It was Round 4 of the Premiership Rugby U18 Academy League this weekend, the mid-point of the League Stage of the U18 Academy League.
At the end of the league stage, the teams will head to the finals, with the teams from the North Conference facing their equivalent finishers in the South Conference, meaning that top of the North will meet top of the South in the final, won last year by Bristol Bears.
Northern Conference
Midlands Central, the former Wasps Academy, went into the weekend top of the conference but had a bye week, giving both Northampton Saints and Leicester Tigers the chance to leapfrog them.
Both sides took that opportunity, and in Northampton Saints’ case in real style. Saints stormed to an outstanding 44-0 victory over Midlands Central’s RFU Midlands Academy partners, Midlands West, the former Worcester Warriors Academy. It leaves Midlands West still at the foot of the table, a point behind Yorkshire Academy, who lost 15-24 at Keighley RUFC against Leicester Tigers. Those results sent Northampton Saints to the top of the conference, with Tigers, champions in 2018 and 2019, and shared champions in 2020, a point behind in second place. Midlands Central now lie in third place ahead of a huge trip to Northampton Saints this weekend coming, Tigers have their bye week.
The other game in the Northern Conference saw Newcastle Falcons host Sale Sharks at Kingston Park, a fantastic and close game of rugby. Falcons were unchanged after victory over Leicester Tigers the week before and they made it two in a row with a 17-10 victory on Saturday ahead of next week’s trip to take on Midlands West. Sale Sharks earned a losing bonus point though and will be hosting Yorkshire Academy in a key game this Sunday coming.
Round 4 Results
Newcastle Falcons 17-10 Sale Sharks
Northampton Saints 44-0 Midlands West
Yorkshire Academy 15-24 Leicester Tigers
Standings
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | BPs | Points |
| 1 | Northampton Saints | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 17 |
| 2 | Leicester Tigers | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 16 |
| 3 | Midlands Central | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 13 |
| 4 | Newcastle Falcons | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| 5 | Sale Sharks | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| 6 | Yorkshire Academy | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 7 | Midlands West | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
Southern Conference
Over in the Southern Conference the second vs third clash, Saracens v Bristol Bears, on Sunday felt like a key game. So it proved, the reigning champions game it everything but at Saracens held on for a tight 10-7 victory at StoneX that sends them a point clear of London Irish at the top of the table ahead of their bye week next week.
London Irish had climbed to the top last week by beating Saracens, they were at Hazelwood again this weekend with Bath the visitors, but this time out in another close game they came out on the wrong side of the result. Bath making it back to back victories with a tight and competitive 15-12 victory that sees them remain in fifth place but in touching distance of the upper echelons, just two points behind both third and fourth.
In third are Harlequins, who also made it back to back victories with a brilliant 31-7 victory over Exeter Chiefs at Grasshoppers RFC. They and Bath will now go head to head at The Rec this weekend in a game that looks crucial for the outcome of the conference, as does Bristol Bears v London Irish at Dings Crusaders, Round 5 is going to see plenty of shifts in the Southern Conference.
Round 4 Results
Harlequins 31-7 Exeter Chiefs
London Irish 12-15 Bath
Saracens 10-7 Bristol Bears
Standings
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | BPs | Points |
| 1 | Saracens | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 15 |
| 2 | London Irish | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 14 |
| 3 | Harlequins | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 11 |
| 4 | Bristol Bears | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 11 |
| 5 | Bath | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 9 |
| 6 | Gloucester | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Exeter Chiefs | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Team Sheets:
North
Newcastle Falcons
15 Ben Redshaw (Sedbergh), 14 Oscar Doran (Keswick), 13 Dan Stephenson (RGS Newcastle), 12 Harry Rickard (Barnard Castle), 11 Lucas Rowell (Gosforth Academy), 10 Dan Woodcock (Cockermouth), 9 Joe Davis (Barnard Castle), 1 Isaac Keller (Gosforth Academy), 2 Jacob Oliver (Barnard Castle, captain), 3 Sam Kirkman (Gosforth Academy), 4 Connor Bowran (Gosforth Academy), 5 Finn Baker (Sedbergh), 6 Kane James (Sedbergh), 7 Archie Fletcher (Newcastle School for Boys), 8 Lewis Richardson (Gosforth Academy).
Replacements: 16 Ryan Shaw (Gosforth Academy), 17 Chris Johnstone (KES Morpeth), 18 Sam Graham (Durham), 19 Tom Cressey (RGS Newcastle), 20 Reuben Parsons (Gosforth Academy), 21 Nicko Sykes (Newcastle School for Boys), 22 Junior Newton (Sedbergh), 23 Tom Burton (Sedbergh).
Sale Sharks
15 Jack Lightbrown (Myerscough College), 14 Albert Bradshaw (Stockport Grammar), 13 Ollie Davies (Kirkham Grammar), 12 Cameron Scanlon (Kirkham Grammar), 11 Sebi Krippner (Newcastle-Under-Lyme), 10 Rhys James (Wirral Grammar), 9 Will Wootton (Sedbergh), 1 Dan Rourke (St Edward’s College), 2 Josh MacAndrew (Ellesmere College), 3 Rhys Dixon (Middlewich High), 4 Darren Low (Kirkham Grammar, captain), 5 James Appleton (Kirkham Grammar), 6 Wills Austin (Kirkham Grammar), 7 Seb Kelly (Kirkham Grammar), 8 Jack Lightbown (Bolton College).
Replacements: 16 Ollie Read (Denstone College), 17 Ben Lilley (Knutsford Academy), 18 Alfie Jones (St Edward’s College), 19 Isaac Deans (Stockport Grammar), 20 Frank Chatterton (Stockport Grammar), 21 Dom Hanson (Stockport Grammar), 22 Toby Wilson (King’s Macclesfield), 23 Will Bradley (Sedgley Tigers).
Northampton Saints
15 Ewan Baker (Stowe), 14 Ben Radnor (Samuel Whitbread Academy), 13 Harry Simpson (Ipswich), 12 Ollie Saddleton (Ipswich), 11 Toby Cousins (Oakham), 10 Rory Hollis (Ipswich), 9 Archie McParland (Stowe), 1 Lucas Nisbett-Hadaway (Ipswich), 2 Sol Moody (Finborough), 3 Will Lamprell (Ipswich), 4 Aiden Kabi (Oundle), 5 Henri Burditt (Stowe), 6 Mart Van Der Veen (Ipswich), 7 Henry Pollock (Stowe, captain), 8 Ollie Holliday (Northampton School for Boys).
Replacements: 16 Yuijan Zou (The Perse), 17 Oliver Scola (Northampton School for Boys), 18 Dave Bennett (Rugby), 19 Aiden Ainsworth-Cave (Bedford), 20 Ashton Webb (Wisbech Grammar), 21 Max Allman-Ward (Bedford), 22 Billy Pasco (Oundle), 23 Jacob Wilmott (Samuel Whitbread Academy).
Midlands West
15 Charlie Whorrod (Warwick), 14 George Bennett (Stourport High), 13 Matty Walker (Bromsgrove), 12 Frankie Jefferies (Malvern College), 11 Jack Kinder (Solihull), 10 Jack Condliffe (Stourport High), 9 Billy McDonough (Bromsgrove), 1 Will Conduit (Stourport College), 2 Loic Keasey (RGS Worcester ), 3 Emmanuel Olaleye (Old Swinford Hospital), 4 Warwick Archer (Hereford 6th form College), 5 Ollie McGinnity (Warwick), 6 Luka Jansen Van Vuuren (Malvern College), 7 Sam Hawes (King’s Worcester), 8 Zach Armstrong (Bromsgrove).
Replacements: 16 George Knowles (Hereford Cathedral), 17 Jacob Tomkinson (Old Swinford Hospital), 18 Tom Hilton (Malvern College), 19 Max Truby (Old Swinford Hospital), 20 Charlie Bemand (Stourport High), 21 George Tomlinson (King’s Worcester), 22 Cam Smith (Malvern College).
Yorkshire Academy
15 Ned McCormack, 14 Matthew Saxby, 13 Louis Worrall, 12 Lloyd McEwan-Peters, 11 Cosimo Beveridge, 10 Louie Platt, 9 Toby Morley (vc), 1 Leon Mudd, 2 Alfie Longstaff, 3 Tye Raymont, 4 Tom Burrow (c), 5 Oliver Barker, 6 Matthew Leatham, 7 Jonny Freeman, 8 Henry Du Boulay.
Replacements: 16 Seb Easterby-Gray, 17 David Mpofu, 18 Ashley Lockwood, 19 Elias Smith, 20 Archie Hurford, 21 Charlie Borchard, 22 Liam Wood, 23 Josh Marlow.
Leicester Tigers
15 Harry Simpson (Brooksby Melton College, vc), 14 Malelili Satala (Brooksby Melton College), 13 Charlie Davies (Mount St Mary’s College), 12 Elliot Smith (Denstone College), 11 Alex Garrett (Denstone College), 10 Ben Taylor (Oakham, captain), 9 Jack Dickens (Trent College), 1 Tom Wand (Brooksby Melton College), 2 Harry Clarke (Denstone College), 3 Oliver Avison (Brooksby Melton College), 4 Felix Starkey (Oakham), 5 Osian Thomas (Stamford), 6 Tyler Russell (East Coast College), 7 George Perkins (Denstone College, vc), 8 Sam Williams (Stamford).
Replacements: 16 Finlay Haywood (Old Swinford Hospital), 17 Bronson Mellowes (Brooksby Melton College), 18 Henry Mountford (Denstone College), 19 Phelton Tandoh (Stamford), 20 Lawrence Adediran (Brooksby Melton College), 21 Nicolas Gali (Denstone College), 22 Tom Threlfall (Nottingham High), 23 Jack Teague (Old Swinford Hospital).
South
Harlequins
15 Conor Byrne (Trinity), 14 Tom Humphreys (RGS Guildford), 13 Frank McMillan (Bhavsic), 12 Sean Kerr (Whitgift), 11 Jack Thomas (Churcher’s College), 10 Josh Bellamy (Trinity), 9 Lucas Friday (Trinity), 1 Richard Twitchen (Seaford College), 2 Jimmy Staples (Seaford College), 3 Jamie Miller (Whitgift), 4 Theo Currie (Gordon’s), 5 Hal Kennedy (Emanuel), 6 Ronan Daniell (Hurstpierpoint College), 7 Roma Matebalavu (Trinity), 8 Lucas Schmid (Epsom College).
Replacements: 16 Enock Addai (Gordon’s), 17 Bryan Karimanzira (Richard Collyer), 18 Kane Fleary (Trinity), 19 Seth Eley (KCS Wimbledon), 20 Alfie Ambrose (Cardinal Newman), 21 Matt Wickham (Reigate Grammar), 22 Kit Temperley (Epsom College), 23 Jack Anstey (Cranleigh).
Exeter Chiefs
15 Louie Drennan (Exeter College), 14 Bobby Wiggington (Exeter College), 13 George Edson (Truro College), 12 Sam James (Truro College), 11 Nick Lilley (Exeter College), 10 Benjamin Coen (Blundell’s), 9 Max Ferguson (Exeter College), 1 Josh Mann (Truro College), 2 Lucas Gulley (Exeter College), 3 Harry Rodwell (Exeter College), 4 Charlie Everard (Truro College), 5 Oscar Beckerleg (Truro College), 6 Ben Hobbs (Exeter College), 7 Bobby Pond (Exeter College), 8 Barnaby Elderkin (Truro College).
Replacements: 16 Ted Hocking (Truro College), 17 Callum Arnold (Exeter College), 18 Ollie Critchley (Truro College), 19 Pip Burton-Race (Exeter College), 20 Dom Ellery (Truro College), 21 Will Tanswell (Truro College), 22 Jed Findlay (Exeter College), 23 Josh Golden-Clarke (Truro College).
London Irish
15 Ben Frampton (Wellington College), 14 Theo Williamson (Bishop Wand), 13 George Staveley (Wellington College), 12 Charlie Griffin (Harrow), 11 Sam Rockley (Bishop Wand), 10 Louie Heard (Bishop Wand), 9 Noah Cowan (Stowe), 1 Ralph McEachran (Bishop Wand), 2 Kepueli Tuipulotu (Harrow), 3 Brandon Vince (Bishop Wand, captain), 4 Tayo Adegbemile (St Albans), 5 Will Saunders (Holyport), 6 George Goodridge (Bishop Wand), 7 Reggie Hammick (Harrow), 8 Jack Lee (Millfield).
Replacements: 16 Israel Suleman (Henley College), 17 Ralph Hawker (Wellington College), 18 Philip Truscott (Harrow), 19 Ciaran Brickley, 20 Sam Lee, 21 Connor Peters (Berkhamsted), 22 Tyler Offiah (Wellington College), 23 Jonny Sharp (Henley College).
Bath
15 Charlie Brook (Marlborough College), 14 Will Dudman (Beechen Cliff), 13 James Short (Beechen Cliff), 12 Rory Crum (Beechen Cliff), 11 Henry Bartlett (Beechen Cliff), 10 Raff Weston (Beechen Cliff), 9 Ieuan Davies (Millfield), 1 Ioan Emanuel (Millfield), 2 Kacey Pike (Beechen Cliff), 3 Billy Sela (Beechen Cliff), 4 Rory Cameron (Beechen Cliff), 5 Jack Bennett (Monkton Combe), 6 Arthur Moore (Clayesmore), 7 George Timmins (Millfield), 8 Connor Treacey (Beechen Cliff, captain).
Replacements: 16 Henry Bonetti (Millfield), 17 Harry Love (Beechen Cliff), 18 Leo Palmer (Kingswood), 19 Alex Deering (Millfield), 20 Charlie Ward (Kingswood), 21 Ollie Byrne (Beechen Cliff), 22 James Linegar (Kingswood), 23 Will Howells (Prior Park College).
Saracens
15 Declan Murphy (Saracens Academy), 14 Toby Clinch (Finborough), 13 Lance Kruger (Finborough), 12 Oscar Wilson (Oaklands College), 11 Finn Newton (Haileybury), 10 Benjy Mills (Brentwood) 9 Ewan Entwistle (Hayes), 1 Alex O’Driscoll (Berkhamsted), 2 Henry Walker (Hartpury College), 3 Max Wheeler (North Kent College), 4 Junior Kpoku (Finborough), 5 James Boylan (Berkhamsted), 6 Dayo Oyerinde (Sutton Valence), 7 Charlie West (St Albans), 8 Barney Merrett (Sutton Valence).
Replacements: 16 Lucas Eule (King’s Canterbury), 17 Ikhi Osebor (Haileybury), 18 Charlie Nunn (Haileybury), 19 Dylan Enskat (Ravens Wood), 20 Joe Robinson (Haileybury), 21 Louie Sinclair (Finborough).
Bristol Bears
15 Jake Smith (Collegiate), 14 Aiden Boshoff (Clifton College), 13 Isaac Campbell-Wu (Clifton College), 12 Jamie Howick (Wellington), 11 Tom Ormsby (Redland Green), 10 Eamon Rogers (Clifton College), 9 Sam Morton-Smith (Hartpury College), 1 Louis Trevett (Clifton College), 2 Oscar Sims-Preston (SGS Filton College), 3 George Payne (Clifton College), 4 Ollie Thraves (QEH), 5 Ollie Russell (Clifton College), 6 Joe Wooler (Hartpury College, captain), 7 Joe Cooper (Hartpury College), 8 Tom Gardner (Clifton College).
Replacements: 16 Cody Richardson-Wall (Hartpury College), 17 Harry O’Donnell (SGS Filton College), 18 Louis White (Collegiate), 19 Rowan Curry (Richard Huish), 20 Archie Prewett (SGS Filton College), 21 Will Knight (Prior Park College), 22 Jacob Mitchell (Clifton College), 23 Jamie Wood (SGS Filton College).
Previous Results:
Round 1
North
Leicester Tigers 27-24 Northampton Saints
Midlands Central (Wasps) 26-26 Yorkshire Academy
Sale Sharks 27-17 Midlands West (Worcester)
South
Bristol Bears 26-14 Bath
Gloucester 17-29 London Irish
Saracens 59-17 Exeter Chiefs
Round 2
North
Newcastle Falcons 21-32 Midlands Central (Wasps)
Sale Sharks 12-61 Leicester Tigers
Yorkshire Academy 14-52 Northampton Saints
South
Gloucester 15-25 Bristol Bears
London Irish 22-19 Harlequins
Saracens 52-21 Bath
Round 3 Results
North
Leicester Tigers 22-29 Newcastle Falcons
Midlands West (Worcester) 26-29 Midlands Central (Wasps)
Northampton Saints 36-14 Sale Sharks
South
Exeter Chiefs 19-36 Bath
Harlequins 41-14 Gloucester
London Irish 21-17 Saracens
Further Fixtures:
Round 5 (Saturday 21st January)
North
Midlands West v Newcastle Falcons (2pm, College Road)
Northampton Saints v Midlands Central (3.30pm, Franklin’s Gardens)
Sale Sharks v Yorkshire Academy (Sunday, 1pm, Manchester Met Uni)
South
Bath v Harlequins (2pm, The Rec)
Bristol Bears v London Irish (7.30pm, Dings Crusaders)
Gloucester v Exeter Chiefs (2pm, Kingsholm)
Round 6 (Saturday 4th February)
North
Leicester Tigers v Midlands West (TBC)
Midlands Central v Sale Sharks (2pm, Warwick School)
Yorkshire Academy v Newcastle Falcons (2pm, Yarnbury RFC)
South
Bristol Bears v Harlequins (7.30pm, Dings Crusaders)
Exeter Chiefs v London Irish (12.30pm, Truro College)
Saracens v Gloucester (1pm, StoneX)
Round 7 (Saturday 11th February)
North
Midlands Central v Leicester Tigers (2pm, Warwick School)
Midlands West v Yorkshire Academy (2pm, Sixways)
Newcastle Falcons v Northampton Saints (2pm, Kingston Park)
South
Bath v Gloucester (12.15pm, Allington Fields)
Exeter Chiefs v Bristol Bears (2.30pm, Truro College)
Harlequins v Saracens (Sunday, 1.30pm, Cobham RFC)
Finals Day – TBC, 18th/19th February
