The penultimate round of the 2023 Premiership Rugby U18 Academy League certainly lived up to expectations as the race for a place in the final step up for a thrilling final round climax.
In the Northern Conference Northampton Saints had a bye week but they hold on to top spot, however only by a point as Leicester Tigers secured victory on Saturday against Midlands West. Both side have huge away games to finish off the campaign this coming weekend.
In the South London Irish played their final game of the league campaign and have a three point lead at the top of the table after victory at Exeter Chiefs. Only Saracens can now catch them, the North London side are three points back after victory over Gloucester and travel to Harlequins on Sunday for a crucial game in which victory will see them into the final.
Standings
North
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | BPs | Points |
| 1 | Northampton Saints | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 22 |
| 2 | Leicester Tigers | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 21 |
| 3 | Midlands Central | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 16 |
| 4 | Newcastle Falcons | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 13 |
| 5 | Yorkshire Academy | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 13 |
| 6 | Sale Sharks | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 13 |
| 7 | Midlands West | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
South
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | BPs | Points |
| 1 | London Irish | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 23 |
| 2 | Saracens | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 20 |
| 3 | Bristol Bears | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 17 |
| 4 | Harlequins | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 15 |
| 5 | Bath | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 14 |
| 6 | Gloucester | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| 7 | Exeter Chiefs | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
Round 6 Results:
North
Leicester Tigers 31-19 Midlands West (Leicester Forest RFC)
Midlands Central 24-57 Sale Sharks (Warwick School)
Yorkshire Academy 29-26 Newcastle Falcons (Yarnbury RFC)
Tigers’ 31-19 victory over Midlands West was a vital one for them at Leicester Forest, keeping them in the hunt for top spot. They will have to win against Midlands Central at Warwick School on Saturday though, and hope thanks Saints can’t do similar at Newcastle Falcons.
Midlands Central are going to be going all out for that one after a tough outing at home to Sale Sharks 57-24. It was a tough for the former Wasps outfit but a fantastic way for Sale Sharks to round off the campaign as they have their bye week next week.
The frustration for Sale will be that it still leaves them in 6th place as they are level on points with Yorkshire Academy and Newcastle Falcons but at the bottom of the trip due to points difference – and by just a single point’s difference to Yorkshire. Saturday saw Yorkshire claim their second victory of the season to put them in that position, an absolutely fantastic game, finishing 29-26 in their favour against Newcastle Falcons, who of course could yet have a big say in the outcome of this conference.
South
Bristol Bears 24-22 Harlequins (Dings Crusaders)
Exeter Chiefs 10-28 London Irish (Truro College)
Saracens 34-28 Gloucester (StoneX)
As mention, London Irish rounded off their league campaign with a 28-10 victory over Exeter Chiefs at Truro College. The Exiles must now sit and wait on next week’s results to find out if it is enough for a place in the final. Exeter meanwhile host Bristol Bears and will hope to be able to finish off with a first victory.
A bonus point victory for Saracens at home to Gloucester was vital to their hopes of a place in the final and they duly achieved that on Saturday, winning 34-28 to stay in touching distance ahead of that trip to Cobham to face Harlequins on Saturday. Gloucester will take plenty from a strong performance though as they head to Bath on Saturday for their final game.
The weekend was rounded off on Saturday evening at Dings Crusaders as Bristol Bears hosted Harlequins in an absolute cracker. Bristol Bears won it 24-22, leaving them agonisingly one league point from being able to sneak into the final. They will be looking forward to next week’s game against Exeter though, while Harlequins will surely love hosting Saracens at Cobham with the opportunity to finish the league campaign in style and deny their great rivals a place in the final.
Team Sheets:
Leicester Tigers – Did not announce team.
Midlands West
15 George Tomlinson (King’s Worcester), 14 George Bennett (Stourport High), 13 Matty Walker (Bromsgrove), 12 Frankie Jefferies (Malvern College), 11 Cameron Smith (Malvern College), 10 Jack Condliffe (Stourport High), 9 Charlie Bemand (Bromsgrove), 1 Will Conduit (Stourport College), 2 Loic Keasey (RGS Worcester, captain), 3 Emmanuel Olaleye (Old Swinford Hospital), 4 Luka Jansen Van Vuuren (Malvern College), 5 Tom Hilton (Malvern College), 6 Max Truby (Old Swinford Hospital), 7 Sam Hawes (King’s Worcester), 8 Zach Armstrong (Bromsgrove).
Replacements: 16 George Knowles (Hereford Cathedral), 17 Jacob Tomkinson (Old Swinford Hospital), 18 N/A, 19 Warwick Archer (Hereford 6th form College), 20 Fintan Dowling (KES Birmingham), 21 Billy McDonough (Bromsgrove), 22 Ben Yeo (Bromsgrove), 23 Charlie Whorrod (Warwick).
Midlands Central
15 Dan Barnett (Berkhamsted, 14 Charlie Cranley (City of Oxford College), 13 Ryan Sweeting (Rugby, captain), 12 Charlie Myall (City of Oxford College), 11 Will Glister (City of Oxford College), 10 Charlie Mason (St Edward’s, Oxford), 9 Max Blinkhorn (Warwick), 1 Cameron Aitchison (City of Oxford College), 2 Ben Pogson (City of Oxford College), 3 Johnson Rabuka (Henley College), 4 Charlie Bell (Bablake & King Henry VIII), 5 Charlie Moss (Shiplake College), 6 Reueben Logan (Berkhamsted), 7 John Baldwin (Bloxham), 8 Felix Hunt (Bloxham).
Replacements: 16 Beau Delaney (City of Oxford College), 17 Jack Tchape (Sir Henry Floyd’s Grammar), 18 Sam Scott (City of Oxford College), 19 Edward Sharpe (Princethorpe College), 20 Nikita Tutus (Radley College), 21 Reuben Elias (City of Oxford College), 22 Thomas Cunningham (Magdalen College), 23 Will Diver (Shiplake College).
Sale Sharks
15 Sebi Krippner (Newcastle-Under-Lyme), 14 Albert Bradshaw (Stockport Grammar), 13 Ollie Davies (Kirkham Grammar), 12 Toby Wilson (King’s Macclesfield), 11 Will Bradley (Sedgley Tigers), 10 Rhys James (Wirral Grammar), 9 Carwyn Edwards (Ysgol Dinas Bran), 1 Ben Lilley (Knutsford Academy), 2 Wills Austin (Kirkham Grammar), 3 Rhys Dixon (Middlewich High), 4 Darren Low (Kirkham Grammar, captain), 5 James Appleton (Kirkham Grammar), 6 Frank Chatterton (Stockport Grammar), 7 Seb Kelly (Kirkham Grammar), 8 Jack Lightbown (Bolton College).
Replacements: 16 Dan Rourke (St Edward’s College), 17 Johnny Hanson (Sedbergh), 18 Leon Tahana (Wirral Grammar), 19 Dan Green (Denstone College), 20 Jos Gilmore (Kirkham Grammar), 21 Dominic Hanson (Stockport Grammar), 22 Archie Callaghan (Sedbergh), 23 Owain Williams (Myerscough College).
Yorkshire Academy
15 Ned McCormack, 14 Louis Worrall, 13 Lloyd McEwan-Peters, 12 Louie Platt, 11 Thomas Rowe, 10 Charlie Metcalf, 9 Toby Morley (vc), 1 Leon Mudd, 2 Alfie Longstaff, 3 Tye Raymont, 4 Tom Burrow (c), 5 Anthony McCormack, 6 Matthew Leatham, 7 Jonny Freeman, 8 Henry Du Boulay.
Replacements: 16 Seb Easterby-Gray, 17 Oliver Fretwell, 18 David Mpofu, 19 Oliver Barker, 20 Archie Hurford, 21 Charlie Borchard, 22 Toby Baker, 23 Matthew Saxby.
Newcastle Falcons
15 Ben Redshaw (Sedbergh), 14 Oscar Doran (Keswick), 13 Callum Brown (Durham), 12 Harry Rickard (Barnard Castle), 11 Tom Burton (Sedbergh), 10 Dan Woodwock (Cockermouth), 9 Joe Davis (Barnard Castle), 1 Isaac Keller (Gosforth Academy), 2 Jacob Oliver (Barnard Castle), 3 Sam Graham (Durham), 4 Connor Bowran (Gosforth Academy), 5 Finn Baker (Sedbergh), 6 Tom Cressey (RGS Newcastle), 7 Archie Fletcher (Newcastle School for Boys), 8 Kane James (Sedbergh).
Replacements: 16 Ryan Shaw (Gosforth Academy), 17 Chris Johnstone (KES Morpeth), 18 Sam Kirkman (Penrith), 19 Riley Thwaites (Aspatria), 20 Jacob Butterill (Sedbergh), 21 Nicko Sykes (Newcastle School for Boys), 22 Junior Newton (Sedbergh), 23 Lucas Rowell (Gosforth Academy).
South
Bristol Bears
15 Jake Smith (Collegiate), 14 Louis Nancekivell (Bristol Grammar), 13 Isaac Campbell-Wu (Clifton College), 12 Jacob Mitchell (Clifton College), 11 Tom Ormsby (Redland Green), 10 Fin Fielder (Clifton College), 9 Sam Morton-Smith (Hartpury College), 1 Louie Trevett (Clifton College), 2 Oscar Simms-Preston (SGS Filton College), 3 George Payne (Clifton College), 4 Ollie Thraves (QEH), 5 Joachim Hullah (SGS Filton College), 6 Joe Wooler (Clifton College, captain), 7 Sonny Davis (SGS Filton College), 8 Tom Gardner (Clifton College).
Replacements: 16 Arthur Davis (SGS Filton College), 17 Louis White (Collegiate), 18 Kenzie Jenkins (Coleg y Cymoedd), 19 Archie Prewett (SGS Filton College), 20 Jamie Howick (Wellington School), 21 Ted Phillips (Clifton College), 22 Eamonn Rogers (Clifton College).
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 Will Peart-Smith (Trinity), 8 Lucas Schmid (Epsom College).
Replacements: 16 Enock Addai (Gordon’s), 17 N/A, 18 Kane Fleary (Trinity), 19 James Davies (Brighton College), 20 Roma Matebalavu (Trinity), 21 Matt Wickham (Reigate Grammar), 22 Ethan Fitzgerald (Whitgift), 23 Ethan Dando (Brighton College).
Exeter Chiefs
15 Josh Golden Clarke (Truro College), 14 Bobby Wiggington (Exeter College), 13 Louie Drennan (Exeter College), 12 Jeremy Tuima (Exeter College), 11 Rhys Williams (Truro College), 10 Benjamin Coen (Blundell’s), 9 Will Tanswell (Truro 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 Pip Berton-Race (Kingsbridge RFC), Barnaby Elderkin (Truro College), 8 Ben Hobbs (Exeter College).
Replacements: 16 George Edson (Truro College), 17 Callum Arnold (Exeter College), 18 Ben Ellis Jeavons (Exeter College), 19 Bobby Pond (Exeter College), 20 Max Ferguson (Exeter College), 21 Jed Findlay (Exeter College), 22 Sam James (Truro College), 23 Nick Lilley (Exeter 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 Louis Brickley (London Oratory), 5 Mario Ikumola-Andre (Bishop Wand), 6 Tayo Adegbemile (St Albans), 7 Sam Lee, 8 Jack Lee (Millfield).
Replacements: 16 George Goodridge (Bishop Wand), 17 Ralph Hawker (Wellington College), 18 Philip Truscott (Harrow), 19 Edward Bachelor (Bishop Wand), 20 Michael Morgan (Bishop Wand), 21 Jonny Sharp (Henley College), 22 Cameron Ellis (Harrow), 23 Finlay Wiseman (Hampton).
Saracens
15 Finn Newton (Haileybury), 14 Toby Clinch (Finborough), 13 Lance Kruger (Finborough), 12 Oscar Wilson (Oaklands College), 11 Angus Hall (The Judd), 10 Benjy Mills (Brentwood), 9 Declan Murphy (Saracens Academy), 1 Alex O’Driscoll (Berkhamsted), 2 Lucas Eule (King’s Canterbury), 3 Charlie Nunn (Haileybury), 4 Jake Bausor (Westcliff High), 5 Junior Kpoku (Finborough), 6 James Boylan (Berkhamsted), 7 Charlie West (St Albans), 8 Barney Merrett (Sutton Valence).
Replacements: 16 Henry Walker (Hartpury College), 17 Ikhi Osebor (Haileybury), 18 Max Wheeler (North Kent College), 19 Dylan Enskat (Ravens Wood), 20 Gabriel Nott (Berkhamsted), 21 Ewan Entwistle (Hayes), 22 Louie Sinclair (Finborough), 23 Joe Robinson (Haileybury).
Gloucester
15 Ioan Jones (Dean Close, captain), 14 Jack Cotgreave (Hartpury College), 13 Ollie Rendell (Sir Thomas Rich’s), 12 Max Knight (Hartpury College), 11 Steff Gibson (Hartpury College), 10 Billy Benson (Dean Close), 9 Charlie Rainbird (Hartpury College), 1 Harrison Bellamy (Hartpury College), 2 Jamie Fallon (Hartpury College), 3 Berian Watkins (Hartpury College), 4 Bart Godsell (Marling), 5 Ollie Workman (The Crypt), 6 Joe Pauling (Hartpury College), 7 Ollie Allport (Dean Close), 8 TJ Fanolua (Cheltenham College).
Replacements: 16 Sam Loftus (Sir Thomas Rich’s), 17 Ed Wallin (Apprentice), 18 Rio Halavatau (St Peter’s, Gloucester), 19 Tom Anson (Hartpury College), 20 Solomon Shand (Hartpury College), 21 Rhys Price (Hartpury College), 22 Woody Walker (Radley College), 23 Joe Eves (Hartpury 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
Round 4 Results
North
Newcastle Falcons 17-10 Sale Sharks
Northampton Saints 44-0 Midlands West
Yorkshire Academy 15-24 Leicester Tigers
Harlequins 31-7 Exeter Chiefs
London Irish 12-15 Bath
Saracens 10-7 Bristol Bears
Round 5 Results
North
Midlands West 14-14 Newcastle Falcons
Northampton Saints 31-29 Midlands Central
Sale Sharks 38-43 Yorkshire Academy
South
Bath 24-20 Harlequins
Bristol Bears 12-17 London Irish
Gloucester 48-19 Exeter Chiefs
Further Fixtures:
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
