This weekend is by far and away 2023’s busiest weekend of school rugby so far, with a huge amount going on across Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
There will be both fifteen-a-side and seven-a-side rugby going on, U18 and U17, and NextGenXV will even be live streaming U16 7s this weekend as we head to Gordon’s School to live stream the Gordon’s School U16 Invitational 7s, which you can watch on our YouTube channel and through the embedded video below.
The weekend also sees the Rugby Football Bicentenary celebrations kick off, Rugby School, who are holding various events throughout 2023 almost all live-streamed here on NextGenXV, will be launching the Global Pass on Sunday, which will also involve a short 7s tournament – you kind find out more about it all here: Global Pass and the 200 year Celebrations.
That’s all on Sunday though, prior to that there is plenty else to get excited about!
Friday
Birkenhead v Stonyhurst (at Birkenhead Park RFC)
Ealing Trailfinders Academy v Finborough
Hayes Invitational 7s
KES Camp Hill v KES Birmingham
George Watson’s College v East Lothian RFC
Hampton v St Benedict’s (at Twickenham RFC)
Old Swinford Hospital v Sir Thomas Rich’s (at Stourbridge RFC)
Orleans Park 7s
Shelford 7s
It is an absolutely jam packed Friday this week, with both fifteen-a-side and 7s taking place. Among the big fifteen-a-side fixtures is Finborough’s trip to take on Ealing Trailfinders Academy. Finborough are in the Schools Cup semi finals after a remarkable season, and this will be a big test for them but a vital one ahead of that semi final as they seek to complete one of the most remarkable rugby stories of the century.
Another great fixture will take place at Twickenham RFC, a busy part of the world this weekend, as Hampton and St Benedict’s go head to head in what should be a brilliant game of rugby.
Over in the West Midlands Stourbridge RFC hosts a game that could well be one of the best of the term as Old Swinford Hospital and Sir Thomas Rich’s go head to head. Both have been outstanding this season, experiencing performances and efforts that will live long in the memory. Friday night should be a great addition to that. Along the road KES Camp Hill and KES Birmingham go head to in their annual bonanza, which is always absolutely fantastic.
Further north Birkenhead Park hosts Birkenhead School v Stonyhurst, another that should be an excellent game of rugby, meanwhile in Scotland George Watson’s College are in club action as they take on East Lothian RFC.
On the 7s field there are some great events on Friday. Orleans Park are hosting Grey Court, Latymer Upper, London Oratory, Wilson’s, and Windsor Boys’, which should be an absolutely fantastic event.
In South East London Hayes are also hosting an event that will include the likes of Caterham, while in Cambridgeshire The Perse will be among those at the Shelford 7s.
Saturday
Ampleforth College v St Peter’s, York – 7s
Brentwood v Robert Clack
Calday Grange Grammar v Manchester Grammar
Crossley Heath v King’s Macclesfield
Dartford Grammar v Coopers’ Coborn
Dundee High v Edinburgh Academy
Eastbourne College v Reed’s (NextGenXV Spring League, at Horsham RFC)
George Heriot’s v Glasgow Academy
Glasgow High v Balfron High
Hutchesons’ Grammar v Stewart’s Melville
Lancaster RGS v Bolton
Merchiston Castle U17 v Glasgow High U17
Morrison’s Academy v Linlithgow RFC
Oswestry v Shrewsbury
Repton 7s: Repton, Shrewsbury, Trent College
RGS High Wycombe v Campion
St Ambrose College v Haberdashers’ Adams
St Anselm’s College U17 v Kirkham Grammar U17
Warwick v Northampton School for Boys
Wellington 7s Triangular: Cheltenham College, Millfield, Wellington College
Whitgift v St Joseph’s College
Like Friday, Saturday is packed with games in both formats and game that look likely to be packed with quality as well. Looking at the fifteen-a-side game, one of the key fixtures is surely Warwick v Northampton School for Boys. Both side may be shorn of a few bodies to the Premiership Rugby U18 Academy League, but both have such fantastic depth and such fantastic quality, and Saturday is likely to be an absolutely fantastic game.
The same will be true in South East London, where Whitgift and St Joseph’s College go head to head. St Joseph’s have been really busy this term, and Whitgift have been really ramping up on late, and Saturday’s game holds plenty of excitement.
Deeper into the South East the NextGenXV Spring League continues at Horsham RFC where Eastbourne College host Reed’s. Both may have lost their opening games, but that is in huge part due to both playing the Spring League in exactly the spirit in which it was intended, to give players an opportunity to play, to learn, and to experiment on the field, and that should make for a great occasion on Saturday.
Essex meanwhile sees Brentwood host Robert Clack, while on the edge of the M25 Dartford Grammar School host Coopers’ Coborn.
Travelling from the South East to the M4 are Campion, who head to RGS High Wycombe for a game that really harks back to that early 2000s era of real dominance from these two schools and should be a fantastic occasion.
Up towards the North West things get fairly busy, on the Wirral Calday Grange Grammar welcome Manchester Grammar, while on the Welsh border Oswestry host Shrewsbury. Elsewhere the outstanding King’s Macclesfield are on the road at Crossly Heath, that one should be superb, while Lancaster RGS, who have been really busy, host Bolton, who have also been playing regularly. St Ambrose College, meanwhile, welcome Haberdashers’ Adams.
Scotland is pretty busy this weekend too, Edinburgh Academy are on the road at Dundee High, while Stewart’s Melville travel to Hutchesons’ Grammar.
Glasgow High School are at home to Balfron High, while travelling from Glasgow are Glasgow Academy, who head to George Heriot’s. Morrison’s Academy are meanwhile in club action against Linlithgow Academy.
There is also U17 action in Scotland as Merchiston Castle host Glasgow High School. Back in England there is also U17 action as Kirkham Grammar, whose U17s have been superb this term, head to St Anselm’s College.
Saturday also has some 7s action and one place that is going to be a real hotbed of 7s excitement is Wellington College as they host Cheltenham College and Millfield for a triangular series of games and practice ahead of a busy schedule to come. All three are likely to have exciting 7s sides this year and Saturday will likely be hugely valuable.
Repton will be hosting something similar, with Trent College and Shrewsbury the visitors, all valuable practice time ahead of the 7s season to come. In Yorkshire, meanwhile, Ampleforth College and St Peter’s York meet with similar aims.
Sunday
Clayesmore 7s: Clayesmore, Downside, Milton Abbey, Warminster
Pangbourne 7s: Gordon’s, Eton College, Magdalen College, Pangbourne College, Stowe
Rugby School Global Pass 7s: Bromsgrove, Mount St Mary’s College, Rugby, Uppingham
Shiplake 7s: Cancelled
South Coast 7s: at Portsmouth Grammar – See Preview Here
Tonbridge 7s: Bedford, Hurstpierpoint College, St Paul’s, Tonbridge, Worth
Sunday sees 7s season really ramp up, perhaps nowhere more so than at Portsmouth Grammar School for the South Coast 7s. Brighton College are the reigning champions in what is an incredibly strong 16 team field, a huge start to the 7s season for most and a very exciting one too. We have previewed the South Coast 7s separately, and you can see that here, including the draw: South Coast 7s Draw & Preview.
Another massive event is the launch of the Global Pass at Rugby School, a huge moment in the 200 year celebrations of the game at the school. The Global Pass launch will also see Rugby, Bromsgrove, Uppingham, and Mount St Mary’s College play a mini 7s tournament, you can read more about the day here: Global Pass Launch.
Elsewhere sadly the Shiplake 7s was cancelled due to the pitches being unplayable, however plenty of warning has allowed others to pick up some of the slack. Tonbridge will be hosting a number of schools, including Bedford, Hurstpierpoint College, St Paul’s, and Worth, in what should be a great gathering of some strong sides.
Pangbourne College will also be hosting plenty, among them Gordon’s Eton College, Magdalen College, and a Stowe side that is surely going to be a real challenger for some of the key 7s titles this year. There is also 7s action at Clayesmore, with Downside, Milton Abbey, and Warminster heading along to compete.
It should be a busy, exciting, and intense weekend of rugby in all forms!
