This Friday Bury St Edmund’s again plays host to another huge Ipswich School fixture as they take on Stowe School.
Friday night will see the two 1st XVs go head to head at 7pm, with the game broadcast LIVE here on NextGenXV through the NextGenXV YouTube Channel and on the embedded video below.
It is sure to be a special occasion, both sets of players know each other well as both are within the Northampton Saints Academy catchment area, and both are superb sides.
Ipswich are one of the very best in the country, they are unbeaten this season, winning eight of their nine games – the only game they did not triumph in was in the Cup against Epsom College, where they fielded a slightly changed side.
Victories have come against a variety of different schools, included a stunning 52-19 victory over Northampton School for Boys in their opening game of the season, also at Bury St Edmunds’ Haberden ground (see below), and strong victories over the likes of Denstone College, Rugby, and Dulwich College.
The jewel in the crown of their season so far though was a 32-29 victory over Sedbergh (see below). The biggest result in Ipswich’s school rugby history, a result that marked them out as one of the very best handful of sides in the country.
Stowe will not be phased by that though, memories of last year’s epic 30-26 victory – the only time these two have met previously – will be fresh, and they are have a fine season themselves. That sort of tight game that we saw in 2022 does not look unlikely again this year, Stowe have made a big of a habit of being involved in close games this year – six of their nine games have been decided by five points or fewer.
One of their finest victories of the campaign to date came in a live fixture at Rugby School (see below), where they were outstanding en route to a 35-10 victory. They will give Ipswich a mighty challenge and if they can get their noses in front then they are going to be a very hard side to stop.
It all points towards an incredibly exciting game of schools rugby.
Ipswich v Stowe – LIVE on NextGenXV – Friday 17th November, 1st XVs 7pm KO
