As we arrive in this final week of the season there are fewer than 50 games of schools rugby left to play in 2023. This most remarkable four months of rugby has been joyous and unpredictable, and this last week looks like a real celebration of that.
It is a pretty busy one, including a live game on Wednesday and several knockout games, through to a final handful of fixtures on Saturday. There is plenty to enjoy and to be excited about, and for those wearing their school shirts for the final time, one more chance to leave a legacy.
Monday
Monday has three huge games, chief among them the last of the Continental Tyres U18 Schools Cup quarter finals. Brilliant performances from Bromsgrove and Kirkham Grammar last week see them pitted together in one semi finals, whilst that incredible display from Harrow, perhaps the performance of the season, sees them through to the other. They will be playing either Blundell’s or RGS High Wycombe, who meet on Monday. Blundell’s actually lost to Monmouth in the Regional Final, however a break of the ‘Half Game Rule’ (see foot of article) was adjudged to have occurred and as a results the RFU Disputes Committee adjudged that “here is conclusive evidence that Monmouth School for Boys have breached the “Half Game Rule” and have followed the published sanction table, which requires the removal of that team from the Cup competition for the current season.” Therefore that saw Blundell’s reinstated, and they now host RGS in a huge contest – with a tie against that brilliant Harrow the carrot.
There are also two massive games against Australian touring sides on Monday as Barnard Castle host King’s Parramatta and Mount St Mary’s College host St Aloysius’, both should be tremendous occasions that celebrate the very best of the game.
Monday Fixtures
Barnard Castle v King’s Parramatta, Australia
Blundell’s v RGS High Wycombe (Cup Quarter Final)
Mount St Mary’s College v St Aloysius’, Australia
Tuesday
Tuesday Fixtures
Two big knockout games dominate on Tuesday as Durham and King’s Grantham meet in the Continental Tyres U18 Schools Vase Quarter Finals, having had to postpone due to waterlogged and frozen pitches last week. Both have been superb this year, and we can expect a cracker on Tuesday. Similarly in the Continental Tyres Schools Bowl Quarter Final between Loughborough Grammar and KES Five Ways, who will be eager to bounce back after a tough outing on Friday.
Elsewhere, Stamford will have a massive game against Brooksby Melton College, and there is a Cambridge derby as The Leys host Hills Road 6th form College, while in Scotland, Loretto heading to North Berwick.
Durham v King’s Grantham (Vase Quarter Final)
Loughborough GS v KES Camp Hill (Bowl Quarter Final)
North Berwick v Loretto
Stamford v Brooksby Melton College
The Leys v Hills Road
Wednesday
Wednesday is a busy day and chief among that is the final LIVE schools rugby fixture of 2023 here on NextGenXV, Gordon’s v St Joseph’s College. A rare chance to see an ACE side take on an Independent School, and a wonderful example of each at that. The game kicks off at 2.30pm on Wednesday and will be available through the NextGenXV YouTube Channel and through the embedded video below, while a detailed preview of the game can be seen here: Gordon’s v St Joseph’s College Preview.
There is also some key knockout rugby on Wednesday as King’s College Taunton take on the superb Newman College in the quarter finals of the Continental Tyres U18 Schools Plate. Meanwhile in the Continental Tyres Schools Vase there is an absolute belter, Mill Hill and Ravens Wood, two sides that have produced fireworks this season – it’s not to be missed.
Over in the Bowl, meanwhile, Portsmouth Grammar School host London Oratory, another that should be a top game. There is County Cup action too as Reading Blue Coat host St Bartholomew’s in the Berkshire final.
There is a huge game in Herefordshire too, the Apple Cup, Hereford 6th form College v Hereford Cathedral School. The annual season-ending derby that is going to be utterly unmissable.
Another unmissable game will be at Lymm RFC as Sedbergh and Llandovery College go head to head in their traditional season-ender. Llandovery last week won the Welsh Schools and Colleges Cup. Only English sides have beaten them this season and they would love to claim the scalp of Sedbergh to finish on the ultimate high, but Sedbergh are going to be as up for this as they have ever been after and up and down season.
Our live game is not the only School vs ACE game of the week, in the North East Dame Allan’s host Gosforth Academy in what should be another really special occasion. Further South, Mount St Mary’s College and Harrogate Grammar go head to head in what should be another top game.
In the North West in form Cheadle Hulme head to Stockport Grammar for what ought to be a great contest, while Runshaw College host Scarisbrick Hall, Bolton head to Ripley St Thomas, and AKS Lytham travel to a Manchester Grammar side the will be eager for a big performance.
Further South, KES Stratford and Bablake go head to head, while Bablake’s great rivals King Henry VIII host KES Aston. Newcastle-Under-Lyme meanwhile host Queen Mary’s Grammar School.
Across in Buckinghamshire there are three key games, Dr Challoner’s Grammar hosting Sir William Borlase’s, Sir Henry Floyd’s Grammar host Lord Williams, and Burnham Grammar welcome St James’.
Over in Hertfordshire a buoyant Bedford Modern side head to St George’s Harpenden, who have also been on song, to close their season, while Tring host Akeley Wood and Longdean travel to Verulam. Over in Essex, St Edmund’s College travel from Hertfordshire to take on Bancroft’s.
Over in Kent, Hayes are at Maidstone Grammar, while Oakwood Park head to Bennett Memorial. There is a huge one in Surrey too, Caterham have been wonderful this year and host a strong Worth side.
London’s treadmill keeps going, John Fisher look to bounce back from derby defeat when they travel to Wallington County Grammar, while Emanuel and Tiffin both had wonderful weekend’s and now go head to head in a season crescendo. UCS meanwhile host Fulham Boys, and Riddlesdown Collegiate head to Glyn.
In Cornwall Truro School host Callywith College, while in Gloucestershire St Edward’s Cheltenham host Balcarras.
Cathedral School Llandaff meanwhile head from Wales to Bristol to take on Gloucestershire’s Dean Close in what could be one of the great games of the day and a wonderful game with which to finish the season for these two.
Wednesday Fixtures
Bancroft’s v St Edmund’s College
Bennett Memorial v Oakwood Park GS
Burham GS v St James’
Caterham v Worth
Cathedral School, Llandaff v Dean Close
Dame Allan’s v Gosforth Academy
Dr Challoner’s GS v Sir William Borlase’s
Emanuel v Tiffin
Glyn v Riddlesdown Collegiate
Gordon’s v St Joseph’s College – LIVE on NextGenXV, 2.30pm KO
Hereford 6th form College v Hereford Cathedral (Apple Cup)
KES Stratford v Bablake
King’s College, Taunton v Newman College (Plate Quarter Final)
King Henry VIII v KES Aston
Maidstone GS v Hayes
Manchester GS v AKS Lytham
Mill Hill v Ravens Wood (Vase Quarter Final)
Mount St Mary’s v Harrogate GS
Newcastle-Under-Lyme v Queen Mary’s GS
Portsmouth GS v London Oratory (Bowl Quarter Final)
Reading Blue Coat v St Bartholomew’s (County Cup Final)
Ripley St Thomas v Bolton
Runshaw College v Scarisbrick Hall
Sedbergh v Llandovery College
Sir Henry Floyd GS v Lord Williams
St Edward’s Cheltenham v Balcarras
St George’s, Harpenden v Bedford Modern
Stockport GS v Cheadle Hulme
Tring v Akeley Wood
Truro v Callywith College
UCS v Fulham Boys
Verulam v Longdean
Wallington CGS v John Fisher
Thursday
Thursday sees some great touring games as King’s Parramatta and St Aloysius’ play their second games of the week. King’s Parramatta head to Campion, while St Aloysius’ take on Leicester Grammar.
Another international fixture sees Haileybury and Welsh giants Coleg y Cymoedd go head to head in what should be a very special occasion. Meanwhile Kent also has a couple of fixtures as Ashford host Kent College and Gravesend Grammar welcome King’s Rochester.
Thursday Fixtures
Ashford v Kent College
Campion v King’s Parramatta, Australia
Haileybury v Coleg y Cymoedd
Leicester GS v St Aloysius’, Australia
Gravesend GS v King’s Rochester
Saturday
Four games on Saturday round off the week and the season. Liverpool College and The Grange go head to head, while across the Pennines Pocklington take on club rivals Pocklington RUFC. KES Stratford meanwhile welcome Gloucester’s Pate’s Grammar School, while in the South East Langley Park and Chislehurst & Sidcup go head to head in a big end of season finale.
Saturday Fixtures
Langley Park v Chislehurst & Sidcup GS
Liverpool College v The Grange
KES Stratford v Pate’s GS
Pocklington v Pocklington RUFC
*“The Half Game Rule”
The “Half Game Rule”, detailed in RFU Regulation 15, states that all Age Grade teams must field every player named in their matchday squad for half of the playing time available in that fixture. This principle is applied at all levels of the Age Grade game and is specifically set out in the National Schools Cup regulations.
The “Half Game Rule” has been part of RFU Regulations for a number of years and applies to Age Grade games across the country. Like many other Unions who have adopted a similar role, the RFU aims to ensure that as many players as possible are able to enjoy the game, and this regulation is a key part of ensuring that happens.
