This Saturday Warwick School host their annual Warwick School 7s, with competitions at U16, U15, U14, and U13 level.

It is the 54^th edition of the tournament, which has been running since 1969, and this year NextGenXV will be live streaming the action from the U16 tournament, covering all the action on Pitch 1, including fixtures from all four pools and most of the knockout action, including the U16 Cup Final at 3.30pm.

You will be able to watch the coverage of the U16 tournament on our YouTube channel and embedded in the link below in this article.

The action will all begin at 10am, with the U16 groups finishing at 2pm and heading straight into the knockout rounds, which culminate in that 3.30pm final.

Live Stream Schedule

10am RGS High Wycombe v Kirkham Grammar (U16 Pool A)

10.20am Millfield v Portsmouth Grammar (U16 Pool B)

10.40am Bishop Wordsworth’s v King’s Worcester (U16 Pool C)

11am Warwick v Bro Edern (U16 Pool D)

11.20am RGS High Wycombe v St Ambrose College (U16 Pool A)

11.40am Millfield v Dyffryn Aman (U16 Pool B)

12pm Bishop Wordsworth’s v Hampton (U16 Pool C)

12.20pm Warwick v Solihull (U16 Pool D)

12.40pm RGS High Wycombe v Sedbergh (U16 Pool A)

1pm Millfield v Warwick 2^nd VII (U16 Pool B)

1.20pm Bishop Wordsworth’s v Wimbledon College (U16 Pool C)

1.40pm Warwick v King’s Macclesfield (U16 Pool D)

2pm U16 Quarter Final 1 (1 Pool A v 2 Pool B)

2.20pm U16 Quarter Final 3 (1 Pool C v 2 Pool D)

2.40pm U16 Shield Semi Final 1 (4^th Pool A v 4^th Pool B)

3pm U16 Cup Semi Final 1 (Winner QF 1 v Winner QF 3)

3.30pm U16 Cup Final

The format is the same at U16, U15 and U14 level, with sixteen teams in each competition, split into four groups of four teams each. The top two in each groups progress to the Cup quarter finals, third place to the Plate semi finals, and fourth to the Shield semi finals.

There is a competition running that encompasses all three of those tournaments, the Freeborn Shield. It is awarded to the overall winner across the age groups, with teams awarded points for their finishing positions. Cup winners earn 12 points, runners up 8 points, losing semi finalists 4 points, and losing quarter finalists 2 points. Plate winners earn 6 points, with 4 points for Plate runners up and 2 for losing Plate semi finalists, while Shield winners earn 4 points, runners up 2, and losing semi finalists, 1.

Across those three tournaments the teams are all the same, except for one change at U16 level where Warwick’s 2^nd VII replace Samuel Whitbread Academy.

The U13 tournament runs slightly differently, given rules on competition at that age-grade. There are 12 teams in total, split into two groups of six. At the end of the group stage each side will play their counterpart finisher from the other group. Even at U13 level eleven of the twelve sides also have teams from their school competing in the other age-groups Bedford Prep School are the only sides not involved in those.

Back in 1969 when this tournament began it was held at two age-groups, U16 and U15, and the hosts, Warwick, won both. Beating Ratcliffe College in the U16 final and winning the U15s on points average.

Since then plenty has changed, but there are two sides that have not, Warwick and Solihull were there in 1969 and will be there again this Saturday in 2023.

U16 Tournament

King’s Macclesfield are the reigning U16 champions, and indeed they won the overall Freeborn Shield too thanks to victory at U14 level also, they did so in 2016 as well. The champions are in Pool D alongside both of those original competitions, Solihull and the hosts, Warwick. Warwick have been in rich form at their home tournament in recent times, winning the Freeborn Shield in 2019, 2017, and 2014. Joining those three are Welsh side Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Edern.

Wimbledon College claimed the Plate last year and find themselves in Pool C this year with some real competition, Hampton, King’s Worcester, and Bishop Wordsworth’s, who won last year’s Shield.

Pool A is fascinating, pitting last year’s U15 Cup winners, RGS High Wycombe, up against last year’s U15 Shield winners, Kirkham Grammar, and the overall 2018 champions, Sedbergh. St Ambrose College complete the group and will be eager to crash that party of silverware gatherers.

Pool B meanwhile contains the 2015 overall winners, Millfield, who are up against Welsh side Dyffryn Aman as well as Portsmouth Grammar, and Warwick’s 2^nd VII, who have a tricky task but will be motivated on home soul.

U16 Group Draw

U15 Tournament

As in the U16s, reigning U15 Champions RGS High Wycombe are in Group A and, having won last year’s U14 Plate, they should be competitive again. They are joined, as in the year above, by St Ambrose College, with Hampton and Dyffryn Aman mixing the group up.

Pool B sees the hosts, Warwick, competing against last year’s Plate winners, Samuel Whitbread Academy, with Wimbledon College and Welshmen Bro Edern completing the group.

Over in Pool C the reigning Shield champions, Kirkham Grammar, are lurking. They are joined by last year’s U16 Shield winners Bishop Wordsworth’s. Like in the U16s, Bishop Wordsworth’s and King’s Worcester are both in Pool C together, and comleting that group are Sedbergh.

Over in Pool D Millfield are lurking alongside Portsmouth Grammar and Solihull, all competing against a fancied King’s Macclesfield side that triumphed here last year as U14s.

U15 Group Draw

U14 Tournament

St Ambrose College make it a clean sweep of Pool A draws across U16, U15, and U14 tournaments and at U14 level, like at U16, they are joined by Sedbergh. Bishop Wordsworth’s and King’s Worcester complete the group, those two are also together at U15 and U16 level.

Pool B, as at U15 level, includes the hosts, Warwick, who are joined by Solihull as they are in the U16 tournament. Alngside those two are Portsmouth Grammar, who also face Solihull at U15, and Dyffryn Aman.

Pool C contains the reigning Plate winners, RGS High Wycombe, and it’s a fierce looking pool with Kirkham Grammar, Hampton, and Wimbledon College all drawn together.

Pool D meanwhile holds the reigning champions, King’s Macclesfield. They are alongside Millfield, as they are at U15 level, along with Bro Edern, with whom they are drawn at U16 level, and Samuel Whitbread Academy.

U14 Group Draw

U13 Tournament

The U13s is a different tournament, with twelve teams rather than sixteen, Sedbegh, Dyffryn Aman, Kirkham Grammar School, Millfield, and Samuel Whitbread are not participating at U13 level, but Bedford Prep School come in.

There are two pools of six and hosts Warwick are in Pool A alongside Bishop Wordsworth’s, Solihull, King’s Macclesfield, Portsmouth Grammar, and Bro Edern.

Bedford Prep meanwhile are in Pool B, where they will be up against Hampton, RGS High Wycombe, St Ambrose College, King’s Worcester, and Wimbledon College.

U13 Group Draw