It was Round 5 in the Premiership Rugby U18 Academy League on the weekend, and it was yet another epic round of action.
Northampton Saints and Bath stay at the top of their respective conferences but they were made to work oh so hard for it, eclipsing their opponents by a mere handful of points as Midlands Central and Harlequins impressed.
With just two rounds to go though, and each having a bye next week, they have taken another huge step towards meeting each other in the final on Sunday 18th February.
Round 5 Results:
North
Midlands Central 41-43 Northampton Saints
Newcastle Falcons 5-19 Midlands West
Yorkshire Academy 10-44 Sale Sharks
Leicester Tigers – Bye
It was an extraordinary game between Midlands Central and Northampton Saints, a topsy turvy affair that ended with 84 points scored in total, Saints just edging it 43-41. It keeps Saints top by three points ahead of their bye next week, with means that even though Sale Sharks may eclipse them next week, it will all be in Saints’ hands in their final game at home to Newcastle Falcons in a fortnight, with Sale having a bye in the final week. Midlands Central meanwhile collected two losing bonus points, which keeps them in third, a point ahead of Midlands West and Leicester Tigers.
Midlands West were on the road at Newcastle Falcons and sealed a good 19-5 victory, though the lack of a bonus point did mean they climbed to fourth rather than second. They have a huge game next time out, hosting Leicester Tigers in a game that will really determine each side’s finishing position. Newcastle Falcons will meanwhile host Yorkshire Academy, in what is a monster clash at the foot of the table.
Arguably the form side in either conference are Sale Sharks, who have looked utterly sensational since Christmas. They were at it again on Saturday in a stunning 44-10 victory at Yorkshire Academy, taking them within three points of Saints at the top and with a chance to go top in their final game next week, where they host Midlands Central. It will still be in Saints’ hands a week later, but Sale are putting the pressure on. Yorkshire Academy meanwhile are still looking for a first victory but will be seriously targeting that trip to Kingston Park next Friday.
South
Exeter Chiefs 29-19 Gloucester
Harlequins 29-32 Bath
London South Central 32-19 Bristol Bears
Saracens – Bye
Bath remain on top of the South Group, and by a sizeable difference – 8 points clear of Exeter Chiefs, with ten points available to Exeter, and nobody bar Exeter can catch them. They had to work hard in Cobham to ensure that though ahead of next week’s bye, as Harlequins gave them a real game, pushing Bath all the way but the league leaders held out for a tight 32-29 victory. The performance in defeat was enough to push Quins from bottom in the table to fifth though, and at home to Bristol Bears next week they could yet climb higher.
Exeter Chiefs stayed technically in the hunt for top spot with an excellent 29-19 victory over Gloucester on Saturday. Exeter have been in wonderful form of late and will be looking forward to a huge game at London & South Central next time out. Gloucester meanwhile will host Saracens, who had a bye this weekend.
Since Christmas London & South Central have been scoring points for fun but have just been unable to turn that into victory, but on Saturday they finally did manage that as they secured a 32-19 victory over Bristol Bears, a victory that sent them into third place ahead of Saturday’s final game against Exeter Chiefs (London & South East have a bye in the final round). Bristol will have been gutted to end up on the wrong end of the result, but will be relishing this weekend’s trip to Grasshoppers RFC to face Harlequins.
Standings
North Group
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | BPs | Points |
| 1 | Northampton Saints | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 22 |
| 2 | Sale Sharks | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 19 |
| 3 | Midlands Central | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 12 |
| 4 | Midlands West | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| 5 | Leicester Tigers | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 11 |
| 6 | Newcastle Falcons | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| 7 | Yorkshire Academy | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
South Group
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | BPs | Points |
| 1 | Bath | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 25 |
| 2 | Exeter Chiefs | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 17 |
| 3 | London South Central | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 14 |
| 4 | Bristol Bears | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 5 | Harlequins | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 8 |
| 6 | Saracens | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 8 |
| 7 | Gloucester | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 7 |
Round 5 Teams:
Midlands Central
15 George Pearson (City of Oxford College), 14 Austin Nevitt (Fairfax Academy), 13 Thomas Cunningham (Magdalen College), 12 Elis Thomas (City of Oxford College), 11 Emosi Nabakeke (Queen Ethelburga’s), 10 Charlie Mason (St Edward’s, Oxford), 9 Harry Eckersall (Wellington College), 1 George Alexander (City of Oxford College), 2 Beau Delaney (City of Oxford College), 3 Lasha Asatiani-Kalandadze (Bishop Vesey’s GS), 4 Ade Oyeyemi (Henley College), 5 Ethan Surrey (City of Oxford College), 6 John Baldwin (Bloxham), 7 Matt Bridge (City of Oxford College), 8 Jake Roberts (Rugby).
Replacements: Michael Onobayedo (Magdalen College), Gruff Rhys Williams (City of Oxford College), Harry Bewley (St George’s, Harpenden), Oscar Talbot (Rugby), Diamond Ayiehfor (Warwick), Freddie Walton (Magdalen College), Charlie Hodson (RGS High Wycombe), Will Diver (Shiplake College)
Northampton Saints
15 Edouardo Todaro, 14 Louis Burns, 13 Ben Agbenu, 12 Billy Pasco (C), 11 Rafe Witheat, 10 Louis Haley, 9 Jonathan Weimann, 1 Tom Dye, 2 Kanoa Lilo, 3 Giorgi Turashvilli, 4 Thomas Ross, 5 Ollie Hull, 6 Harry Price, 7 Keiran Perkins, 8 Alfie Hoyles.
Replacements: 16 Edward Delaney, 17 Sonny Tonga’uiha, 18 Jack Lawrence, 19 Rhys Harries, 20 Ben Currie, 21 Tom Addison, 22 Henry Lumley.
Newcastle Falcons
15 Josh Bailey (Gosforth Academy), 14 James Bent (Gosforth Academy), 13 Osea Navuso (Richmond 6thform College), 12 Josh Farley (Gosforth Academy), 11 Huw Lloyd (Gosforth Academy), 10 Will Bulman (Gosforth Academy), 9 Joe Davis (Barnard Castle), 1 Chris Kelly (RGS Newcastle), 2 Ryan Shaw (Gosforth Academy), 3 Elvis Kitenge-Fuki (Gosforth Academy), 4 Patrick Hogg (Durham, captain), 5 Harry Wildridge (Yarm), 6 Jacob Butterill (Sedbergh), 7 Charlie Turnbull (Sedbergh), 8 Dan Toole (Durham).
Replacements: 16 Ollie Forster (Dame Allan’s), 17 Aidan Stewart (Sedbergh), 18 Finn Kennedy (Carlisle RUFC), 19 Lauchlan Hill (Gosforth Academy), 20 Charlie Brewer (Dame Allan’s), 21 Reuben Dyer (Gosforth Academy), 22 Harry Ryder (Dame Allan’s), 23 Lucas Jessop (RGS Newcastle).
Midlands West
15 Jacob Reynolds (Stourport HS), 14 Haydn Lewis (Hartpury College),13 Henry Williams (Hartpury College), 12 Henry Parsons (Bromsgrove), 11 Charlie Whorrod (Warwick), 10 Ned Collins (Hereford 6th form College), 9 Osian Catlin (Millfield), 1 Jeremy Akena (Stourport HS), 2 George Knowles (Hereford Cathedral School, captain), 3 Lewys Perkins (Stourport HS), 4 Ollie McGinnity (Warwick), 5 Tom Hilton (Malvern College), 6 Henry Black (Hereford 6th form College), 7 Harry Pemberton (Solihull), 8 Fintan Dowling (KES Birmingham).
Replacements: Rory Blyth (Hereford 6th form College), Gus Wixey (Malvern College), Tom Casswell (Hartpury College), Harvey Shaw (Hartpury College), Harry Wright (Stourport HS), Monty Oliver (Malvern College), Robin Jorden (KES Birmingham), Joe Johnston (North Leamington College).
Yorkshire Academy
15 Callum Hyland-Dugbo (Woodhouse Grove), 14 Anesu Chidove (St Peter’s, York), 13 Lloyd McEwan-Peters (Wellington College), 12 George Brown (Barnard Castle), 11 Thomas Rowe (Woodhouse Grove), 10 Louie Platt (Mount St Mary’s College), 9 Gabriel Horberry (Harrogate GS), 1 Lucas Oxley (St Peter’s, York), 2 Alfie Longstaff (Woodhouse Grove, captain), 3 Oliver Fretwell (Bishop Burton College), 4 Callum Russell (Bishop Burton College), 5 Fraser Perry (Hill House), 6 Seb Easterby-Gray (Queen Ethelburga’s), 7 Archie Hurford (Woodhouse Grove), 8 Josh Oke (Ampleforth College).
Replacements: 16 Harry Tunningley (Hill House), 17 Oliver Spencer (Grammar School at Leeds), 18 Luca Foster (Bishop Burton College), 19 Henry Renshaw (Mount St Mary’s College), 20 Will Brooks (Grammar School at Leeds), 21 Oscar Binns (Woodhouse Grove), 22 Rylie Bonsall (Mount St Mary’s College), 23 Vojtech Nevicky (Mount St Mary’s College).
Sale Sharks
15 Daniel Green (St Ambrose College), 14 Fraser Rossiter (King’s Chester), 13 Ben Firth (Kirkham GS), 12 Toby Willson (King’s Macclesfield), 11 Sebi Krippner (Kirkham GS), 10 Ollie Davies (Kirkham GS), 9 Rhys Hulse (Kirkham GS), 1 Ben Lilley (Knutsford Academy), 2 Tom Davis (St Mary’s College), 3 Leon Tahana (Wirral GS), 4 Josh Gibbon (Ashton on Mersey), 5 Dylan Hodkinson (Wirral GS), 6 Jos Gilmore (Kirkham GS), 7 Seb Kelly (Kirkham GS, captain), 8 Liam Harrison (Xaverian College).
Replacements: 16 Harrison Kent-Manion (Wigan Warriors College), 17 Noah Lawton (Myerscough College), 18 Cian Jackson (Kirkham GS), 19 Monty Loggenberg (Kirkham GS), 20 Will Bennett (Sedbergh), 21 Spike Street (Sandbach), 22 Alex Smith (Kirkham GS), 23 Sam Lewtas (Kirkham GS).
Exeter Chiefs
15 Jed Findlay, 14 Noah Clifford, 13 Nick Lilley, 12 Israel Akinrowo, 11 Rhys Williams, 10 Freddie Hirst, 9 Josh Pengilly, 1 Josh Mann, 2 Tyler Bayley, 3 Ben Woodmansey, 4 Luke Evans (C), 5 Mawgen Warren, 6 Tom Dingle, 7 Freddy Rolls, 8 Xan Retallack.
Replacements: 16 Ted Hocking, 17 Jack Sherratt, 18 Albert Dowse, 19 Ethan Garnder, 20 Bobby Pond, 21 James Howard, 22 Rhys Richards, 23 Luca Brano.
Gloucester
15 Woody Walker (Radley College), 14 Raph Campbell (King’s Gloucester), 13 Ollie Rendell (Sir Thomas Rich’s), 12 Billy Benson (Dean Close), 11 Louis Callow (Hartpury College), 10 Taite Fortey (Hartpury College), 9 James Lilwall (Sir Thomas Rich’s), 1 Ellis Allen (Hartpury College), 2 Ruben Cummings (Hartpury College), 3 Alex Bosworth (Hartpury College), 4 Jonno Balding (Radley College), 5 Jay Evans (Sir Thomas Rich’s), 6 Solomon Shand (Hartpury College), 7 Caio James (Hartpury College, captain), 8 Olly Allport (Dean Close).
Replacements: 16 Orla Clark (Radley College), 17 Billy Kerslake (Wycliffe College), 18 Freddie Ogden-Metherell (Dean Close), 19 Kealan Freeman-Price (Hartpury College), 20 Josh Pearce (Hartpury College), 21 Harry Tovey (Hartpury College), 22 Jack Hopson (Dean Close).
Harlequins
15 Ben Webb (Gordon’s), 14 Izaak Manuel (Eton College), 13 Morgan Purnell (Gordon’s), 12 Ed Tusler (Hurstpierpoint College), 11 Theo Povey (Gordon’s), 10 Felix Bateman-Champain (Worth), 9 Fergus Callington (Whitgift), 1 Jamie Miller (Whitgift), 2 Jimmy Staples (Seaford College), 3 Ollie Streeter (Gordon’s), 4 Nathan Ventham (Brighton College), 5 Elliot Williams (Gordon’s), 6 Jack O’Kelly (Henley College), 7 Ashton Graham (Gordon’s), 8 Tate Williams (Worth).
Replacements: 16 Quinn Singh (Trinity), 17 Connor van Lille (Newman College), 18 Emmanuel Shanu-Abu (Gordon’s), 19 Freddie Abel (Caterham), 20 Adam Beney (Gordon’s), 21 Sam Line (Whitgift), 22 Zuko Robb (Gordon’s), 23 Joe Taylor (Cranleigh).
Bath
15 Owen Erasmus (Millfield), 14 Henry Bartlett (Beechen Cliff), 13 Jack Harrison (Beechen Cliff), 12 Steffan Emanuel (Millfield), 11 Julian Nunn (Beechen Cliff), 10 James Linegar (Kingswood), 9 Sam Gane (Beechen Cliff), 1 Theo Malik (Dauntsey’s), 2 Henry Bonetti (Millfield), 3 Leo Palmer (Kingswood), 4 Charlie Ward (Kingswood), 5 Alex Deering (Millfield), 6 Fred Kempton (Beechen Cliff), 7 James Maloney (Marlborough College), 8 Connor Treacey (Beechen Cliff, captain).
Replacements: 16 Evan Gallagher (Kingswood), 17 Sam Janaway (Canford), 18 Cody Purnell (Millfield), 19 Harry Butterworth (Dauntsey’s), 20 Ed Elliott (Marlborough College), 21 Ellis James (Millfield), 22 Declan Treacey (Preistlands), 23 Harry Walker (Beechen Cliff).
London & South Central
15 Martin Betsen-Tchoua, 14 Finlay Wiseman, 13 Maximus Winter, 12 Cameron Ward, 11 Tyler Offiah, 10 Finn Keylock, 9 Albert Mildenhall, 1 Charlie Holyer, 2 Kepueli Tuipulotu, 3 Jerold Gorleku, 4 Will May, 5 Oliver Agar, 6 Elijah Taylor, 7 Reggie Hammick (c), 8 Isaac Sprenger.
Replacements: 16 Oscar Thomas, 17 Alan Poku, 18 Martin Chalmers, 19 Spencer Codling, 20 Ashton Ilincic, 21 Ben Littlefair, 22 Finlay Cunnison, 23 Jody Bunce.
Bristol Bears
15 Josh Sheppard, 14 Tom Bowen, 13 Victor Worsnip, 12 Jamie Howick, 11 Louis Nancekivell, 10 Fin Fielder, 9 Oscar Green, 1 Will Pearce, 2 Jacob Hodgson, 3 Jack Parkinson, 4 Rowan Curry, 5 Harrison Jones, 6 Joachim Hullah, 7 Kieran Hill, 8 Joe Lloyd (c).
Replacements: Manship, Davison, Wring, Spokes, Mills, Phillips, Randall.
Upcoming Fixtures
Round 6 (2nd/3rd/4th February)
North
Midlands West v Leicester Tigers – Saturday, Stourport HS, 2pm
Newcastle Falcons v Yorkshire Academy – Friday, Kingston Park, 8pm
Sale Sharks v Midlands Central – Sunday, Platt Lane, 2pm
Northampton Saints – Bye
South
Gloucester v Saracens – Saturday, Kingsholm, 1pm
Harlequins v Bristol Bears – Saturday, Grasshoppers RFC, 12.30pm
London South Central v Exeter Chiefs – Saturday, Hazelwood, 2pm
Bath – Bye
Round 7 (10th/11th February)
North
Leicester Tigers v Midlands Central – Saturday, Loughborough Uni, 2pm
Northampton Saints v Newcastle Falcons – Saturday, Franklins Gardens, 4.30pm
Yorkshire Academy v Midlands West – Saturday, Doncaster Knights, 2pm
Sale Sharks – Bye
South
Bristol Bears v Exeter Chiefs – Saturday, Dings Crusaders, 4pm
Gloucester v Bath – Saturday, Kingsholm, 1pm
Saracens v Harlequins – Sunday, StoneX, 1pm
London South Central – Bye
Finals Day – Sunday 18th February, Kingsholm Stadium
Past Results
Round 1
North
Midlands West 22-22 Sale Sharks
Northampton Saints 75-7 Leicester Tigers
Yorkshire Academy 31-33 Midlands Central
Newcastle Falcons – Bye
South
Bath 29-27 Bristol Bears
Exeter Chiefs 44-27 Saracens
London South Central 36-33 Gloucester
Harlequins – Bye
Round 2
North
Leicester Tigers 40-26 Sale Sharks
Midlands Central 45-14 Newcastle Falcons
Northampton Saints 40-21 Yorkshire Academy
Midlands West – Bye
South
Bristol Bears 49-12 Gloucester
Harlequins 35-25 London South Central
Saracens 26-34 Bath
Exeter Chiefs – Bye
Round 3 Results
North
Midlands Central 19-27 Midlands West
Newcastle Falcons 26-19 Leicester Tigers
Sale Sharks 49-42 Northampton Saints
Yorkshire Academy – Bye
South
Bath 34-29 Exeter Chiefs
Gloucester 24-14 Harlequins
Saracens 50-36 London South Central
Bristol Bears – Bye
Round 4 Results
North
Leicester Tigers 29-12 Yorkshire Academy
Midlands West 19-34 Northampton Saints
Sale Sharks 59-12 Newcastle Falcons
Midlands Central – Bye
South
Bath 33-31 London South Central
Bristol Bears 27-22 Saracens
Exeter Chiefs 35-24 Harlequins
Gloucester – Bye
