Harrow School claimed the U16 Boys Rosslyn Park National School 7s title for the second year in a row on a sensational day of rugby in the sun, rain, and wind of South West London.

It was an extraordinary display throughout the day from Harrow, a day that also saw their U18s in formidable form on Day 1 of the U18 Boys Cup.

Tonbridge meanwhile picked up the U14 Boys Plate, while in the U18 Girls ACE Hartpury College claimed the silverware yet again, they are an utterly formidable force. Over in the Prep Schools tournament 8 teams went through the day unbeaten.

It was also the opening day of the U18 Boys Cup and the U18 Girls Cup, both of which will conclude on Friday, the final day of the 2023 Rosslyn Park National Schools 7s, which will also include the Juniors and U11 tournaments. Once again, all of the action on Pitch RE2 will be available LIVE on the NextGenXV YouTube Channel, and embedded below.

U16 Boys Cup

It was an extraordinary day in the U16 Boys Cup as Harrow School made history in claiming the title for the second year on the bounce. They were magnificent en route to it as well, topping their Day 1 pool before starting Day 2 with a bang, beating King’s College Taunton, Caterham, and St George’s Weybridge to storm to the quarter finals.

There they would meet Dulwich College, who had inflicted a first 7s defeat of the season on Tonbridge in their group, and claimed an incredibly impressive 33-19 victory to reach the semi finals.

Elsewhere, Sedbergh were looking good, topping their pool and then putting in a stunning performance against Brighton College in the quarter finals, 24-5, to set up a semi final against Harrow.

On the other side of the draw the story of the day was The Leys, who topped their pool ahead of Bromsgrove and then beat perennial high-achiever Whitgift 17-10 in their quarter final. Excitingly, that set up a semi final against their group opponents Bromsgrove, who had qualified as a best runner up and then beat a strong Eton College side, who reached last year’s final and won this year’s U14s, to reach the semis.

Bromsgrove had clearly learned their lesson from the group though and in an epic semi final they just nicked it 10-7 to end The Leys’ dream and reach the final. Harrow meanwhile were just sensational, taking on a Sedbergh side that had impressed all onlookers and winning 28-14.

To the final then, and Harrow were again magnificent, exciting in attack and steadfast in defence to claim a brilliant 10-0 victory and back to back titles that now marks them out as one of the greats of the Rosslyn Park National School 7s. Dominance is hard enough over a 6^th form yeargroup, let alone back to back titles with completely different teams at Colts level.

Harrow School are doing some very, very, special things.

U16 Boys Plate

Tonbridge claimed the Plate in brilliant style. Their Cup run may have just been pipped by Dulwich College but in the Plate they were superb. Heading RGS Guildford and Woodhouse Grove in the Semi Final pool to set up a final against Epsom College, who had beaten Wellington College and King’s College Taunton.

A final of epic proportions played out on RE2, both sides giving absolutely everything and playing some glorious rugby in what were, by then, utterly atrocious conditions. Either side might have won it, with Epsom looking to back up Wednesday’s U14 Plate title, but it was Tonbridge that edged it, and over the day deservedly so after impressing with each and every time they took to the field, a wonderful achievement.

U18 Girls ACE

Over in the U18 Girls ACE competition Hartpury College once again claimed the U18 Girls ACE, a title that they simply refuse to relinquish they are as dominant here as their make side are in the ACE League – quite some feat.

They were utterly brilliant once again on Thursday, storming through a tough group that included Henley College, City of Oxford College, Worthing College, and SGS Filton College to reach the final.

Exeter College would be their opponents following victories over Oaklands College, Loughborough College, Bishop Burton College, and Brooksby Melton College to head Pool B.

In the final though Hartpury once again just had too much in both attack and defence as they showed the very best of themselves, despite the other-worldly conditions, to claim a 26-5 victory and yet another U18 Girls ACE title.

U18 Boys Cup

The U18 Boys Cup yielded perhaps the most competitive and dramatic opening day that there has been at the Rosslyn Park National School 7s. Right from the off it was clear that this was going to be an unusual day when Finborough beat the reigning champions Wellington College, meanwhile Myerscough College drew with one of the potential favourites, Harrow.

It set the tone for a day to remember, with five of the elven groups going down to points difference, two of them being a three-way tie.

In Group B Seaford College, Oaklands College, and Valenciana were all level after Seaford had won a tight one over Oaklands by a point but then went down to the Spanish side, who were in turn narrowly beaten by Seaford. Points difference sent Seaford to the Cup on Day 2, with Oaklands to the Plate and, sadly for the international element to the tournament, Valenciana miss out altogether.

Over in Group K it was also a three-way tie, with Denstone College beating Millfield 31-24 early on, a real cat amongst the pigeons, but Denstone then got stung by Henley College 19-17, and before Millfield rallied with a strong 33-17 victory over Henley. That was enough for the Plate for Millfield, but not the Cup spot, that went to Denstone by a mere four points of points difference.

Things were mildly simpler in Groups D, G, and I, though only midly in that there were just two teams level in each. In Group D Berkhamsted suffered a defeat to Bedford and had to rally against Whitgift to qualify for the Cup on points difference, meanwhile in Group G the draw between Harrow and Myerscough meant that one was always going to go down to points difference, and a strong day’s work from Harrow ensured they reached the Cup stages.

Group I was extraordinary, Brighton College topped it ahead of four ACE Colleges but that barely tells the story of a group that at one stage was a complete free for all. A 28-24 defeat for Brighton against Exeter College left them needing favours, but before they knew it everyone in the group had lost a game, which meant that their 21-10 victory over Brooksby Melton College was enough to mean that those two were getting the calculators out and it was Brighton College that progressed, with a better points difference by 15, sending them to the Cup and Brooksby Melton to the Plate.

The remaining groups were somewhat simpler in that they saw the winners win all of their games, but that is where the simplicity stops. Group A saw Finborough finish on top thanks to that epic start against the reigning champions – many now have them among the favourites.

To do so Clifton College, the Pool C winners, will have to be beaten and that will take some doing. In tough conditions Clifton have looked like one of the very best teams in the entire tournament so far. So too Trinity, who had to overcome an Ipswich side that was fancied by many in order to reach the Cup and duly did so. Keep and eye on them on Friday.

Elsewhere, Kirkham Grammar and Cranleigh played an epic Cup or Plate decider, both were outstanding all day but Kirkham took the victory to send them to the Cup Groups. Hampton had a brilliant day as well, topping group H in quietly superb fashion. Sedbergh, the perennial high achievers, were superb as well, playing some glorious rugby to top Group J and reach the Cup groups.

Those Cup Quarter Final Pools see Seaford College, Berkhamsted, Clifton College and Finborough all grouped together in Group A, with Trinity and Kirkham in Group B the excited onlookers to Myerscough College v Harrow, part 2. Group C meanwhile sees Hampton< Brighton College, Sedbergh, and Denstone College line up in a cracker. Only the top sides plus one runner up will progress to the semi finals.

The Plate meanwhile has two semi final pools, Ipswich, Whitgift, Cranleigh, Beechen Cliff, and Brooksby Melton College in Group A, with Norwich, Oaklands College, Millfield, Wellington College, and SGS Filton College in Group B, the winners will meet in the Plate Final.

U18 Girls Cup

The U18 Girls Cup is looking seriously competitive ahead of tomorrow’s Cup Quarter Final Pools. An early rejig saw the format changed from 11 pools to 10, meaning that two runners up would join the ten group winners in those pools – from which the pool winners and best runner up will head to the Semi Finals.

Cup Group A sees Dubai College up against Millfield and Samuel Whitbread Academy after they won Groups C and B respectively, while they are joined by one of the runners up, Llandovery College from Group I.

Cup Group B will see another Dubai school in the frame, JESS, who topped Group E. Alongside them are Group F winners King’s College Taunton and Group D winners Richard Collyer, along with Group G winners Cardinal Newman, in the only ‘all winners’ Cup group.

Cup Group C will meanwhile see the Group H winners Peter Symonds’ College up against Group I winners Bishop Wordsworth’s and Group J winners Coleg Gwent, along with Hartpury College’s 2^nd VII, who finished as one of the best runners up, just behind Peter Symonds’ in Group H, and who will surely have been inspired by their 1^st VII’s success in the ACE tournament.

The remaining runners up were divided into the two Plate Semi Final pools from tomorrow, from which the two winners will meet in the Plate final. Hurstpierpoint College, Hills Road, Oundle, and Hereford 6^th form College are in Pool A, with Tiffin, RGS Worcester, Worth, and Blundell’s in Pool B.

U13 Prep

The Prep Schools tournament was a roaring success on Thursday through a variety of different weather conditions, from blazing sunshine in the morning to torrential rainpour in the afternoon.

The teams were split into ten different groups, and those groups would be the extent of their action, but what action it was as the teams played some wonderful rugby.

There may have been no winners overall, but each group had a topper and a number of those went through the day without defeat.

Group A saw Dubai College finish the day unbeaten, similarly Millfield Prep in Group B and Thomas’s Clapham in Group C. Winchester House were superb in Group D to go through the day unbeaten, while in Group G Orwell Park were also unbeaten, likewise Terra Nova in Group I and King’s House in Group F.

Group H meanwhile was an interesting one, and 8 team group in which each side played five games. Unusual group or not, it was a great group for Amesbury, who went through it unbeaten.

There were successful days for Sedbergh Prep in Group E and Worth in Group J too, in a pair of unbelievably competitive groups.

U13 Juniors

The U13 Juniors move from their usual Monday slot to Friday, meaning that, like their Prep School counterparts, they too get to share the field with their U18 heroes of the school scene.

Over 100 teams have entered the Juniors competition, a fantastic achievement already for both the Rosslyn Park National Schools 7s and for the schools themselves, and with a brilliant day of rugby ahead of them, it can only get better!

The teams are split into 17 groups of six teams each and, like the Prep tournament on Thursday, that will be the extent of the action, there will be no knockout games but every team should have plenty of fun and a huge amount of game time!

Mixed U11s Festival

The U11s Mixed Festival takes place on Friday at the Rosslyn Park National Schools 7s, a new slot for the U11s and a wonderful opportunity for all 33 teams as they get to play on the same surfaces as some of schools rugby’s finest players in what promises to be a fantastic day of rugby.

The 33 teams are split into six groups of six teams each, bar Groups A, E, and F, which have five teams each. It should be one of the great events of the week, providing what schools rugby is all about – inspiration, pure joy, and some exciting competitive sport.

THURSDAY RESULTS AND FRIDAY FIXTURES:

U16 Boys Cup

Champions – Harrow

Final

Harrow 10-0 Bromsgrove

Semi Finals

Harrow 28-14 Sedbergh

The Leys 7-10 Bromsgrove

Quarter Finals

Harrow 33-19 Dulwich College

Brighton College 5-24 Sedbergh

The Leys 17-10 Whitgift

Eton College 12-40 Bromsgrove

Cup 8^th Round Pools

U16 Boys Plate

Winners – Tonbridge

Final

Epsom College 17-21 Tonbridge

Semi Final Pools

U18 Boys Cup

Cup Quarter Finals Pools

Plate Semi Finals Pools

Final Group Standings:

U18 Girls Cup

Cup Quarter Finals Pools

Plate Semi Finals Pools

Final Group Standings:

U18 Girls ACE

Champions – Hartpury College

Final

Hartpury College 26-5 Exeter College

Final Group Standings

U13 Prep

Final Group Standings:

U13 Juniors

Mixed U11s Festival