What a return to schools rugby action after the half term break that was, a weekend to remember despite the downpour that swept across the country.
Maybe the weather was a leveller, maybe it opened the door to different types of rugby prevailing, or maybe we are in the midst of an absolutely epic schools rugby season. Regardless, we were treated to one of the great schools rugby weekends, a weekend that contained a number of upsets and standout results.
With a huge midweek to come, including three live streams, starting with the 15th Annual Modus Cup between RGS Worcester and King’s Worcester tonight which you can watch below, the excitement for what’s to come has been raised up even further!
Ten to Watch
Bryanston 17-10 Canford
Cheltenham College 15-9 Blundell’s
Cranleigh 12-13 RGS Guildford
George Watson’s College 19-14 Merchiston Castle
Radley College 13-22 Kirkham Grammar
Rugby 17-22 Stamford
Sedbergh 14-17 Denstone College
The Judd 54-0 Campion
Tonbridge 22-3 St Paul’s
Warwick 21-7 Bedford
Our Ten to Watch lived up to expectations and some, and where else to start but in Cumbria where Sedbergh, the leaders in our NextGenXV Table, unbeaten and formidable, hosted Denstone College, who played brilliant rugby in the first half of term, only dropping one game and enjoying a strong St Joseph’s Festival too. The sense was that Denstone could test Sedbergh in a different way to other sides, but that Sedbergh were still favourites, however the visitors confirmed that suspicion and then took it to the next level by following through for a quite epic 17-14 victory. In wet conditions the Denstone pack worked their socks off for a victory that will live long in the memory.
Another that will live long in the memory came at Cranleigh where RGS Guildford claimed their second major schools rugby scalp. They beat Epsom College in the opening weekend of the season, and here in the opening weekend of the second half they were at it again with a magnificent, tight, and incredibly tense 13-12 victory at Cranleigh. It is rapidly becoming a season to remember for RGS Guildford, who are playing so well and showing real mental fortitude with each passing week.
The NextGenXV Live Streaming cameras were in Dorset for the Dorset Derby between Bryanston and Canford and we were treated to a classic in the wet. Bryanston held a 17-3 lead going into the final ten minutes before Canford pulled one back and spent the remainder of the game camped on the home side’s try line. Try as they might though, Canford could not breach the defence a second time as Bryanston threw everything that they possibly could at them in response to hold out for a wonderful and dramatic 17-10 victory, breaking a streak of Canford victories in this fixture.
Elsewhere, Kirkham Grammar School might have had a tricky St Joseph’s Festival but they remain unbeaten and utterly formidable in the regular season, this weekend they travelled down to Oxford to take on Radley College. Radley played well for a very competitive game, but once again Kirkham proved their class with a 22-13 victory to take back home with them.
It was a busy day is Tonbridge as Tonbridge School added to their form that has been increasingly strong, and what better way to start the second half of term than an impressive 22-3 victory over a strong St Paul’s School side. The side that is really grabbing the headlines in the Kent town though are the side that stunned everyone by beating Tonbridge early in the season, The Judd. Since then it has been one-way traffic for The Judd, unbeaten, and near enough unchallenged, and they added to that on Saturday with yet another magnificent victory, this time beating Campion by a stunning 54-0 scoreline.
Further West, Warwick are in sensational form too. They hosted the previously unbeaten Bedford in a game that was expected to go down to the wire, and while it was close and Bedford played well, Warwick were just in superb form to take an impressive 21-7 victory that sets them up very nicely indeed for the remainder of the season.
Meanwhile Cheltenham College were also on song as they secured a tight 15-9 victory over Blundell’s, superb preparation ahead of a key period for them which sees them take on Millfield and then Sir Thomas Rich’s in our live streamed game next Thursday at Gloucester’s Kingsholm Stadium.
Scotland also featured in our Ten to Watch this weekend as two of the greats went head to head, George Watson’s College hosting Merchiston Castle. An even game was expected, Merchiston arrived unbeaten bar defeat to Edinburgh Academy in the regular season, and having reached the final of the Festival, meanwhile George Watson’s College were unbeaten including victory over Edinburgh Academy, but had struggled at the Festival. In the end those contrasting results against Edinburgh Academy proved the barometer in what was an incredibly close game that could have gone either way, but George Watson’s edged it, 19-14.
Rugby School v Stamford was a classic, reports are that it was a classic nailbiter, with Stamford once again showing impressively resolve to come through as the victors by a 22-17 margin. Time and time again when they have been tested this season, Stamford have shown real resolve, not least now in nail biters against Stowe and Rugby School. For Rugby it was a tough outcome, but for Stamford, the perfect start to the second half of term.
Around the Grounds
Friday
Loughborough Grammar 25-22 Nottingham High
Northampton School for Boys 27-21 St Albans
St George’s, Harpenden 43-12 Aylesbury Grammar
The Crypt 22-25 King’s Gloucester (Old Cryptians)
Friday was a quieter day that other Fridays have been this season, but there was still some magnificent rugby and some terrifically close games of rugby. One that stood out immediately was the visit of St Albans to Northampton School for Boys. St Albans have been good this year, but NSB would be a step up. So it proved with NSB continuing their fine form for a 27-21 victory, but St Albans ought to take great heart from running them so close. Their Hertfordshire rivals St George’s Harpenden were in great form on Friday night, beating Aylesbury Grammar 43-12.
Loughborough Grammar v Nottingham High School was nothing short of sensational as Loughborough Grammar secured a dramatic late score to take the 25-22 victory. It was the exact same score at Old Cryptians too, where King’s Gloucester just edged out The Crypt.
Saturday
AKS Lytham 25-17 Birkenhead
Ampleforth College 45-5 Newcastle School for Boys
Bishop’s Stortford College 47-7 Culford
Bishop’s Stortford High 5-33 Richard Hale (Schools Vase)
Brentwood 22-19 Langley Park
Bristol Grammar 0-22 Sir Thomas Rich’s
Caterham 12-19 Worth
Christ’s Hospital 13-15 Duke of York’s Royal Military
Claremont Fan Court 22-19 Isleworth & Syon
Dame Allan’s 5-41 Barnard Castle
Dulwich College 22-22 John Fisher
Dundee High 29-38 Dollar Academy
Eastbourne College 20-19 Brighton College
Edinburgh Academy 38-19 Fettes College
Eltham College 26-22 Ravens Wood
Eton College 33-19 Abingdon
George Heriot’s 7-54 Glasgow Academy
Glenalmond College 18-17 George Heriot’s
Gresham’s 12-7 Finborough
Haberdashers’ Adams v Ellesmere College
Halliford 32-14 St Richard Reynolds
Ipswich 52-30 Haileybury
Kelvinside Academy 14-14 Glasgow High
Loretto 57-3 Robert Gordon’s College
Maidstone Grammar 26-21 Chislehurst & Sidcup Grammar
Manchester Grammar 26-12 Wirral Grammar
Merchant Taylors’, Crosby 34-5 Scarisbrick Hall
Merchant Taylors’, Northwood 15-13 Magdalen College
Millfield 33-19 Llandovery College
Oakham 43-3 Oundle
Pate’s Grammar 7-11 KES Stratford
QEH 24-10 KES Bath
Ratcliffe College 5-19 Princethorpe College
Reading Blue Coat 12-0 Gordon’s
Reed’s 27-27 Emanuel
Reigate Grammar 38-5 Sevenoaks
RGS High Wycombe 18-33 Whitgift
RGS Newcastle 31-8 Lancaster RGS
Sherborne 7-38 Clifton College
Skinners’ 12-3 St John’s, Leatherhead
Stewart’s Melville 42-14 Strathallan
St Albans 2nd XV 5-26 QES Barnet
St Anselm’s College 51-7 Altrincham Grammar
St Edward’s, Oxford 41-19 Uppingham
St Olave’s Grammar 7-22 Wallington County Grammar
The Leys 43-14 Royal Hospital School
The Perse 13-7 Bedford Modern
Trent College 47-12 Worksop College
Trinity 46-10 KCS Wimbledon
Wellington School 29-10 Prior Park College
Wilmslow High 21-15 The Grange
Windsor Boys’ 50-0 UCS
Saturday really was an epic day of school rugby and there were some truly outstanding results and some epic games of rugby. Dulwich College v John Fisher already had a ring of a great game about it for its sheer history, but the two sides turned that into reality on Saturday in an absolutely thrilling 22-22 draw. A magnificent spectacle.
Theirs was not the only draw either, in Surrey Reed’s and Emanuel played out a magnificent 27-27 draw, a wonderful result for Emanuel in particular given some of Reed’s performances this season.
Some of the highest performing teams in the country were in action on Saturday, and some of their performances only served to underline that. Take Clifton College, flying high in our NextGenXV table, they travelled to a strong Sherborne outfit on Saturday and came away with a simply brilliant 38-7 victory that underlines their quality.
It was a similar story for Trinity, one of the very best in the country and making that point once again on Saturday with another superb victory, on this occasion winning 46-10 against KCS Wimbledon. They truly are magnificent.
So to are Millfield, who won the St Joseph’s Festival prior to half term. They took on a youthful Llandovery College side from Wales and put in another strong performance for a 33-19 victory.
On Wednesday NextGenXV’s coverage of School Rugby takes us to Oakham for their Cup tie against Stowe, and Oakham warmed up for that in style on Saturday with a brilliant 43-3 victory over Oundle.
Ipswich continue to impress and back up their credentials in our Table, they claimed the Merchiston Castle Festival title before half term and in their first game back since they secured a superb 52-30 victory over Haileybury. One side that has got the better of Ipswich are Finborough, but the high-flying Suffolk side had a bit of a setback on Saturday on their trip to Norfolk, falling to a tight 12-7 defeat to Gresham’s, who ought to take huge heart from that performance.
Also taking huge heart should be Skinners’, who for the second year on the bounce claimed victory over St John’s Leatherhead, 12-3. Their game against The Judd at the end of term is going to be some fixture.
Friday night this week takes the NextGenXV live cameras to Merchant Taylors’ Northwood, and they prepared for that with a brilliantly tight 15-13 victory over Magdalen College. Facing them on Friday will be Reading Blue Coat, who were brilliant on Saturday once more for a 12-0 victory over Gordon’s.
One of the results of the day has to be Eastbourne College’s magnificently close 20-19 victory over Brighton College. Brighton took a relatively inexperienced side, but credit to Eastbourne, who are having a season to remember, they stepped up to the plate in a big way.
Elsewhere in that south east region, Duke of York’s Royal Military School won a really close encounter away at Christ’s Hospital, 15-13, and things were tight in Kent between Maidstone Grammar and Chislehurst & Sidcup Grammar too, Maidstone winning 26-21. Worth were in action against Caterham and impressed in a 19-12 victory, while Reigate Grammar were flying against Sevenoaks, winning 38-5. Wallington County Grammar meanwhile won 22-7 at St Olave’s Grammar.
In London Eltham College won a thriller against Ravens Wood, 26-22, while Halliford were 32-14 victors over St Richard Reynolds. Claremont Fan Court meanwhile won an epic against Isleworth & Syon, 22-19.
To the east, Brentwood continue to impress, winning a really close encounter at home to Langley Park, 22-19, while The Leys were flying against Royal Hospital School, 43-14, and The Perse put in a really strong performance against a Bedford Modern side that has impressed this season, 13-7.
Richard Hale won 33-5 in the Schools Vase at Bishop’s Stortford High, while in the same town Bishop’s Stortford College were loving life, beating Culford 47-7. QES Barnet meanwhile enjoyed a morale boosting 26-5 victory at St Albans against their 2nd XV.
Heading West of London, Eton College continue to look good, they won 33-19 at home to Abingdon, while Windsor Boys’ were flying, 50-0 against UCS. Whitgift travelled to RGS High Wycombe and underlined their credentials with a strong 33-18 victory against a side that revels in making life tricky and are specialists at staying in the contest, Whitgift were very impressive therefore.
Heading West, St Edward’s Oxford enjoyed a brilliant 41-19 victory against old rivals Uppingham, on a day that also saw the two school’s old boys play in a really great occasion that showed the very best of schools rugby and what it means. Meanwhile Princethorpe College were on form away at Ratcliffe College, winning 19-5.
In the South West Sir Thomas Rich’s continue to look good ahead of that live streamed game next week, beating Bristol Grammar 22-0 away from home. QEH impressed, securing a good 24-10 victory over KES Bath, meanwhile Wellington School won 29-10 against Prior Park College. Things were really tight at Pate’s Grammar though, where visitors KES Stratford just edged out their hosts, 11-7.
In the North West it was St Anselm’s College that went to bed happiest after a brilliant 51-7 victory over Altrincham Grammar, meanwhile Merchant Taylors’ were also on good form, beating Scarisbrick Hall 34-5. Manchester Grammar held off a good Wirral Grammar side for a 26-12 victory, while AKS Lytham were on form at home to Birkenhead, 25-17, and Wilmslow High won 21-15 against The Grange.
In Nottingham Trent College had a great day against Worksop College, winning 47-12, and it was a similar story in Yorkshire for Ampleforth College as they secured a brilliant 45-5 victory over Newcastle School for Boys.
In Newcastle it was a huge game, the clash of the RGS’ as RGS Newcastle hosted Lancaster RGS. It was a fantastic occasion, and a magnificent performance form the home side as RGS Newcastle sealed a superb 31-8 victory. Along the road old rivals Barnard Castle were also in sparkling form, securing an outstanding 41-5 victory at Dame Allan’s.
In Scotland there were some huge games and some really top encounters too, not least a 14-14 draw between Kelvinside Academy and Glasgow High, and a tight 18-17 victory for Glenalmond College over George Heriot’s, who also had a side out against Glasgow Academy, going down 54-7.
Performance of the day perhaps goes to Stewart’s Melville, who were magnificent for a 42-12 victory over a strong Strathallan side. One side that might argue with that are Loretto, who secured a brilliant 57-3 victory at home to Robert Gordon’s College.
Edinburgh Academy continue to look top class, they beat Fettes College 38-19, and how about this for a high-scoring free-flowing game, Dundee High School 29-38 Dollar Academy.
Still to Come:
Bishop Wordsworth’s v Dauntsey’s
City of London Freemen’s v Cedars
Dartford Grammar v Wimbledon College
Glyn v London Oratory
Gunnersbury v Latymer Upper
Haberdashers’ Adams v Ellesmere College
King’s Bruton Triangular: Collegiate, King’s Bruton, West Buckland
Lymm High v St Ambrose College
Marlborough College v Churcher’s College
Perthshire v Morrison’s Academy
Pocklington v Hymers College
RGS Colchester v Wymondham College
St George’s College, Weybridge v Mill Hill
St Joseph’s College v Langley
If you are interested in having your game live streamed, please either fill in the form on the homepage or contact richard@nextgenxv.com – we would love to cover your games!
