Wellington College claimed the 2022 Rosslyn Park HSBC National School 7s title with a fantastic performance against Millfield in the final to cap an absolutely outstanding week of rugby here at Rosslyn Park after three long years without a tournament.

The Berkshire side were utterly brilliant in the final, responding to going 12-0 down to a Millfield start that had been the names on the lips of those in attendance all afternoon, with a flurry of tries in front of a huge crowd in the early evening sunshine as they bounced back for a brilliant 35-19 victory.

It was stunning stuff, a first victory at the Rosslyn Park HSBC National School 7s since 2015, and it was against Millfield that the signature performance there came too. There is something about Wellington College and Millfield here at the Rosslyn Park HSBC National School 7s, when those to are in the mix, magic ensues.

In truth from about 1pm on Friday there was a sense around the ground that something very very special was building here, the conversation all around the ground was of what was brewing. It came to a head with an epic Barnard Castle performance to beat many people’s favourites, Sedbergh, and stepped up again when Sedbergh then bounced back with a win against Cranleigh.

Wellington College meanwhile were on their way to topping a group containing Bishop Wand and Whitgift, while Millfield headed Bedford and Kirkham Grammar School in Group 2. The surprise package though, though perhaps it is not right to continue to call it a surprise, was Ipswich, who headed a tough group containing Clifton College and Hampton.

Wellington College would meet that Ipswich side, and though Ipswich gave them a good test, Wellington College once again flexed their muscles away from the main cameras out on the RE3 pitch. It had been a feature of Wellington College’s campaign, quietly and efficiently going about their business away from the glare of the spotlight that was the pain pitches.

They secured an impressive 33-19 victory, while Millfield secured a quite stunning 34-7 victory against Barnard Castle, a victory that really sealed the deal among the parents on the touchlines that Millfield were the ones to watch.

As the final started, so it looked, as they faced to a 12-0 lead, but this incredible Wellington College side refused to bow to that pressure and came absolutely storming back. It was incredible to witness as they first clawed back and then, as the belief started to coarse through their veins, started to pull away with an amazing blend of pace, patience, and skill.

Huge credit must go to Kyle McDonald, who has guided this group flawlessly in this 7s season in the absence of Director of Rugby Dan Richards, ultimately to the premier prize in all of schools rugby. A stunning achievement for him, but more importantly for the group of boys who have pulled on the shirt for the final time and created a memory that will stand the test of time in the history book.

U18 Boys

U18 Cup Champions: Wellington College

Final

Wellington College 35-19 Millfield

Semi Finals

Barnard Castle 7-34 Millfield, Ipswich 19-33 Wellington College

Cup Quarter Final Pool Standings:

Over in the Plate competition Brighton College made their points, the Edwin Doran Surrey Schools Senior 7s champions bounced back from Cup disappointment yesterday to secure the Plate title here at the Rosslyn Park HSBC National School 7s.

Bouncing back from a group defeat to Rugby School, they finished in second in the group to reach the semi finals and beat Hartpury College, 19-7 thanks in part to a wizardly try from Charlie Clare, setting up a rematch against Rugby School, who had beaten Myerscough College 24-12.

In the final Brighton College were absolutely flying, learning the lessons from the earlier game against Rugby to storm to a 33-5 victory and the Plate title – look out for them at the Sedbergh Super 10s where they will, as always, be a major threat.

U18 Plate Winners: Brighton College

Final

Brighton College 33-5 Rugby

Semi Finals

Hartpury College 7-19 Brighton College, Rugby 24-12 Myerscough College

Plate Quarter Final Pool Standings:

U18 Girls

The U18 Girls competition is always one of the highlights of the week at the Rosslyn Park HSBC National School 7s and this year was no different, with the tournament full of excitement throughout.

Exeter College claimed the title, winning a really tight final against a strong Oaklands College side 17-15 in a final fitting of the word.

It followed a strong semi final win over Hills Road, 25-7, and earlier victories over Hartpury College and a table topping performance in the group stages ahead of Peter Symonds’ College and Simon Langton Grammar.

The strength of that group display was seen through the feats of Peter Symonds’ College and Simon Langton Grammar. Simon Langton reached the Bowl final, only to fall at the last to a brilliant Samuel Whitbread performance, 17-5, while Peter’s Symonds’ College put in a fantastic performance against Millfield to claim the Plate with an outstanding 27-0 victory in the final.

Exeter College were the team to shout about though, after a magnificent day’s rugby that really showcased the very best of women’s rugby here at the Rosslyn Park HSBC National School 7s.

U18 Girls Champions: Exeter College

Final

Exeter College 17-15 Oaklands College

Semi Finals

Exeter College 25-7 Hills Road, Oaklands College 20-12 Dubai College

Quarter Finals

Exeter College 38-12 Hartpury College, Hills Road 29-12 Richard Collyer, Oaklands College 22-7 Oundle, Dubai College 12-7 Coleg Gwent

Last 16

Hartpury College 48-16 Shrewsbury 6^th form College, Exeter College v Bye, Trinity 5-31 Hills Road, Richard Collyer 24-10 Kings of Wessex, Oaklands College 33-7 Llandovery College, Oundle v Bye, St John’s 10-29 Dubai College, Henley College 12-22 Coleg Gwent

U18 Girls Plate Winners: Peter Symonds’ College

Final

Peter Symonds’ College 27-0 Millfield

Semi Finals

St Helen’s 10-33 Millfield, Cardinal Newman 5-33 Peter Symonds’ College

Quarter Finals

St Helen’s 19-12 Blundell’s, King’s College Taunton 7-28 Millfield, RGS Worcester 7-24 Cardinal Newman, Peter Symonds’ 41-0 Wellington School

Last 16

Preseli 12-17 St Helen’s, Clifton College 5-17 Blundell’s, King’s College 17-5 Sint-jan, Worth 7-32 Millfield, RGS Worcester 19-14 Bishop’s Stortford College, Cardinal Newman 40-10 The Oratory, Peter Symonds v Bye, Wellington School 22-17 Epsom College

U18 Girls Bowl Winners: Samuel Whitbread Academy

Final

Samuel Whitbread 17-5 Simon Langton

Semi Finals

Denstone College 7-29 Samuel Whitbread, Reigate Grammar 7-34 Simon Langton

Quarter Finals:

Simon Langton 41-0 Bishop Wordsworth’s, Reigate Grammar 21-0 Callywith, Bablake 5-24 Samuel Whitbread, Denstone College 31-7 Weston College

Last 16

Weston College 37-0 Pangbourne College, Harris Academy 5-31 Denstone College, Bablake & King Henry VIII 15-5 Wellington College, Samuel Whitbread 28-19 Clyst Vale, Bishop Wordsworth’s 34-15 Sir William Borlase’s, Simon Langton v Bye, Haverfordwest 5-19 Callywith, Orelans Park 12-19 Reigate Grammar

Final Group Standings:

U14 Boys

The U14 Boys competition also reached its conclusion on Friday and what a conclusion it was as Sedbergh claimed the title in an absolutely epic final against George Watson’s College.

It was a fitting conclusion to what had been an awesome day of rugby in the U14 competition, Sedbergh had topped Group E ahead of Warwick and Reigate Grammar School, while George Watson’s impressed to get past Hampton and St Paul’s.

It was in the knockouts that things really warmed up though with George Watson’s winning a thriller against Trinity, who had been brilliant, and Sedbergh winning 33-12 in their quarter final with King’s Worcester.

In the semi finals though things truly stepped up, and in George Watson’s College’s case that was with a performance of spellbinding impressiveness as they sealed a truly outstanding 50-5 victory over Brighton College. It was in contrast to Sedbergh, who had to come through an absolute battle against Warwick to win 14-12.

Perhaps that battle-hardening just gave Sedbergh the edge in that 22-21 victory in the final. In any case it was a magnificent achievement for both sides a for Sedbergh in particular another successful Rosslyn Park HSBC National School 7s campaign.

Over in the Plate a sensational performance from Glantaf denied Harrow a second title of the week as they charged to a 36-0 victory in the final, a quite outstanding performance to add to victories over Bromsgrove and Haverfordwest in the knockouts, having come through as a best loser in the Group stages. From that resilience, came a stunning series of performances.

U14 Boys Champions: Sedbergh

Final

Sedbergh 22-21 George Watson’s College

Semi Finals

George Watson’s College 50-5 Brighton College, Sedbergh 14-12 Warwick

Quarter Finals

Trinity 21-29 George Watson’s College, Brighton College 33-21 Wellington College, Sedbergh 33-12 King’s Worcester, Radley College 7-22 Warwick

Final Day 2 Cup Group Standings:

U14 Plate Winners: Glantaf

Final

Glantaf 36-0 Harrow

Semi Finals

Harrow 24-19 Eton College, Bromsgrove 17-24 Glantaf

Quarter Finals

Harrow 22-19 Haileybury, Uppingham 24-26 Eton College, Bromsgrove 24-22 The Crypt, Haverfordwest 12-28 Glantaf

Final Day 2 Plate Group Standings:

Girls AASE

The Girls AASE saw a reduced format this year, but it seems that whatever the format, the answer remains the same – Hartpury College win.

This year six teams competed, Hartpury, Bishop Burton College, SGS Filton College, Loughborough College, Worthing College, and Swedish Girls, and Hartpury swept all before them in the round robin group.

That meant a final against second placed Bishop Burton College, where Hartpury College claimed a 38-5 victory to maintain their total dominance of this competition that is the stuff of envy to all around.

Girls AASE Champions: Hartpury College

Final

Hartpury College 38-5 Bishop Burton College

Prep Schools

Friday’s final day of action also included the Prep Schools tournament, where 60 teams were split into ten groups of six.

Five teams enjoyed perfect records, Clifton College, Hall Grove, Wetherby, Brighton College, and Dean Close all winning their groups with a perfect 5/5 record. Millfield also won their unbeaten despite a draw with Dulwich College, similarly Cheltenham College, who drew with Shressbury.

Taunton School and St John’s Leatherhead were both unbeaten but drew with each other, thus handing the group to Taunton on points difference, but the story of the day was Group F, where Epsom College and St Thomas’s Clapahm were both level at the top with three wins and two draws, not only that but they also had level points difference, points, scored, and points conceded, the most even of even groups!

Final Group Standings: