With a number of teams having the weekend off, this midweek has been full of rugby, and full of absolutely brilliant rugby at that!
There has been rugby on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, with live streams on Wednesday and Thursday night too, featuring Haileybury v Blundell’s and Clifton College v Kirkham Grammar School, and there will be another huge one on Friday night as Denstone College and Ipswich go head to head at Leicester Forrest RFC.
There has been Cup action, Vase action, and some of the great fixtures on the school calendar in a week that has produced some simply spectacular rugby.
If you haven’t had a chance to check out this week’s podcast either, where we pick out our Top 5 School Teams of the Weekend and name our locks in our Greatest Schools XV of the Decade, then do have a look below – our listen on Acast, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.
Tuesday
Morrison’s Academy 24-14 Glenalmond College
King’s Ely 38-12 Saffron Walden (Schools Vase)
Scarisbrick Hall w/d St Ambrose College (Schools Vase)
St Edmund’s College 12-52 Langley (Schools Vase)
Woodbridge 7-39 Royal Hospital School (Schools Vase)
Tuesday was the quietest of the days, and it was the Schools Vase that dominated the action, with East Anglia seeing all the play. Langley were flying against St Edmund’s College, 52-12, and Royal Hospital School progress alongside them, beating neighbours Woodbridge 39-7. King’s Ely are also through with a similar score, 28-12 at home to Saffron Walden, while in the North West St Ambrose College had a walkover.
In Scotland there was one game, Morrison’s Academy coming out on top with a good performance against Glenalmond College, 24-14.
Wednesday
Beth’s Grammar 26-48 Simon Langton Grammar
Christ College 57-17 Tonyrefail Comprehensive
Cokethorpe 12-35 Magdalen College
Coleg Sir Gar 29-26 Millfield
Duke of York’s Royal Military 27-12 Simon Langton Grammar
Ewell Castle 38-0 St Benedict’s
Gordon’s 2nd XV 26-26 Tiffin
Halliford 19-24 Windsor Boys’
Haileybury 19-23 Blundells – LIVE STREAM, StoneX Stadium, 7.30pm
Hampton 52-12 Campion
Hereford 6th form College 5-27 Christ College
KES Five Ways 20-27 KES Stratford
King’s Worcester 29-5 RGS Worcester (Schools Cup)
Leighton Park 31-14 Reddam House
LVS Ascot 26-5 Claires Court
Merchant Taylors’ 25-0 Liverpool College (Schools Cup)
Plymouth College 47-26 Truro College 2nd XV
Princethorpe College 17-43 Bablake & King Henry VIII
Queen Mary’s Grammar 17-35 Newcastle-Under-Lyme
Ranelagh 28-0 St James’
Reading 33-5 Burham Grammar
Ryde with Upper Chine 42-10 Queen Mary’s Basingstoke
Salesian College 14-57 Claires Court
Shrewsbury 36-28 Haberdashers’ Abraham Darby
St Aloysius’ College 50-7 Glasgow Academy
Wetherby 10-60 Fulham Boys
Wilson’s 0-54 Carshalton
Bolton w/o Lymm High (Schools Vase)
Bradford Grammar 50-0 Silcoates (Schools Vase)
Harris City Academy 5-24 Kingsdale (Schools Vase)
Ivybridge Community College 47-0 Mount Kelly (Schools Vase)
KES Camp Hill 22-21 KES Birmingham (Schools Vase)
Rickmansworth 0-50 Haberdashers’ Elstree (Schools Vase)
Samuel Whitbread Academy w/o Hitchin Boys’ (Schools Vase)
Wallington County Grammar 22-10 Saint Cecilia’s (Schools Vase)
Wednesday was the really busy day and, in fact, there are still a number of big results to come in from Wednesday. Our live stream took in a fantastic game between Haileybury and Blundell’s at Saracen’s StoneX Stadium. Unfortunately an error left our commentary team describing a thrilling draw, but in fact it was a thrilling victory for Blundell’s! They managed to get under the ball as Haileybury drove over the line, clinging on for a superb 23-19 victory – and a shoutout to skipper Ben Coen, the fly half was exceptional.
Also exceptional were Hampton, having got past Seaford College and Brighton College they met Campionand once again demonstrated their quality for an outstanding 52-12 victory. They are a team to watch.
The South East was particularly busy on Wednesday, Duke of York’s Royal Military but in a good performance for a 27-12 victory over Simon Langton, while Windsor Boys’ were on form in a tight game against Halliford, winning 24-19. There was also a thrilling draw between Tiffin and Gordon’s non-ACE players, 26-26, while Ewell Castle beat St Benedict’s 2nd XV 38-0.
LVS Ascot are in good nick, beating Claries Court 26-5, while Leighton Park were on song for a 31-14 victory over Reddam House, and Ranelagh put in a fine display, sealing a 28-0 victory over St James’. Reading had a good day out too, defeating Burnham Grammar 33-5.
Fulham Boys are having a sensational season so far and their stunning 60-10 defeat of Wetherby was just the latest example of that, Carshalton had a similarly good day, 54-0 at Wilson’s, while Ryde enjoyed their outing too, winning 42-10 against Queen Mary’s.
Welsh side Christ College Brecon had two side out and both enjoyed their outings, beating Tonyrefail 57-27 and Hereford 6th form College 27-5. Coleg Sir Gar were victors over English opposition too, winning an absolute thriller against Millfield 29-26, a stunning game and two teams to watch very closely indeed in the coming weeks and months. In Devon meanwhile Plymouth College were on song against Truro College’s non-ACE players, winning 47-26.
Further North KES Stratford won a schools rugby classic at KES Five Ways, just edging their opponents 27-20, meanwhile there was a thriller at Shrewsbury too, they came out 36-28 winners against Abraham Darby. Bablake & King Henry VIII enjoyed themselves en route to a 43-17 victory at Princethorpe College, while Magdalen College played well to defeat Cokethorpe 35-12.
Further North again, Newcastle-Under-Lyme had fun at Queen Mary’s Grammar, winning 35-17, while in Scotland St Aloysius’ College were on fire as they saw off Glasgow Academy by a stunning 50-7 margin.
There was also Schools Cup action on Wednesday, Merchant Taylors’ Crosby progressing thanks to an impressive 25-0 victory at home to Liverpool College. That was big, but even bigger was the Worcester derby, a precursor for the Modus Cup next month, and it will be King’s Worcester that go into that monster of a game with their tails up after an outstanding performance sent them into Round 2 of the Cup with a 29-5 victory over their great rivals RGS Worcester.
Over in the Vase there were some truly outstanding performances, notably Bradford Grammar against Silcoates, Ivybridge at home against Mount Kelly, and Haberdashers’ Elstree at Rickmansworth. There were also walkovers for Bolton and Samuel Whitbread Academy, the former champions.
Elsewhere KES Camp Hill won an absolute nailbiter against KES Birmingham, 22-21, while Wallington County Grammar were 22-10 victors over Saint Cecilia’s, and Kingsdale won 24-5 at Harris City Academy.
Thursday
Bedford 52-10 Radley College
Cheltenham College 7-7 Marlborough College
Clayesmore 14-22 Bryanston
Clifton College 17-19 Kirkham Grammar – LIVE STREAM, Clifton RFC, 7.30pm
Collegiate 22-31 Sherborne (Schools Cup)
Dauntsey’s 31-7 Canford
Dundee High 10-64 Loretto
King’s Bruton 31-8 Wells Cathedral
Merchiston Castle 57-7 Fettes College
Monkton Combe 0-28 Cathedral School, Llandaff
Rugby 50-7 Oundle
King’s Canterbury 36-0 Chatham & Clarendon (Schools Vase)
Trent College 23-10 King’s Grantham (Schools Vase)
Thursday was a day of epic encounters and none more so than the Ryan Bresnahan Memorial Game between Clifton College and Kirkham Grammar School. Not only was it for an incredible cause (see more here, A Life for a Cure), but it was a spectacular occasion and a game of rugby to match it. These two are without a shadow of a doubt to of the top 5 – at least – teams in the country this year and that was in evidence in a game of shuddering intensity and quality. Both side poured everything into it and it was an absolute pleasure to be there live streaming such a game. In the end, Kirkham Grammar School’s clinical edge just took the game, but Clifton College’s were in the midst of an extraordinary comeback, only for time to run out on them. It was a shining example of the very best of schools rugby.
It was far from the only example of great schools rugby on Thursday either, in the Schools Cup Sherborne and Collegiate met in a brilliant game, last year’s semi finalists against the most successful side in the tournament’s history. In the end it was Sherborne that progressed, 31-22, but keep an eye on Collegiate in the Plate.
Outside of the Cup there were classics too, not least a 7-7 draw between two of school rugby’s oldest sides, Cheltenham College and Marlborough College. There were schoolboy greats in action all over, and some in sensational form, take Bedford, who simply lit up the field at home against Radley College, who beat Sherborne last week, remember, winning by a stunning 52-10 margin. It was a similar story for Rugby, against whom Bedford drew on Saturday, they were brilliant for a 50-7 defeat of Oundle.
The South West saw some great performances, Bryanston were on form away at Clayesmore for a close 22-14 victory, but Dauntsey’s particularly caught the eye with a hugely impressive 31-7 victory at home to Canford. King’s Bruton were also on song, 31-8 against Wells Cathedral, meanwhile Cathedral School Llandaff nipped over from Wales and returned home with an outstanding 28-0 victory over Monkton Combe.
Scotland was home to a couple of absolutely barnstorming performances, Loretto hearing to Dundee High and winning 64-10 was exceptional, but Merchiston Castle’s 57-7 home victory over Fettes College might even top it. Sensational.
Over in the Schools Vase there were a couple of games, and a couple more with results to be confirmed, King’s Canterbury will head to round 2 after a strong 36-0 victory over Chatham & Clarendon while Trent College will join them thanks to a 23-10 victory over King’s Grantham.
Still to Come:
Clayesmore v Thomas Hardye (Schools Vase) – Tuesday
Marling v St Peter’s, Gloucester (Schools Vase) – Tuesday
Ampleforth College v Ripon Grammar – Wednesday
Bridgend College v Llandovery College – Wednesday
Bristol Grammar v Backwell (Schools Vase) – Wednesday
Lord Williams’ v Sir Henry Floyd Grammar – Wednesday
Millfield 3rd XV v Bishop Wordsworth’s – Wednesday
Stonyhurst v Ripley St Thomas – Wednesday
Beaumont v Gresham’s (Schools Vase) – Thursday
Eton College v Tonbridge – Thursday
Warminster v Gillingham (Schools Vase) – Thursday
