Weekend schools rugby returned across Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday despite plummeting temperatures across the UK.
Naturally that meant a few fixtures lost to frozen pitches, but there was still some wonderful rugby across the weekend.
Friday
Friday saw some great fixtures, not least a classic between St Joseph’s College and Hartpury College Bulls. It was an incredibly competitive game, but it was the Suffolk side that came out on top, edging it 29-21.
Meanwhile Eastbourne College showed the form that had so many talking about them last term, winning fantastically 48-14 against Reading Blue Coat. Across at Rosslyn Park FC, Fulham Boys won a superbly competitive game against Isleworth & Syon, 25-19.
Friday Results
Fulham Boys 25-19 Isleworth & Syon – at Rosslyn Park FC
Hartpury College Bulls 21-29 St Joseph’s College
Reading Blue Coat 14-48 Eastbourne College
Saturday
Brighton College were unbeaten and near enough unstoppable last term and they started off this term in similar fashion with a fantastic 31-14 victory over Campion. They were not the only ones in the South East that were in fine form, Whitgift were excellent on the road at Ravens Wood, winning 42-27, while Chislehurst & Sidcup Grammar enjoyed a memorable 45-12 victory over John Fisher. Hampton and Tiffin had a really tight game, with Hampton just edging it 19-12.
Mount St Mary’s College were absolutely sensational on Saturday, winning 57-12 against Shrewsbury in yet another reminder of their quality, meanwhile Malvern College were in similar form with a fantastic 47-21 victory over RGS Worcester.
Lancaster RGS and QEGS Wakefield had a great contest, with both sides really digging deep, but it was LRGS that round the route to victory, enjoying a 27-17 win. At King’s Macclesfield the hosts had another day to remember with a 28-17 victory over a very good Solihull side, King’s Macc continue to be a side to keep an eye on. Meanwhile in the County Plate Manchester Grammar reached the semi finals in a very tight 26-21 victory over AKS Lytham.
In Scotland, meanwhile, there was a thrilling draw between Edinburgh Academy and George Heriot’s, 14-14. Stewart’s Melville were in fine from though, winning 34-14 against Strathallan ahead on Tuesday’s meeting with Northern Ireland’s Campbell College.
Saturday Results
Brighton College 31-14 Campion
Chislehurst & Sidcup GS 45-12 John Fisher
Edinburgh Academy 14-14 George Heriot’s
Hampton 19-12 Tiffin
King’s Macclesfield 28-17 Solihull
Lancaster RGS 27-17 QEGS Wakefield
Malvern College 47-21 RGS Worcester
Manchester GS 26-21 AKS Lytham (County Plate QF)
Ravens Wood 27-42 Whitgift
Shrewsbury 12-57 Mount St Mary’s College
Stewart’s Melville 34-14 Strathallan
Sunday
Sunday meanwhile saw the first 7s of the season as King’s Bruton hosted seven other schools in a fantastic day of 7s despite the weather being about as far from 7s weather as it can be. With more 7s coming this week as temperatures drop below freezing, perhaps the campaign for summer 7s begins again in earnest now.
Sunday Results
King’s Bruton 7s: Clayesmore, Downside, King’s Bruton, Monkton Combe, Mount Kelly, Sherborne, Warminster, Wells Cathedral
Still to Come:
Dundee HS v Robert Gordon’s College
Kelvinside Academy v Morrison’s Academy
Langley v St Joseph’s College 2nd XV
Merchiston Castle v Dollar Academy
Northampton School for Boys U17 v Sedbergh U17
U17 Triangular: Birkenhead, Calday Grange GS, Wirral GS
U17 Triangular: RGS Newcastle, Durham, Newcastle School for Boys
