A busy week of schools rugby lies ahead as teams prepare for half term with the final handful of games before the break.
It should be an epic week with which to sign off for half term ahead of the weekend’s annual St Joseph’s Festival, with games on every day this week including LIVE games here on NextGenXV on Tuesday and Wednesday, which will be available on the NextGenXV YouTube Channel.
This week’s midweek preview also takes in the handful of games outside of the St Joseph’s Festival that will take place on Friday and Saturday of this week.
Monday
The action begins with a game on Monday that had been pushed back from last week, Burford v Chipping Norton, the last outing for both before the break.
Monday Fixtures
Burford v Chipping Norton
Tuesday
Tuesday sees the first of the week’s LIVE action, and it comes from Rugby School as their Bicentenary celebrations continue. This week they host Wellington College in a 2.30pm kick off. It will be a Wellington side keen to keep up momentum ahead of the St Joseph’s Festival, while for Rugby a chance to end this first half of term in a momentous way. The game will be available on the NextGenXV YouTube channel and through the embedded link below, and you can see our full preview here: Rugby v Wellington College Preview.
https://www.youtube.com/live/qk1oGrj8ErA?si=SCOWxbiq8uNfUrkD
There is also Continental Tyres Schools Cup action on Tuesday as Ipswich welcome three time champions Dulwich College. It should be a huge game, and the winners will be keeping a keen eye on Wednesday’s Judd v Epsom game, the winners of this one will be hosting the winners of that one.
The Vase also sees action, Felsted host The Leys in a promising looking game, while also in Essex Coopers’ Coborn host Chislehurst & Sidcup Grammar. Outside of the knockouts, Bloxham will welcome Haileybury, two sides that have shown no little quality so far this season, not least Haileybury in that epic Cup victory over Bedford a few weeks ago (see below).
Tuesday Fixtures
Bloxham v Haileybury
Coopers’ Coborn v Chislehurst & Sidcup (Vase)
Felsted v The Leys (Vase)
Ipswich v Dulwich College (Cup)
Rugby School v Wellington College – LIVE on NextGenXV 2.30pm KO
Wednesday
Wednesday is another busy day, and another day with LIVE action at 2.30pm here on NextGenXV. Shiplake College and Aylesbury Grammar School will go head to head in what should be a highly competitive game of rugby, which will be shown LIVE on the NextGenXV YouTube Channel and through the embedded link below, you can see a full preview of the game here: Shiplake v Aylesbury Preview.
There is also some crucial Continental Tyres Schools Cup action on Wednesday. As mentioned, Ipswich or Dulwich College will be paying close attention to The Judd v Epsom College in London & South East A on Wednesday, a game that feels as through it should be incredibly tight.
Over in London & South East B sits another incredibly tight looking game as Hampton, who know a thing or two about this competition, host Hurstpierpoint College, who have been outstanding so far this term. For the winners a tough Regional Final awaits, a trip to Harrow, perhaps the form team in the country.
Finally in Midlands B former finalists and reigning U15 champions Northampton School for Boys host 2015 and 2016 Champions Bromsgrove. It has been an unbelievably tough section, and it won’t get easier for the winners of this, they will host Stamford, who defeated Haileybury (see below) in a cracker and also knocked out the reigning champions, Oakha,
Over in the Plate there is big action as Solihull host Sir Thomas Rich’s, meanwhile in the Vase the area is busy as King Henry VIII host Bishop Vesey’s and Old Swinford Hospital travel to King’s Gloucester. Also in the Vase Plymouth College host the ever impressive Ivybridge, and Tiffin welcome Glyn.
There are three Bowl games too, Clayesmore host Bournemouth, Richard Challoner host Ewell Castle, and Worksop College travel to Nottingham High. There is also some County Cup action in the North West as Bishop Heber host Stockport Grammar and Stonyhurst travel to St Mary’s College.
Outside of the knockouts, Dame Allan’s are quickly in action after their Merchiston Festival exploits, travelling to Ripon Grammar. QES Kirkby Lonsdale meanwhile host Ermysted’s Grammar, while Cheadle Hulme look to round of a strong half term of rugby in good fashion as they travel to Wilmslow.
Slightly further South KES Aston host Shrewsbury and KES Camp Hill travel to Newcastle-Under-Lyme, KES Five Ways are also on the road, taking on Princethorpe College. Along the M40 Dr Challoner’s Grammar welcome John Hampden Grammar, with Leighton Park hosting Ranelagh.
Reading sees Gordon’s travel to taking on rapidly rising club side Reading Rams, while Pangbourne College host Cokethorpe. North of London St Columba’s College and Hitchin Boys go head to head, while in the capital itself Halliford host Claires Court.
Out to the South East and Kent Maidstone Grammar and Beth’s Grammar go head to head, so too Oakwood Park Grammar and Simon Langton Grammar, who also have a side out at Sir Joseph Williamson’s.
Across in Surrey Caterham v Reigate Grammar looks like a game to keep a huge eye on, while Riddlesdown Collegiate host St Andrew’s and Royal Alexandra & Albert welcome Glyn.
Down in the South West Truro School and Truro College go head to head in their annual derby, while further north King’s College Taunton host Hereford 6th form College. Gloucestershire sees Cleeve host Chosen Hill and Churchdown travel to Cheltenham Bournside, Pate’s Grammar are at Marling. Meanwhile in Wales Monmouth have a special fixture again Crawshay’s Welsh XV.
Wednesday Fixtures
Alcester GS v KES Stratford 2nd XV
Bishop Heber v Stockport GS (County Cup)
Caterham v Reigate GS
Cheltenham Bournside v Churchdown
Clayesmore v Bournemouth (Bowl)
Cleeve v Chosen Hill
Dr Challoner’s GS v John Hampden GS
Farnborough 6th form College v Newman College 2nd XV
Halliford v Claires Court
Hampton v Hurstpierpoint College (Cup)
Hampton 3rd XV v Claremont
KES Aston v Shrewsbury
King Henry VIII v Bishop Vesey’s GS (Vase)
King’s College, Taunton v Hereford 6th form College
King’s Gloucester v Old Swinford Hospital (Vase)
Leighton Park v Ranelagh
Maidstone GS v Beth’s GS
Marling v Pate’s GS
Monmouth v Crawshay’s Welsh RFC
Newcastle-Under-Lyme v KES Camp Hill
Northampton School for Boys v Bromsgrove (Cup)
Nottingham HS v Worksop College (Bowl)
Oakwood Park GS v Simon Langton GS
Pangbourne College v Cokethorpe
Plymouth College v Ivybridge (Vase)
Princethorpe College v KES Five Ways
QES Kirkby Lonsdale v Ermysted’s GS
Queen Mary’s GS v Solihull 2nd XV
Rams Rugby Colts v Gordon’s
Richard Challoner v Ewell Castle (Bowl)
Riddlesdown Collegiate v St Andrew’s
Ripon GS v Dame Allan’s
Royal Alexandra & Albert v Glyn
Shiplake College v Aylesbury GS – LIVE on NextGenXV, 2.30pm KO
Solihull v Sir Thomas Rich’s (Plate)
Sir Joseph Williamson’s v Simon Langton GS
St Columba’s College v Hitchin Boys’
St Mary’s College v Stonyhurst (County Cup)
The Judd v Epsom College (Cup)
Tiffin v Glyn (Vase)
Truro School v Truro College
Wilmslow HS v Cheadle Hulme
Thursday
Thursday’s action includes two Vase games, Bedford Modern, who are playing well, travel to Sandringham, while Oundle head to King’s Grantham knowing that victory will see them host St Edward’s Oxford next time out, as they did on the weekend (see below) in a cracking contest. St Edward’s themselves are in action as well on Thursday, a non-knockout game, travelling to Reading Blue Coat.
Over in the Bowl there is also a game as Loughborough Grammar host Haberdashers’ Abraham Darby.
Outside of the knockouts, the South West is where things are busiest, including the big Taunton derby as Queen’s College host King’s College, always a special afternoon. Downside meanwhile head to Monkton Combe and Dean Close welcome Bryanston, high-flying Kingswood meanwhile travel to Wales to take on Cathedral School, Llandaff.
There is a game over on the other side of the country as well as Framlingham College host Farlingaye in their rearranged match from last week.
Thursday Fixtures
Cathedral School, Llandaff v Kingswood
Dean Close v Bryanston
Framlingham College v Farlingaye
King’s Grantham v Oundle (Vase)
Loughborough GS v Haberdashers’ Abraham Darby (Bowl)
Monkton Combe v Downside
Queen’s College, Taunton v King’s College, Taunton
Reading Blue Coat v St Edward’s, Oxford
Sandringham v Bedford Modern (Vase)
Friday
Billingham RFC hosts its second school game in a week on Friday night as the superb Durham and St Peter’s York go head to head. Durham are unbeaten this season in regular match play and over the weekend they finished third at the Merchiston Festival – only the champions, Merchiston Castle, got the better of them. St Peter’s have meanwhile beaten everyone bar Sedbergh this season and look superb. So both arrive in utterly excellent form for this one.
Friday Fixtures
Durham v St Peter’s, York – at Billingham RFC
Saturday
There are four games outside of the St Joseph’s Festival on Saturday, two of them in Yorkshire as Hymers College host Pocklington, both coming off strong performances over the weekend, and Ashville Harrogate host Ampleforth College’s U17s.
Further South, Old Swinford Hospital are in action at home to KES Birmingham, while there is a cracker in Gloucestershire, The Crypt host Sir Thomas Rich’s.
Saturday Fixtures
Ashville Harrogate v Ampleforth College U17s
Hymers College v Pocklington
Old Swinford Hospital v KES Birmingham
The Crypt v Sir Thomas Rich’s
