 10 Rory Taylor (Wellington College), 9 Ollie Allan (Bishop Wand), 1 Tolii Reeves-Hall (Bishop Wand), 2 Rhys Day (Epsom College), 3 Afolabi Fasogbon (Bishop Wand), 4 Jarlath Gleeson (City of London Freemen’s), 5 Connor O’Byrne (Wellington College), 6 Will Dempster (Clarie’s Court), 7 Louie Kirkham (Bishop Wand, captain), 8 Oliver Stirling (Harrow).
Replacements: 16 Oban Baird (Cranleigh), 17 Oran Murphy (Hinchley Wood), 18 Kassim Dawud (Bishop Wand), 19 George Hamblin (Harrow), 20 Roman Barton-Knott (Bishop Wand), 21 Connor Peters (Berkhamsted), 22 Oscar Grantham (Bishop Wand), 23 Ben Frampton (Wellington College).
Worcester Warriors
15 Billy Emerick, 14 Jack Kinder, 13 Will Pugh (vc), 12 Archie Jones, 11 Oli Smith, 10 Dan Chambers, 9 Alex Terry, 1 Lewys Walsh, 2 Ethan Allen, 3 Aaron Hackett, 4 Will Chater, 5 Harvey Cuckson, 6 Will Owen, 7 Owen Boxall, 8 Theo Mayell (c).
Replacements: 16 Emmanuel Olaleye, 17 Loic Keasey, 18 George Boyle, 19 Sam Hawes, 20 Sammie Erskine, 21 Billy McDonough, 22 Jack Condliffe, 23 Jacob Clarke.
11th Place: Exeter Chiefs v Wasps
Exeter Chiefs
15 Jayden Pitcher-Oakes, 14 Dan Hamilton-Strong, 13 Zach Wimbush, 12 George Edson, 11 Reuben Brinckley, 10 Nat Dart, 9 Morgan Stone, 1 Joe Thompson, 2 Pete Harris, 3 Tom Gulley, 4 Jago Sheppard, 5 Joe Bailey (c), 6 Ed Spurway, 7 Seth Findley, 8 Barnaby Elderkin.
Replacements: 16 Jack Ballett, 17 Rowan Lawrence, 18 Archie Rolls, 19 Jake Salvi, 20 Will Saltmarsh, 21 Joe Walker, 22 Jeremy Tuima, 23 Jack Statton.
Wasps
15 B Kucera, 14 E Rokodrava, 13 W Evans, 12 C Myall, 11 W Glister, 10 C Mason, 9 L Casilio, 1 A O’Driscoll, 2 H Silman, 3 A Opoku-Fordjour, 4 L McGowan, 5 T Clifford, 6 Z Newcombe, 7 G Ward, 8 B Pogson.
Replacements: 16 O Blunsom-Washbrook, 17 R Marsh, 18 B McDermott, 19 R Logan, 20 J Annand, 21 M Winterburn, 22 R Sweeting, 23 D Barnett.
13th Place: Yorkshire Academy v Gloucester
Yorkshire Academy
15 B Turpin, 14 G Worthington, 13 N Delailomaloma, 12 J Howells, 11 N McCormack, 10 B Irvine, 9 J Harris (c), 1 A Medway, 2 L Inman, 3 P Parker, 4 T Burrow, 5 T Peach, 6 H du Boulay, 7 J Freeman, 8 H Willard.
Replacements: 16 J Briggs, 17 H Derbyshire, 18 T Raymont, 19 B Roscoe, 20 E Smith, 21 B Parkin, 22 L Worral, 23 T Carswell.
Delailmolamoa in at 13 (first start) Horberry out, McCormack in at 11 (missed R7) Yates out, Peach in at 5 for Mathew after missing R7. Freeman back in for Billington at 7. Worral and Carswell, debut for Worral, Carswell first app since R2.
Gloucester
15 Ioan Jones (Dean Close), 14 Archie Hossack (Hartpury College), 13 Will Gilderson (Cheltenham College), 12 Tom Riman (Cheltenham College), 11 Ty Lewis (Hartpury College), 10 Keillen Cullen (Hartpury College), 9 Joey Adams (Hartpury College), 1 Tyler Harvey (Park House), 2 George Merritt (Dean Close, captain), 3 Henry Pearson (Hartpury College), 4 Sam Vince (Hartpury College), 5 Rhys Ford (Hartpury College), 6 Sam Anson (Cleeve), 7 Jack Hall (Hartpury College), 8 Freddie Stevens (Hartpury College).
Replacements: 16 Sam Loftus (Sir Thomas Rich’s), 17 Will Hurn (Sir Thomas Rich’s), 18 Fred Ma’a (St Peter’s, Gloucester), 19 Heath Gwilliam (Cheltenham College), 20 Stan Folks-Underhill (Hartpury College), 21 Ben Peters (Dean Close), 22 Nathan Thomson-Lee (Hartpury College).
