Trinity School have finished top of the Term One standings in the first ever NextGenXV Schools Rugby Table.

The Croydon outfit’s U18 Schools Cup quarter final victory over Harrow early in December proved the vital result and actually handed them the biggest gap at the top of the table that anyone has had all season, where themselves, Harrow, and Clifton College have been the sides topping the charts throughout.

In the end it was Clifton College that finished behind them, with Millfield just a single point behind Clifton after climbing up from 5^th following their 15-10 victory over Sedbergh last week that saw them add The Schools Championship to their St Joseph’s Festival title this term.

Harrow stay in fourth, with Sedbergh sliding from third to finish in fifth place following that defeat. In the rest of the Top 10 it is as you were from last week, so too in 11^th, 12^th, and 13^th, however Denstone College, who beat Sedbergh remember, have risen up to finish in 14^th following their impressive victory over Sir Thomas Rich’s last week.

That victory also sees Woodhouse Grove nudge up to 28^th and Blundell’s crack the Top 30 to finish in 29^th.

The rest of the Top 50 is as you were from last week, so too the Top 100, which you can view by following this link: NextGenXV Schools Rugby Table Top 100.

Much of the Top 50, in terms of teams rather than position by position, is as was predicted when the pre-season initial ELO Ratings were dished out, but six teams have broken into the Top 50 having been initially rated outside of it. King’s Macclesfield have had a remarkable season and move from a pre-season rating of 54 to finish in 39^th, while Marlborough College moved from 82 in pre-season to 43 in this final table, similarly The Perse just cracked the Top 50, moving from 87 in pre-season to finish in 50^th.

Three teams really impressed though, being rated between 100 and 150 in pre season and yet finishing inside of the Top 50 in this final table. Finborough finish in 33^rd, The Judd in 38^th, and Bryanston in 48^th. In truth arguments could be made for Finborough and The Judd being placed far higher than their already high ratings, a slightly unjustly low pre-season rating maybe costing them.

A few sides have ended up exactly where they were at the start of the season, Millfield in third, Kirkham Grammar in 6^th, Ipswich in 9^th, Cranleigh in 25^th, and Blundell’s in 29^th, while some have had great climbs; Sutton Valence going from 44 in pre-season to 35^th in the final standings, Chletenham College going from 41^stto 37^th, RGS Guildford moving from 40^th to 34^th, and it could have been even more but for a sticky October.

RGS Newcastle had a strong climb from 37^th to finish up in 24^th after an excellent season, while Sir Thomas Rich’s and Warwick also enjoyed decent climbs up the table. Old Swinford Hospital Haileybury, and Eton College also enjoyed strong seasons that saw them climb the table steadily.

There were three major climbers in the Top 50 though, Berkhamsted moved from an 26^th in pre-season to finish in an impressive 12^th, while Denstone College moved from 32^nd to finish up in 14^th, a finish that should maybe have been even higher given the scale of their achievements this season.

However the biggest of the three was Oakham, who went unbeaten and soared from a starting position of 31^stto finish up in 10^th place after a quite remarkable season that has seen them progress to next term’s U18 Schools Cup semi finals.

Also there will be Trinity, whose unbeaten season and superb Schools Cup quarter final victory saw them move from an initial placing of fourth in the table to finish up at the top of the pile. A deserved outcome for this magnificent group of young players.

It has truly been a glorious term of school rugby, with so many fantastic teams, performances, and memories. Had the season gone on longer the likes of Denstone College and Oakham might surely have climbed even further, Cranleigh too were finishing on a high, likewise Finborough, to name just a few.

A season to savour.