This Sunday sees the North of England School 7s take place, the flagship School 7s tournament in the North of England.

The road to the Rosslyn Park HSBC National School 7s at the end of the month has two crucial precursors to it, one in the north and one in the south. The Edwin Doran Surrey Schools Senior 7s is the key in the south, while in the north it is the North of England School 7s.

It is a superb tournament, split across three venues at the group stages, Birkenhead Park FC, St Anselm’s College, and Birkenhead School, before all coming together at Birkenhead Park FC for the knockout games in the afternoon.

The teams play for the Bowring Trophy, the winners of the eight groups compete in the quarter finals of that, while second place in the groups compete for the Boodle & Dunthorne Salver, and third for the Bowl.

The tournament has been running since 1989 and sees forty teams competing across eight groups of five teams each. Barnard Castle won this competition back in 2020, and were on fire in that 7s season, 2021 was lost to Covid which leaves Barnard Castle as the reigning champions and among the favourites for the competition. 2020 was, almost incredibly, the only time Barnard Castle have lifted the Bowring Trophy, although they did reach the final in 1991, 2002, and 2007 and won the Salver in 2009.

The champions are drawn in Group A alongside North East rivals Austin Friars, plus Shrewsbury, Giggleswick, and 2003 Salver winners from Wales, Rydal Penrhos. Their will be the only group playing at Birkenhead Park FC in the morning, with the other sevens groups at the two school venues before the whole tournament reconvenes at Birkenhead Park for the afternoon.

Pools B, C, and D all takes place at St Ansem’s Colllege, and in Pool B are Kirkham Grammar School, who are the most recent winners other than Barnard Castle, claiming the title in 2017 and 2015 (tournaments in 2019, 2018, and 2016 were lost to the weather) to go with their back to back titles in 2008 and 2009. They are joined in the group by Wales’ St David’s, along with Hill House, Crossley Heath, and Ampleforth College, who won the Salver in 2011.

Group C sees 2002 champions Manchester Grammar up against 2014 champions Woodhouse Grove, who also reached the final in 2017, 2017 Salver winners Malvern College, 2015 Trophy runners up RGS Newcastle, and three time champions Stonyhurst College. It is a heavyweight group and features a number of sides that could go a very long way indeed in the competition.

Group D meanwhile includes the hosts for this section of the tournament, St Anselm’s Colllege. Alongside them are the ever exciting Isle of Man Select VII, as well as Welsh giants Llandovery College, who reached the Christ College 7s final last week and won this title in 2003, and King’s Worcester, Salver finalists in 2017.

The remaining groups, E, F, G, and H, all take place at Birkenhead School. Group E contains this competition’s most successful sides, who have won a record nine titles at the North of England School 7s and might well have won more but for recent cancellations given their form in the last five or six years. They are drawn against 2011 champions Ellesmere College and 2001 Salver winners Wirral Grammar, who reached the first ever Trophy final back in 1989, losing out to one of the last teams of the Cowley Grammar dynasty. Joining those three are Dame Allan’s and The Grange. 

Group F contains the most recent Salver winners, Durham School, who also won the Trophy back in 1997. Joining them are Merchant Taylors’, Oswestry, Worksop College, and Wirral Grammar School’s 2^nd VII.

Group G includes one of those sides about whom it is a surprise they have never won this title, Lancaster RGS, though they did reach the 2020 Salver final. Alongside them are AKS Lytham, who won the title in 1994 under a different guise, Old Swinford Hospital, Sedbergh’s 2^nd VII, and a Harrrogate Grammar School side that are going to be one to really look out for here.

Finally to Group H, where the second hosts school, Birkenhead School, reside. They are joined by 2014 Trophy finalists Denstone College, and a Hymers College team that have never won here but did reach four finals in five years in 2008, ’09, ’10, and ’12, having won the Salver in 2007. Alongside those three are Pocklington and Queen Ethelburga’s in what looks like a highly competitive group.

It looks all set to be an exciting day of 7s, a key day on the calendar and we will be giving updates throughout on our social media channels.

North of England 7s Draw:

Bowring Trophy

Boodle & Dunthorne Salver

Graeme Marrs Memorial Trophy (Player of the Tournament):

2020 – James Naylor (Sedbergh)

2017 – Connor Doherty (Kirkham Grammar)

2015 – James Maddrell (Kirkham Grammar)

2014 – Jack Maplesden (Woodhouse Grove)

2013 – Oliver Field (Sedbergh)

2012 – Marcus Webber (Manchester Grammar)

2011 – Matthew King (St Ambrose College)

2010 – Sam Stuart (Sedbergh)

2009 – T Banks (Kirkham Grammar)

2008 – Charlie Simpson-Daniel (Sedbergh)