This Wednesday Rugby School host Wellington College LIVE here on NextGenXV in a 2.30pm kick off on The Close.
It is the final game of this half term for Rugby School in this celebratory year for the school at the game, the 200th Anniversary of the birth of the game of Rugby Football at the school. You will be able to watch all the action LIVE on the NextGenXV YouTube channel, and through the embedded link below.
https://www.youtube.com/live/qk1oGrj8ErA?si=lJ1lK7QCT2FFnJ5R
It is just the second time that these two sides have met, and the last one was a pretty special one too, coming in 2019 in the final of the Champions Trophy. It turned out to be the last ever Champions Trophy, Wellington College winning that final to earn back to back titles.
Both side featured players that have already begun to make their mark on the professional scene, Rugby were led by Edinburgh’s Ben Muncaster and also featured Kofi Cripps, now with Bristol Bears on the blindside flank, Leicester Tigers’ Emeka Ilione was unfortunately injured.
Wellington College meanwhile featured Harlequins’ Fin Baxter and Marcus Roodes, and the likes of Lucas Brooke, Ted Johnson, and Monty Bradbury, who is now with Gloucester, and Bath’s Murdoch Lock. It was not just the players that have gone on to achieve in the game, the referee that day was Christophe Ridley, now an Assistant Referee at the Rugby World Cup.
More relevant though is that both groups this year have siblings that played in that final, Wellington College skipper Oliver Teague had brothers’ Nick and Alex playing in that one, for Rugby School’s current centre Nathaniel Kayada had his brother Isaac at tighthead, current prop Hugh Salvesen’s brother Will was on the bench.
So there is plenty of connection to that meeting four years ago, but those on the field on Tuesday will only be thinking about this week. For Rugby it would be a huge scalp to claim and a massive morale booster with which to enter half term and a 3 week break before their next game.
They have found the going tough, not least because it has been every side’s biggest game, such is the historical nature of this year. They have done some unbelievably good work though, going down in some of the tightest game of the season, pushing Ipswich as hard as anyone has this season for a good 50 minutes, and earning an impressive victory over Bedford.
Wellington College have been strong, and like Rugby they are no strangers to the live cameras this season having appeared ten days ago in a cracker at Millfield, and winning in a brilliant performance over Whitgift (see below) early on in the season. Indeed only Harrow and Millfield have got the better of them, and they are two of the very best around. However for Wellington College this is a tricky fixture to balance, they had a big game against Hampton on Saturday and have the huge challenge that is the St Joseph’s Festival on Saturday and Sunday, including a group with unbeaten Kirkham Grammar and RGS High Wycombe and a strong Cheltenham College side. How they manage their resources will be key.
So it all shapes up for an awesome occasion, the final game of this opening half of term on The Close, and you can be certain that there will be a crowd to match.
Rugby v Wellington College – Tuesday 17th October, 2.30pm KO – LIVE on NextGenXV
