This weekend was a massive one on the schools rugby front as 7s moved right to the foreground of the attention with tournament on Friday and Sunday, including our live streaming of the Christ College Brecon Invitational 7s on Sunday.

Four titles were up for grabs this weekend, the Gordon’s 7s, Reed’s 7s, Uppingham 7s, and of course that massive Christ College 7s title. Across each tournament the competition was superb, and from the four tournaments emerging four champions that seem certain to be likely to play a huge role in some of the challenges to come over the next month.

Friday

Friday was all about the Gordon’s 7s under the floodlight, and what a magnificent tournament it proved to be. There were competitions at both U18 and U16 level, and at U18 level it was Wellington College that absolutely ruthless from. They conceded just seven points all tournament, a try to eventual Plate winners Felsted in their 33-7 Group 2 stage victory, in which they also defeated Worth 34-0.

The top 2 from each group went to the Cup semi finals, with losing semi finalists playing the Plate final, meanwhile the bottom side in each group played in a 5^th/6^th play off, which was won by Dulwich College, who beat Worth 24-19.

Wellington’s assault on the title got even stronger once the knockouts commenced as they beat Group 1 runners up Emanuel 42-0. They saved the best to last though, as in the final they faced hosts and Group 1 winners Gordon’s, who had beaten Felsted 21-10 in their semi final, and put in a stunning display. Wellington were irrepressible as they stormed to a 52-0 victory against the hosts, collecting the title in the process, to add to the Shiplake 7s title they earned before half term.

Over in the U16s, it was Ipswich School that came out on top, facing local rivals St Joseph’s College in the final and securing a 21-12 victory to claim the silverware.

Saturday

Attention turned to the fifteen-a-side game in Scotland on Saturday, although a spate of cancellations left it as a fairly thin fixture list with just two games on the card. Glasgow High School won their derby against Glasgow Academy in an absolute thriller, 41-37, while Hutchesons’ Grammar won a good contest against Kelvinside Academy ahead of this week’s 7s, 20-14.

Sunday

Christ College 7s

Sunday was all about the 7s again, with those three tournaments going on. The bulk of the NextGenXV focus was on the Christ College 7s as our live cameras took in the action, which you can re-live below. It was a brilliant day of 7s in Wales, and a fantastic day for the Welsh sides who ended up largely dominating the tournament with Glantaf winning the Cup and Cardiff and Vale College the Plate, Brentwood claimed some silverware for the other side of the Severn, collecting the Bowl.

Glantaf were sensational throughout the day and in Jac Davies they rightly had the Player of the Tournament as well, his energetic displays throughout, with no little skill and guile, were a standout.

The Glantaf charge was in evidence right from the group stages when the headed up a tricky Pool A ahead of Kirkham Grammar School, whom they beat 33-14. The top two in each group were to head through to the Cup quarter finals, with third and fourth going to the Plate quarters, and the bottom side to the Bowl semis.

From Pool A that meant Cup quarters for Glantaf and Kirkham, while Whitchurch High and Dean Close went to the Plate, and Colston’s the Bowl. It set up a quarter final for Glantaf against Group B runners up Hartpury College, with Kirkham facing Llandovery College, whose victory over Harptury took them to the top of Group B on points difference after a surprise defeat to Ellesmere College, for whom it would be an only victory of the day.

Hosts Chris College topped Pool C ahead of Millfield, a dramatic 24-21 victory over Millfield earning them that top spot and setting up a quarter final against Monmouth, who finished behind Clifton College in Group D, which meant a quarter final between Millfield and Clifton College.

The quarter final stage was outstanding, in particular that Clifton College v Millfield game, where Clifton came back from a losing position to claim a 21-19 victory and a semi final against Llandovery College, who beat Kirkham Grammar 21-7. Glantaf meanwhile won a thriller against Hartpury College 33-24, to seal an all-Welsh semi final against the hosts Christ College, who had beaten Monmouth 38-5

Over in the Plate Cardiff and Vale would face Dean Close after victories against King’s Worcester and Cathedral School Llandaff respectively, while on the other side a thrilling in from Bloxham over Bridgend College set up a semi final against Whithcurch High, who had beaten Malvern College. Over in the Bowl Brentwood and Colston’s enjoyed victories over Hereford Cathrdral School and Ellesmere College to set up an all-English final.

Brentwood claimed that Bowl title with a 30-14 victory after a magnificent second half display, a fitting tribute after the sad passing of Niall Stringer, who was close to a number of Brentwood players.

In the Plate Cardiff & Vale sealed a stunning 42-7 victory over Dean Close to reach the final, where they were joined by Bloxham, who had defeated Whitchurch High School 26-12. That final was an absolute cracker, going this way and that. At one stage it seemed as though all was in Bloxham’s hands only for Cardiff and Vale College to turn it all around for a 33-26 victory to claim the Plate.

The Cup, meanwhile, was getting seriously intense. Glantaf and hosts Christ College put on a show in front of the live stream, but in the end this wonderful Glantaf side – they are going to be a big presence at Rosslyn Park – managed to squeeze out the hosts 28-22 to set up a final against Llandovery College, who came through a real battle against Clifton College, 19-14.

Into that final and, despite both sides suffering some serious weariness in their 7^th game of the day, the standard was at the top level. Llandovery gave their all, but Glantaf were on a roll and absolute bursting full of confidence as they sealed a 19-5 victory and the 2022 Christ College Brecon 7s title.

Reed’s 7s

While all of that was going on in Wales, in Surrey Reed’s were hosting their annual 7s and Epsom College were demonstrating their genuine prowess on the 7s field as they secured yet another Cup title.

Topping a tricky Group B ahead of Felsted, Gordon’s Development VII, and St John’s Leatherhead, they set up a Cup final against the Group A winners, Framlingham College. Group A had been so tight, with Framlingham, The Oratory, and Reed’s all finishing level on points with two wins and a loss, but Framlingham topped it courtesy of points difference, with +23 ahead of The Oratory’s 16 and Reed’s 10.

Each side faced their counterpart from the other group in a final, though St John’s won the Shield by default after Emanuel had to withdraw. In the Bowl third placed sides Gordon’s and Reed’s went head to head, with Gordon’s collecting the silverware thanks to a 38-7 victory. Over in the Plate, between the second place finishers, it was Felsted that took home the honours after a 29-12 defeat of the Oratory, a fitting reward after they were Epsom’s closest challengers all day, going down just 26-20 in their group game.

By the time the Cup final came around though, Epsom College were on fire. Up against Framlingham College they put in perhaps their most ruthless performance of the day to claim a stunning 43-0 victory and the title along with it.

Uppingham 7s

The third tournament of the day on Sunday was in Rutland as Uppingham hosted their now annual 7s tournament, and it was Denstone College that claimed the title. The U16s tournament was sadly cancelled but the U18s more than made up for it with some thrilling rugby.

The ten sides were drawn into five groups of five, with each side playing their counterpart from the other group in a rankings final.

Group 1 saw Denstone College top the group after defeating Uppingham, Norwich, The Leys and Oundle, with Uppingham finishing ahead of Norwich in second place thanks to points difference. Similarly The Leys finished ahead of Oundle, who were at the foot of the table, thanks again to points difference.

That meant that the final would see Denstone College up against the reigning champions, Oakham after they topped Group 2 ahead of Bromsgrove, Stamford, Ipswich, and Barnard Castle. Oakham and Bromsgrove’s finishing positions were relatively simple, first and second, but behind them Stamford, Ipswich, and Barnard Castle all finished level, with Barnard Castle ending up last on point difference. The points difference between Stamford and Ipswich was level though, so Stamford claimed third in the group, having beaten Ipswich.

In the knockouts, Barnard Castle claimed 9^th with a 19-12 win over Oundle, while Ipswich secured 7^th with a 31-26 defeat of The Leys. It was Group 1’s Norwich that sealed 5^th thanks to a 12-5 victory over Stamford.

It was to be a 4^th place finish for hosts Uppingham after Bromsgrove put in a strong performance in their 3^rdplace play off to win 27-14.

The pick of the knockouts though was the big one, the Cup Final as Denstone College and Oakham went head to head in an absolute thriller. It could so easily have gone either way, but in the end it was Denstone that claimed it, 28-24. Both of these could well have some more strong tournaments to come through the rest of this 7s season on the basis of this showing.

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Results Summaries:

Friday

Gordon’s 7s: Winners – Wellington College

Cup Final: Wellington College 52-0 Gordon’s

Plate Final: Felsted 17-10 Emanuel

Semi Finals: Wellington College 42-0 Emanuel, Gordon’s 21-10 Felsted

5^th/6^th Place Off: Dulwich College 24-19 Worth

Group Standings:

Saturday

Glasgow Academy 37-41 Glasgow High School

Kelvinside Academy 14-20 Hutchesons’ Grammar

Sunday

Christ College Brecon 7s: Winners – Ysgol Gyfun Glantaf

Cup Final: Glantaf 19-5 Llandovery College

Semi Finals: Glantaf 28-22 Christ College, Llandovery College 19-14 Clifton College

Quarter Finals: Glantaf 33-24 Hartpury College, Christ College 38-5 Monmouth, Clifton College 21-19 Millfield, Llandovery College 21-7 Kirkham Grammar

Plate Final: Cardiff & Vale College 33-26 Bloxham

Semi Finals: CAVC 42-7 Dean Close, Bloxham 26-12 Whitchurch High

Quarter Finals: CAVC 31-5 King’s Worcester, Dean Close 29-21 Cathedral School, Llandaff, Whitchurch High 22-14 Malvern College, Bloxham 33-28 Bridgend College

Bowl Final: Brentwood 30-14 Colston’s

Semi Finals: Brentwood 35-10 Hereford Cathedral, Colston’s 24-12 Ellesmere College

Group Standings

Reed’s 7s: Winners – Epsom College

Cup Final: Epsom College 43-0 Framlingham College

Plate Final: Felsted 29-12 The Oratory

Bowl Final: Gordon’s Development VII 38-7 Reed’s

Shield Final: St John’s Leatherhead, w/o

Group Standings:

Uppingham 7s: Winners – Denstone College

Cup Final: Destone College 28-24 Oakham

3^rd Place Play Off: Bromsgrove 27-14 Uppingham

5^th Place Play Off: Norwich 12-5 Stamford

7^th Place Play Off: Ipswich 31-26 The Leys

9^th Place Play Off: Barnard Castle 19-12 Oundle              

Group Standings: