It is an enormous week of schools rugby as the Continental Tyres Schools Cup gets underway, adding to an already bulging midweek fixture list.
There are games every day, with both the Vase and Bowl also seeing action this midweek alongside a whole host of regular fixtures.
This week’s preview is split into two parts, a Cup preview and a preview of the rest, and we begin below with the Cup.
Continental Tyres U18 Schools Cup Round 1
North A
RGS Newcastle v Woodhouse Grove – Saturday
Lancaster RGS v Cheadle Hulme – Wednesday
St Peter’s, York v Stonyhurst – Wednesday
Bye v Bye
A bye in this section means the winner of St Peter’s York v Stonyhurst on Wednesday will be straight into the regional final. On the other side of the draw the winner on Wednesday of Lancaster RGS v Cheadle Hulme will need to wait until Saturday to find out their second round opponent, RGS Newcastle or Woodhouse Grove.
North B
Barnard Castle v Stockport Grammar – Wednesday
Liverpool College v King’s Macclesfield – Wednesday
QEGS Wakefield 17-12 Grammar School at Leeds
Kirkham Grammar v Bye
Barnard Castle and Stockport Grammar meet on Wednesday in the top half of the draw along with Liverpool College and King’s Maccesfield. The bottom half of the draw is already onto Round 2, where QEGS Wakefield, after their win over GSAL, will host Kirkham Grammar, who had a bye.
Midlands A
Stowe v Uppingham – Tuesday
Warwick v Berkhamsted – Wednesday
Bloxham w/o Dean Close
Radley College v Bye
Stowe and Uppingham meet on Tuesday and the winning will face the winner of Wednesday’s game between perennial Cup contenders Warwick and 2021 Daily Mail Trophy champions Berkhamsted. The bottom half of the draw is onto Round 2 after Bloxham’s walkover against Dean Close and Radley College’s first round bye.
Midlands B
Northampton School for Boys v Solihull – Wednesday
Bromsgrove 37-22 Sir Thomas Rich’s
Haileybury v Bedford – Tuesday – LIVE on NextGenXV
Oakham v Stamford – Tuesday 3rd October
In Midlands B NextGenXV will be LIVE streaming Haileybury v Bedford, which will be available on the NextGenXV YouTube channel and embedded below, you can also check out a detailed preview here: Haileybury v Bedford. The winner will either face champions Oakham or near rivals Stamford in the next round, but those to do not meet until next week. The top half of the draw sees former champions Bromsgrove already through after a 37-22 defeat of Sir Thomas Rich’s, they will be keeping a close eye on Wednesday’s game between U15 champions Northampton School for Boys and Solihull.
London & South East A
Campion v Ipswich – Wednesday 4th Oct
Dulwich College v John Fisher – Wednesday
Whitgift v The Judd – Wednesday
Epsom College v Trinity – Tuesday
Four former champions lurk in this section. Campion, who won way back at the turn of the century, host Ipswich next week and will host the winner of Wednesday’s contest between three time champions Dulwich College and Croydon’s John Fisher. Another three time champions, Whitgift, are also in action on Wednesday as they host a strong Judd side, while the day before Epsom College host 2021 champions and 2022 finalists, Trinity.
London & South East B
Harrow v Newman College – Thursday
St Benedict’s v RGS Guildford – Tuesday
Hampton v New Hall – Wednesday
KCS Wimbledon v Hurstpierpoint College – Wednesday
Another strong section. On Tuesday St Benedict’s host RGS Guildford, and the winner will travel to the winner of Thursday’s huge contest between Harrow, one of the best in the country, and Newman College, President’s Cup winners and rising stars. The other half of the section all takes place on Wednesday as Hampton host New Hall and KCS Wimbledon welcome Hurstpierpoint College.
South West A
King’s College, Taunton v Blundell’s – Monday 2nd Oct
Taunton v Sherborne – Wednesday
Bristol Grammar v Kingswood – Wednesday
Monmouth v Collegiate – Tuesday
On Tuesday Monmouth host the competition’s most successful side, Collegiate, the winner of that will travel to the winner of Wednesday’s clash between Bristol Grammar and the exciting Kingswood. Also on Wednesday is Taunton School v Sherborne, the winner of that will be on the road at either King’s College Taunton or Blundell’s in the next round, who meet in an evening kick off on Monday next week.
South West B
Bishop Wordsworth’s v Abingdon – Wednesday
Marlborough College v Caterham – Wednesday
RGS High Wycombe v Canford – Thursday
Bye v Bye
Wednesday sees the top half of this section take place as Bishop Wordsworth’s host Abingdon and Marlborough college host Caterham. Meanwhile the bottom half of the section sees high-flying RGS High Wycombe host Canford, with a regional final spot up for grabs as a result of byes.
Non-Continental Tyres Schools Cup Fixtures
Monday
A couple of fixtures to get things ticking over on Monday, Emmanuel College hosting Scarborough College in the Vase second round, while outside of the Vase Bennett Memorial host Oakwood Park Grammar.
Monday Fixtures
Bennett Memorial v Oakwood Park GS
Emmanuel College v Scarborough College (Vase Round 2)
Tuesday
Tuesday then sees ever more Vase action, with Worth v St John’s Leatherhead looking tasty, so too a big Cambridge derby, The Perse v The Leys. Oundle, who are going very nicely this year, are at Wellingborough, while Felsted host Spalding, King’s Canterbury welcome Simon Langton, and Lady Manners’ head to Hill House.
Outside of the Vase QES Barnet host Gunnersbury, and Wymondham College host King’s Ely, but it is in Scotland were there are some absolutely massive games as Merchiston Castle are back in action at home to George Heriots, and Edinburgh Academy are hosting Kelvinside Academy.
Tuesday fixtures
Edinburgh Academy v Kelvinside Academy
Felsted v Spalding GS (Vase Round 1)
Hill House v Lady Manners’ (Vase Round 2)
King’s Canterbury v Simon Langton GS (Vase Round 2)
Merchiston Castle v George Heriot’s
QES Barnet v Gunnersbury
The Perse v The Leys (Vase Round 2)
Wellingborough v Oundle (Vase Round 2)
Worth v St John’s, Leatherhead (Vase Round 2)
Wymondham College v King’s Ely
Wednesday
Wednesday is absolutely packed with action, and the Vase sees the bulk of it. One of the games of the day will be Bablake v King Henry VIII, two sides that were bound together last year and have only just returned to individual status.
It will also be worth watching Durham, who must be among the favourites, they host Ripon Grammar. The North actually has some brilliant Vase match ups, Manchester Grammar hosting Crossley Heath, and Mount St Mary’s College hosting Dame Allan’s, meanwhile Wirral Grammar are at St Mary’s, Crosby.
At the other end of the country exciting head to heads keep coming, Churcher’s College host Lord Wandsworth College, while KES Southampton welcome Farnborough 6th form College. Further east Ravens Wood v Skinners’ could be outstanding, while Tunbridge Wells Grammar are at Dunottar and Gravesend Grammar host Sir Joseph Williamson’s. It’s a busy day in London with Wimbledon College hosting Richard Challoner and Langley Park heading to Kingsdale, and travelling from London to Surrey are Halliford, who face Reed’s. While North of London St George’s Harpenden are at St Columba’s College and Beaumont welcome Sandringham, in Essex Coopers’ Coborn host Westcliff High.
St Edward’s Oxford, fresh from Friday night’s stunning occasion in victory over MCS, are hosting Cokethorpe, while KES Stratford and King’s Worcester go head to head, and Wrekin College travel to Shrewsbury. Hereford 6th form College, who could go far, host KES Birmingham, and in the South West the ever impressive Ivybridge host Exeter School.
There is a huge amount of Bowl action on Wednesday too, Brentwood hosting Eltham College and Hayes travelling to Claires Court, keep an eye too on Worthing College’s trip to Cranbrook.
Richard Hale are another side to watch, they host Verulam, while on the South Coast Portsmouth Grammar host Ryde. Staying South, Southend High head to Riddlesdown Collegiate, while Sir Henry Floyd are at Next Phase.
In the West, Hereford Cathedral host KES Camp Hill, while The Crypt are welcoming Malmesbury. In the North West, meanwhile, there is a cracker on the Wirral as Calday Grange host Birkenhead, while in the North East Yarm are at King’s Priory.
Outside of the knockouts there is great action on Wednesday, not least at Henley RFC where Pangbourne College and The Oratory go head to head. Not too far away Reading host Salesian, and Cotswold host Balcarras, while in Cheltenham St Edward’s head to Katharine Lady Berkeley’s. Furth South West, Plymouth College travel to Stover.
Back towards London, Gunnersbury are hosting Harrodian, with Ewell Castle at City of London Freemen’s, while Bancroft’s head to Haberdashers’ Elstree and Great Marlow to Leighton Park, with Ranelagh welcoming Reddam House, while Merchant Taylors’ host St Clement Danes
The North West sees the impressive St Ambrose College host Ellesmere College, meanwhile Scarisbrick Hall are at Bolton and Queen Ethelburga’s head to Birkdale. Further East Hill House host Pocklington.
Scotland has a few games too, including a massive Loretto v Dollar Academy clash, meanwhile Strathallanare hosting Morrison’s Academy and Stewart’s Melville welcome North Berwick.
Wednesday Fixtures
Bablake v King Henry VIII (Vase Round 2)
Beaumont v Sandringham (Vase Round 2)
Birkdale v Queen Ethelburga’s
Bolton v Scarisbrick Hall
Brentwood v Eltham College (Bowl Round 1)
Calday Grange GS v Birkenhead (Bowl Round 1)
Churcher’s College v Lord Wandsworth College (Vase Round 1)
City of London Freemen’s v Ewell Castle
Claires Court v Hayes (Bowl Round 1)
Coopers’ Coborn v Westcliff HS (Vase Round 2)
Cotswold v Balcarras
Cranbrook v Worthing College (Bowl Round 1)
Dunottar v Tunbridge Wells GS (Vase Round 2)
Durham v Ripon GS (Vase Round 1)
Gravesend GS v Sir Joseph Williamson’s (Vase Round 2)
Gunnersbury v Harrodian
Haberdashers’ Elstree v Bancroft’s
Hereford Cathedral v KES Camp Hill (Bowl Round 1)
Hereford 6th form College v KES Birmingham (Vase Round 1)
Hill House v Pocklington
Ivybridge v Exeter (Vase Round 2)
Katharine Lady Berkeley’s v St Edward’s, Cheltenham
KES Southampton v Farnborough 6th form College (Vase Round 2)
KES Stratford v King’s Worcester (Vase Round 1)
King’s Priory v Yarm (Bowl Round 1)
Kingsdale v Langley Park (Vase Round 2)
Leighton Park v Great Marlow
Loretto v Dollar Academy
Manchester GS v Crossley Heath (Vase Round 2)
Merchant Taylors’ v St Clement Danes
Mount St Mary’s College v Dame Allan’s (Vase Round 2)
Next Phase v Sir Henry Floyd GS (Bowl Round 1)
Pangbourne College v The Oratory – Henley RFC
Portsmouth GS v Ryde (Bowl Round 1)
Queen Mary’s GS v Bishop Vesey’s GS 2nd XV
Ranelagh v Reddam House
Ravens Wood v Skinners’ (Vase Round 2)
Reading v Salesian
Reed’s v Halliford (Vase Round 2)
Richard Hale v Verulam (Bowl Round 1)
Riddlesdown Collegiate v Southend HS (Bowl Round 1)
Shrewsbury v Wrekin College (Vase Round 2)
St Ambrose College v Ellesmere College
St Columba’s College v St George’s, Harpenden (Vase Round 1)
St Edward’s, Oxford v Cokethorpe (Vase Round 1)
St Mary’s Crosby v Wirral GS (Vase Round 2)
Stewart’s Melville v North Berwick
Strathallan v Morrison’s Academy
Stover v Plymouth College
The Crypt v Malmesbury (Bowl Round 1)
Trinity Sevenoaks v Simon Langton GS 2nd XV
Wimbledon College v Richard Challoner (Vase Round 2)
Thursday
The Vase continues on Thursday, and there are some sides to keep an eye on, notably Dauntsey’s, who host QEH. Wellignton School are also in action, hosting King’s Bruton, while King’s Grantham are at Ratcliffe College and Haberdashers’ Adams head to Newcastle-Under-Lyme. There is also Bowl action as Bishop’s Stortford College host St Edmund’s College.
Outside of the knockouts, there South West as some good games as Bryanston host Clayesmore and Wells Cathedral travel to Monkton Combe, while elsewhere Bethany are at Lingfield College. In Scotland, meanwhile, Fettes College are hosting Linlithgow Academy.
Thursday Fixtures
Bishop’s Stortford College v St Edmund’s College, Ware (Bowl Round 1)
Bryanston v Clayesmore
Dauntsey’s v QEH (Vase Round 2)
Fettes College v Linlithgow Academy
Lingfield College v Bethany
Monkton Combe v Wells Cathedral
Newcastle-Under-Lyme v Haberdashers’ Adams (Vase Round 2)
Ratcliffe College v King’s Grantham (Vase Round 2)
Wellington School v King’s Bruton (Vase Round 2)
