Brighton College claimed the 2022 Edwin Doran Surrey Schools Senior 7s with a performance of real majesty across the whole day at the Richmond Athletic Ground.

With the sun shining and the temperatures warm for much of the day, it was a glorious day for sevens and that was reflected on the field with some absolutely superb rugby from start to finish.

Brighton were outstanding throughout, for the first time this year they had their full squad to choose from and it showed. They rotated hard through the groups as they took on Halliford, London Oratory, and John Fisher, before stepping into the intense knockout stage that saw them play some of their best and most intense rugby.

It was not just Brighton though, the whole tournament was a joy. It had been the last tournament before Covid ended the season in 2020, but today those days felt long gone as school rugby was being celebrated in style. So too should Mark Lowe, who has run this tournament, and indeed Surrey Schools Rugby, with aplomb for fifteen years. He stands down this year, allowing more time for RFU commitments and, with any luck, a quieter March in 2023.

His tournament was, once again, a thrill. The last sixteen stage saw the twelve group winners and the top four runners up go through, that sent Harrow, St Benedict’s, Berkhamsted, Brighton College, Marlborough College, Bishop Wand, Seaford College, Rugby, Wellington College, Bishop Wordsworth’s, Gordon’s, and Eton College through as group winners.

The rush to be joining them as top runners up was a dogfight, such was the quality of teams in contention, but as it was Group J’s RGS Guildford qualified to take on Harrow, while former champions Cranleigh, from Group G, were through to take on Bishop Wand, with Group H’s Oaklands College up against Seaford College, and Kirkham Grammar taking on Eton College – Kirkham were to prove a side that would end up going well beyond the assumptions of a best runners up.

That meant that the Surrey Plate (exclusively for Surrey Schools not making the Last 16) had a real heavyweight feel, with Epsom College, Hampton, and Whitgift all heading there, meanwhile the likes of Felsted, Beechen Cliff, and Millfield were on the early bus home. Millfield were especially unlucky, a 22-19 defeat to Bishop Wand, who were a physical powerhouse throughout the day, meant they were never going to be able to qualify as a best runner up as their group had become a three-team group as a result of George Abbot failing to turn up.

That was one of just a number of key groups, Harrow’s 17-14 victory over back to back champions Epsom College in Group A was a real statement of intent, and was the seed from which a run to the semi finals grew.  Over in Group G Seaford College showed their credentials in their first 7s tournament of the year, beating perennial finalists Cranleigh 26-21. Wellington College’s 28-21 victory over Whitgift was another key group result, securing them top spot, from which they went all the way to the final. The group of the day though might well have been Group E, where Felsted and Hampton fought tooth and nail to get past Marlborough College, but ultimately, playing some lovely rugby, Marlborough sealed tight wins in both to top the group.

The last 16 games were a sign of just how competitive this tournament was, five of the eight were decided by a score or less. Brighton College were one of those to perform particularly well though, their 21-7 victory over Marlborough College should, had we all known, have been a warning shot about what was to come.

Elsewhere Harrow edged RGS Guildford, while St Benedict’s continue to impress, they got past Berkhamsted, while ACE College Bishop Wand won a tight one against Cranleigh 20-17. The other side of the draw saw Oaklands College beat Seaford College and Wellington College win against Rugby, while Kirkham Grammar just saw off Eton College in a thriller. The only truly dominant victory was from Gordon’s, on what was an impressive day from the ACE Colleges, who are taking 7s more seriously this year than in the past, they beat Bishop Wordsworth’s 33-0.

The quarter finals were, in this writers opinion, where Brighton College’s seeds of victory were sown. Down to Bishop Wand after some tough calls and even tougher play, they rallied at half time with a thrilling display of 7s, encapsulated by the committed, dominant, and skillful play of their captain Jonny Smith. Showing no signs of tiredness from his England U18 outing on Saturday, he was on the sort of form that saw him claim player of the tournament at the St Joseph’s Festival. In part inspired by him, and in part due to the skill and effort of the rest of the squad, they clawed their way back for a 33-28 and a semi final berth against Harrow, were on fire in their quarter final, beating St Benedict’s 47-5. On the other side Wellington College had to dig oh so deep against Oaklands College to hold onto their lead in a 21-17 victory, while Kirkham Grammar School belied the school of thought that said they might have an eye on the Schools Cup final, beating Gordon’s 12-5.

The semi finals though were simply immense. Four superb teams going all guns blazing with a standard of rugby that was creating a real buzz around the ground. Brighton College and Harrow put on an absolute show with some thrilling rugby, but Brighton were absolutely on it in one of their best performances of the day for a 28-17 victory, meanwhile Wellington College managed to withstand the high quality Kirkham Grammar onslaught with some sparkling play of their own for a 29-19 victory, setting up an absolutely mouth-watering final.

Brighton College v Wellington College, it needed no introduction. These are two high class sides, year in year out, and everyone knew it. The standard of play from both had been immense all day, and in the final it stayed sky high. The coring went this way and that, but the drama in this game all came really with the scoring all done. Brighton had come from behind to lead 24-21 but Wellington were on the charge. They pushed and pushed and pushed but somehow the Brighton College defence manage to keep them out, but in doing so they conceded a yellow card.

Against a side of the quality of this Wellington College side that felt decisive, and yet still they defended with such intensity, communication, and organisation. Still though you felt they would surely crack until Charlie Clare, the diminutive Harlequins scrum half batted the ball up in the air with Wellington College there for the decisive final pass. As it went up hearts were in mouths, a deliberate knock on and penalty try was a plausible outcome, but there was no such fear for Clare, who gathered it smartly, took It into contact, and allowed his side to eke out the final few seconds for a famous victory here at the Richmond Athletic Ground.

Over in the Plate, Epsom College, the back to back Cup champions, charged to the final with wins over Caterham and City of London Freemen’s, but in the final they came up against an inspired Hampton side, claiming the Plate for the second time in their history with an absolutely stunning 31-5 performance. It was no less that they deserved having beaten St John’s Leatherhead in the quarter finals and then a thrilling 21-19 victory over Whitgift in the semis ahead of that stunning final performance. It was surely one of the toughest routes to the Plate title in recent memory.

Ultimately though, the Cup was where the focus was, and what a glorious occasion it was again. Dubbed by many as the hardest tournament of all to win, this superb Edwin Doran Surrey Schools Senior 7s once again bared its teeth as teams came out fully loaded, for what may be the only time this season, and put on a show for all to witness. The sheer joy of Nick Buoy and his coaching staff at the final whistle of the final told of what a tough but brilliant tournament this is.

Brighton College deservedly topped the lot and in stunning fashion. They were utterly brilliant and in their captain, Jonny Smith, they have one of the school’s greats – both on and off the pitch. Fitting, then, to claim this trophy for the first time in the school’s history.

The Rosslyn Park HSBC National School 7s now await, and on this form Brighton College will surely be eyeing the title, after coming so close so often in recent times. Not only that, but the Sedbergh 10s shortly after, too, which will all be live streamed here on NextGenXV.

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Edwin Doran Surrey Schools Senior 7s Champions: Brighton College

Final:

Brighton College 24-21 Wellington College

Semi Finals:

Harrow 17-28 Brighton College

Wellington College 29-19 Kirkham Grammar

Quarter Finals:

Harrow 47-5 St Benedict’s

Brighton College 33-28 Bishop Wand

Oaklands College 17-21 Wellington College

Gordon’s 5-12 Kirkham Grammar

Last 16:

Harrow 19-12 RGS Guildford

St Benedict’s 19-15 Berkhamsted

Brighton College 21-7 Marlborough College

Bishop Wand 20-17 Cranleigh

Seaford College 19-29 Oaklands College

Rugby 10-29 Wellington College

Bishop Wordsworth’s 0-33 Gordon’s

Eton College 26-29 Kirkham Grammar

Surrey Plate Champions: Hampton

Final

Hampton 31-5 Epsom College

Semi Finals

Epsom College 26-21 City of London Freemen’s

Hampton 21-19 Whitgift

Quarter Finals

Epsom College 47-5 Caterham

Halliford 7-21 City of London Freemen’s

St John’s, Leatherhead 12-31 Hampton

Whitgift 20-12 Dulwich College

Edwin Doran Surrey Schools Senior 7s Final Group Standings: