Tuesday sees Rugby School welcome Eton College for a 3pm Kick Off Live here on NextGenXV.
It is the latest game in this Bicentenary Year, celebrating 200 years of Rugby Football, in which every single Rugby School 1st XV game is at home, and in which every single on of those games is broadcast LIVE here on NextGenXV. All games, including Tuesday’s, can bee see on the NextGenXV YouTube, and you can also see Tuesday’s game through the embedded link below.
Surprisingly, for two schools that are known throughout the world, these two do not usually face one another. This is a brand new fixture on the card, and one that is certainly going to garner plenty of excitement, such is the history of both schools, and the rugby that both are capable of producing.
Eton College arrive unbeaten after four wins from four games. They opened their account with a hastily rearranged fixture against John Fisher, they were set to travel but ended up hosting due to hard pitches, winning 29-7. They followed that with another home victory, 31-12 against old rivals St Paul’s.
Then came two tough trips on the road, first Cranleigh, where Eton dug deep for an incredibly impressive 26-22 victory that took everything they had, followed on Saturday by a brilliant 36-12 victory at Bedford.
Perhaps that Bedford game tells us a little of what to expect here on Tuesday, as Rugby have also faced Bedford, who put in an excellent performance in a really tight game of rugby for a 27-19 victory on The Close.
That was the third of a tough opening sequence for Rugby, who had previously lost to Continental Tyres Schools Cup champions Oakham, 42-24, and to Haileybury, in a thriller, 27-26.
However do not read too much into those outcomes, first of all the performances were strong, second of all for almost everyone this year turning up to take on Rugby School on The Close this is arguably their biggest game of the season, in front of the live cameras, celebrating 200 years of the game, plenty of hype, and a whole lot of history. That is a lot to face every time you run out.
Third, and most important though, Rugby turned the tide on Saturday in an excellent display against Oundle (see below). Oundle arrived unbeaten and enjoying their best start to a season for many a year, however a rejuvenated Rugby, missing some of their key players, but in a top display for their first victory of the season, 27-14.
It means that on Tuesday we have two confident sides on show, and two of the most famous names in the country when it comes to public schools. It does not get much bigger.
It’s also a big week for both sides, both will feature in live games twice this week as they both take to the field in front of live cameras again on Saturday, Rugby hosting Stowe in what should be another cracker, and Eton College travelling to Marlborough College in a battle of the former schools of the Prince and Princess of Wales. Both kick off at 3pm.
Rugby School v Eton College – LIVE on NextGenXV, Tuesday 3rd October, 3pm Kick Off
