It was a fantastic weekend of schools rugby with some glorious game of rugby on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, as well as the epic Seaford 10s.
Throughout the weekend the competition, ambition, and skill across all games was superb, and there was even a trial of the new tackle laws at Barnard Castle as Dame Allan’s, Durham, and RGS Newcastle all came to visit for an U17 Festival.
🤝 We were delighted to welcome schools from across the North for an informative and enjoyable day, as part of a joint @RFU @EngRugbySchools initiative
🏉 For further details about how we are embracing and remain at the forefront of key developments in the sport 👇 pic.twitter.com/0Xkox5ftNC
— Barnard Castle School (@barney_school) January 30, 2023
That was on Saturday, and then on Sunday there was action at Warwick Schools as the Lambs and IQ Rugby met in a classic, meanwhile the NextGenXV live stream cameras were at Seaford College for the epic annual Seaford 10s, one of the key tournaments of the year, where Trinity made it back to back titles and a stunning day of rugby, all of which you can see below from Pitches 1 and 2.
Friday
KES Camp Hill 22-24 Solihull
Claremont Fan Court 27-21 Dunottar
The action actually all began on Friday night and a couple of crackers, with Solihull winning an epic classic clash against KES Camp Hill 24-244, while Claremont Fan Court won a great one against Dunottar, 27-21.
Saturday
Bablake & King Henry VIII 21-28 Sedbergh U17
Barnard Castle U17 Festival: Barnard Castle, Dame Allan’s, Durham, RGS Newcastle
Birkenhead 3-7 Calday Grange Grammar
Brentwood 28-24 Campion
Dollar Academy 7-7 Edinburgh Academy
Dollar Academy U17 3-5 George Watson’s College U17
Edinburgh Academy 2nd XV 13-31 Glasgow Academy
George Heriot’s 22-24 Kelvinside Academy
Glasgow High 34-19 Dundee High
KES Birmingham 29-18 Haberdashers’ Abraham Darby
King’s Macclesfield 32-10 St Anselm’s College
Lancaster RGS 19-17 St Ambrose College
Liverpool College U17 10-60 Kirkham Grammar U17
Merchiston Castle U17 15-14 Stewart’s Melville U17
Old Swinford Hospital 45-15 Loughborough Grammar
Scarisbrick Hall 19-17 Bolton
Sir Thomas Rich’s 17-24 Warwick
St Aloysius’ College 29-26 Morrison’s Academy
St George’s, Harpenden 14-17 Tiffin
Whitgift 47-24 Hampton
Saturday then came around and that trial of the new tackle laws at Barnard Castle, there were tries galore as the hosts, Dame Allan’s, Durham, and RGS Newcastle’s U17s got to grips with the new requirements.
There was a fair bit of U17 action on Saturday, and Kirkham Grammar are continuing to look like they will be a real threat next season, their U17s winning 60-10 against Liverpool College. Sedbergh also look strong, they travelled to Coventry to play Bablake & King Henry VIII and came home with a 28-21 victory.
Scotland also had U17 action, both close games, Merchiston Castle winning 15-14 against Stewart’s Melville, and George Watson’s College winning 5-3 at Dollar Academy.
At senior level Dollar Academy were in another close one, drawing 7-7 with Edinburgh Academy, meanwhile Edinburgh Academy’s 2nd XV went down 31-13 to Glasgow Academy. Glasgow High School won 34-19 against Dundee High, while Kelvinside Academy won a tight one at George Heriot’s, 24-22 and St Aloysius’ College won 29-26 against Morrison’s Academy.
In England there were some fantastic games, not least Sir Thomas Rich’s v Warwick, an incredibly close game between two top sides that just swung the way of the visitors by a 24-17 margin.
Whitgift were on brilliant form as well, beating a strong Hampton side 47-24 in a performance that shows plenty of promise. So too Old Swinford Hospital, who have been magnificent all season, adding to that with a 45-15 victory against Loughborough Grammar.
Another side that was brilliant last term was King’s Macclesfield, who were against superb for a 32-10 victory over St Anselm’s College. Nearby Lancaster RGS won 19-17 against St Ambrose College, while it was the same score in victory for Scarisbrick Hall over Bolton. Things were low scoring and tight at Birkenhead, where Calday Grange Grammar won 7-3.
In Birmingham, KES won 29-18 against Abraham Darby, while in the South East there were two crackers, a 17-14 victory for Tiffin in Hertfordshire against St George’s Harpenden, and in Essex a 28-24 victory for Brentwood over Campion.
Sunday
Lambs v Irish Exiles – See Report Here
Seaford 10s – See Report Here
Sunday was absolutely fantastic, and at Seaford College sixteen schools came together for an absolutely fantastic day of action. Trinity arrived as reigning champions and were again utterly superb as they claimed the title for a second year in a row.
Meanwhile at Warwick School The Lambs and IQ Rugby went head to head in an absolute classic game. Both the Lambs and the Seaford 10s are reviewed elsewhere, just follow the links above.
Still to Come
Chislehurst & Sidcup Grammar v Dartford Grammar
QES Kirkby Lonsdale v Saint Hilda College
Queen Victoria v Hutchesons’ Grammar
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