The 2023 St Joseph Festival takes place this weekend, arguably the greatest fifteen-a-side competition in all of UK schools rugby.
Sixteen teams will gather in Ipswich for the competition, each playing six games over two days, with the De La Salle Trophy the ultimate prize at the end of it and a place immortalised in the annals of schoolboy rugby.
The tournament is previewed in detail here: St Joseph’s Festival Preview. In this article the focus is on the teams; who’s playing, their history in the tournament, and their form heading into it.
Live Stream
Each and every game will be broadcast LIVE here on NextGenXV, games will be available on the NextGenXV YouTube Channel, and through the embedded videos below.
Team By Team Guide
Group 1: Hampton, QEGS Wakefield, Trinity, Whitchurch High
Hampton
Champions in 2015 and Plate winners a year later, Hampton have a proud history at the Festival. This season has been tricky, but such is the strength of their fixture list that they will arrive at the Festival as prepared, if not more, that most for the challenges that it can present. A repeat of last year’s 4th place would be impressive, but those Trophy knockout games should definitely be the target.
Season record: P9 W3 L6
Last Year: 4th
Best Finish: Champions 2015
QEGS Wakefield
That 1997 title for QEGS feels a long time ago now, but the Plate has been picked up in the intervening period. QEGS have won some good games and lost some game this year, but they have impressed in almost every game. An improvement on last year’s 14th place should be well within reach and in this pool they could well challenge for a place a in the Trophy knockouts.
Season Record: P5 W2 L3
Last Year: 14th.
Best Finish: Champions 1997
Trinity
Losing an England 10 and 15 as well as two Harlequins back rowers over the summer was always going to be hard, doubly so when their skipper and England scrum half went down with injury too. It’s been a tough start to the season but Trinity know that if they click they can go deep. Last year they reached the final, and in Josh Bellamy they had the Player of the Tournament. Scaling those heights again this year would be huge, but if they can reach those Trophy knockouts, and they can, anything is possible.
Season Record: P5 W2 L3
Last Year: Runners Up
Best Finish: Runners Up 2022
Whitchurch High
On Wednesday Whitchurch won their second game of the season in National Conference A, beating Coleg Gwent. That Conference A is the highest level of school rugby in Wales and is similar in intensity and physicality to much of what can be expected at St Jo’s. An improvement on 13th and the Shield title last year is very much within sight, and they might even be eyeing up pushing for that 3rd/4th place of 2019 – that would be some effort, but it’s not beyond the realms of possibility.
Season Record: P4 W2 L2
Last Year: 13th
Best Finish: 3rd/4th 2019
Group 2: Cheltenham College, Kirkham Grammar, RGS High Wycombe, Wellington College
Cheltenham College
Cheltenham probably looked at this draw and thought ‘why us’. They have a really strong side, their two losses this year were to two of the best in the area, Blundell’s and Kingswood and both were tight. The ace up their sleeve in this group is a two week break since their last game, they are going to be fresh. Reaching the Trophy quarter finals from this group would be a huge achievement, should that not happen they will, like whichever sides from this group end up in that position, be up there with the favourites for the Bowl.
Season Record: P5 W3 L2
Last Year: N/A
Best Finish: 11th in 2021 (only other appearance)
Kirkham Grammar
One of the strongest in the country in the past half a decade or more, and unbeaten again this year, and indeed rarely threatened. They will be among the favourites but in this group there are no guarantees. It will be a step up from what they have faced this season, but Kirkham will believe that they have an opportunity to go all the way. After finishing as runners up in 2019 they would love to go one better, but even last year’s 6th place finish will need to be a long way from their minds during this group. Near perfection is required from anyone in this one that wants to progress.
Season Record: P8 W8 L0
Last Year: 6th
Best Finish: Runners Up 2019
RGS High Wycombe
Unbeaten this season and have their best year since about a decade ago when they were challenging for places in the final here at the St Joseph’s Festival. How they would love to do so again here and maybe repeat their ’99 triumph. It is going to be tough though, it may seem like labouring the point but this group is brutal and merely progressing from it is an achievement. In that context, a repeat of last year’s 7th place finish would be a triumph for RGS, as it would mean progression from Group 2.
Season Record: P5 W5 L0
Last Year: 7th
Best Finish: Champions 1999
Wellington College
After a long absence Wellington College returning to the Festival in 2019 and won it at the first attempt, before lifting the Plate in 2021 and finishing 5th last year. They will privately be targeting a repeat of 2019, they may have lost 3 this season but they were to Harrow, Ipswich, and Millfield, three of the top 5 in the country – and all were close. You sense that they would love another crack at Millfield. To do so though, they need to progress from this group and that is going to require top quality play, perfect concentration, and the whole squad contributing. Definitely among the contenders.
Season Record: P8 W5 L3
Last Year: 5th
Best Finish: Champions 2019
Group 3: Blundell’s, Brighton College, Denstone College, Strathallan
Blundell’s
A St Joseph’s Festival debut for Blundell’s, and what a group to do it in – a group where it looks like things are wide open. Blundell’s could well be dark horses too, Continental Tyres Schools Cup semi finalists last year, this year winning five of their seven games and only losing to two of the best around – indeed at one stage they led Millfield 20-0. It won’t be easy, but an appearance in the Trophy knockouts is a real possibility, and would be a huge achievement at the first attempt.
Season Record: P7 W5 L2
Last Year: N/A
Best Finish: N/A
Brighton College
One of the greats of the St Joseph’s Festival, there is always a sense that Brighton College might deserve more than just the one title, in 2017, to their name. This year is a great opportunity to add to that, they arrive as one of the favourites with a perfect 5/5 record including victories over 3 competitors here at the Festival, Hampton, Dulwich, and Trinity. Last year they finished in 10th, they will be frustrated if they do not go better than that this year, the latter stages of the Trophy must be the target. Plenty of work to do in this group before then though.
Season Record: P5 W5 L0
Last Year: 10th
Best Finish: Champions 2017
Denstone College
A really strong side from Denstone College last year finished third and were within a whisker of the final as part of one of their great seasons. So far this year they have not reached the same heights, but look at the sides they have faced; Sedbergh, Ipswich, Hartpury College. Brutal. They have a good chance of getting out of this group, a repeat of third would be monumental, but reach those Trophy knockouts and you’re in the mix – anything can happen. One to watch.
Season Record: P5 W1 L4
Last Year: 3rd
Best Finish: 3rd 2022
Strathallan
A potential dark horse, their only defeat this season was to Chile’s The Grange. In Scotland they are unbeaten and are the only side to prevent an incredible George Watson’s College side from winning this season, holding them to a 14-14 draw. That was 3 weeks ago, so Strathallan are rested. They will need to get any rust out of the system quick, but if they can they could be a real side to keep an eye out for an impressive run, certainly they would be disappointed not to improve on 15th in their debut appearance last year.
Season Record: P6 W4 D1 L1
Last Year: 15th.
Best Finish: 15th 2022 (Debut)
Group 4: Dulwich College, Millfield, RGS Newcastle, St Joseph’s College
Dulwich College
The 2011 champions have had a few tough years but this year they look to be on the rise. There have been losses, but they have been to Harrow, Brighton College, Wellington College, and Ipswich, four of the best in the country. They will be aiming for those Trophy knockouts on Sunday and they have a good chance of being there. Certainly an improvement on 12th last year will be a target, but they will be eager for more.
Season Record: P7 W3 L4
Last Year: 12th
Best Finish: Champions 2011
Millfield
Aiming for three in a row and becoming only second team ever to achieve that, Colston’s in 2001-3 being the other. Three in a row is the ultimate challenge at school level, it means two great teams rather than one as it asks multiple yeargroups to contribute. They are in the mix, one of the main contenders for the title, which would be a record 9th. They are playing well, only Clifton have beaten them and even that was an epic, 43-41 losing in the last play of the game. They have a huge opportunity for school rugby history this weekend, but they are far from the only contender. They will have a target on their back, as ever, how they deal with that will be crucial. Their game against St Joseph’s College will likely be one of the great atmospheres of the weekend.
Season Record: P6 W5 L1
Last Year: Champions
Best Finish: Champions 2022, 2021, 2014, 2012, 2006, 2004, 1993, 1990
RGS Newcastle
It has been a tough season so far for the 2018 champions, however dig into the detail and the record is better than it looked. Half of their defeats have been by seven or less – they have been in the game. Being in the game is the name of the game at the St Joseph’s Festival, keep these games tight and you have a chance. A repeat of 8th would be a huge achievement for RGS, that would mean the Trophy knockouts, but the Trophy knockouts will be exactly what they are targeting.
Season Record: P6 W0 L6 – Touch season, but 3 defeats have been by less than 7
Last Year: 8th
Best Finish: Champions 2018
St Joseph’s College
It has been ten long years since that magical 2013 triumph for St Joseph’s College on home soil, could this be their best chance since? Certainly their form is exactly where they need it to be, unbeaten including victories over heavyweight such as Woodhouse Grove and Henley College. The challenge is mighty but they will be carried by a wave of passionate home support. They will want more than last year’s 11th, progressing from this group would guarantee that. Achieve that and then it’s knockout rugby and anyone’s game. If this group, and this crowd, has reason to believe on Sunday, they become very, very, difficult to contain.
Season Record: P5 W5 L0
Last Year: 11th
Best Finish: Champions 2013, 2010, 1995
The 2023 St Joseph’s Festival looks as though it could be one for the ages. As the build up continues, do make sure to listen to this week’s NextGenXV Podcast where Angus Savage and Sam Howard preview the Festival, including a few predictions.
