The penultimate round of the Premiership Rugby U18 Academy League took place this weekend and saw some terrific games of rugby across both the North and South Pools.
In the North Sale Sharks, perhaps the most in form side since Christmas, took top spot and Yorkshire Academy claimed a first victory of the campaign, while in the South Exeter Chiefs kept Bath honest ahead of next week’s final round of games.
One more round remains, this weekend coming, ahead of Finals Day at Gloucester’s Kingsholm Stadium on Sunday 18th February, where each side will player their counterpart finisher from the opposite conference, meaning that top in the North will play top in the South in the Premiership Rugby U18 Academy League final.
Round 6 Results:
North
Midlands West 21-17 Leicester Tigers
Newcastle Falcons 22-29 Yorkshire Academy
Sale Sharks 48-24 Midlands Central
Northampton Saints – Bye
The key results surely came on Sunday, where Sale Sharks host Midlands Central at Platt Lane knowing that victory would take them to the top of the table, given Northampton Saints’ bye week. They duly did so with yet another outstanding performance, they have been truly unstoppable since the league’s restart at the turn of the year. The 48-24 victory leaves them two points ahead of Saints heading into the final round, however it is all in Saints’ hands as Sale have a bye in the final round, while Northampton are at home to Newcastle. Midlands Central gave it their all, they just faced a side that is absolutely bouncing at the moment, but they will be excited for next week’s trip to Leicester Tigers.
The other really key result was on Friday night, when Yorkshire Academy made the trip up to Kingston Park to take on Newcastle Falcons. Yorkshire were without a victory this season but in a fantastic game under the lights they final got that victory, winning 29-22 to draw level on points with Newcastle, and actually move just ahead of them in the table on points difference. They now host Midlands West in the final round and will surely be full of confidence ahead of it. Newcastle will be able to leave their mark on this table – the fate of the top end is in their hands as they head to take on Northampton Saints.
Midlands West have been quietly impressive all season, and they earned their third victory from five games on Saturday at home to Leicester Tigers, winning 21-17 to move up to third in the table. They won’t be able to go higher even wit victory over Yorkshire, but they will certainly be thinking that consolidating third and a place in the 5th place play off would be a sign of a strong campaign. Leicester Tigers meanwhile are going to be determined against the other Midlands side, Midlands Central, next time out with both sides theoretically able to finish anywhere from 3rd to 7th.
South
Gloucester 21-29 Saracens
Harlequins 7-26 Bristol Bears
London South Central 28-37 Exeter Chiefs
Bath – Bye
Unbeaten league leaders Bath had a bye week, which meant that second placed Exeter Chiefs had the opportunity to close the gap on them and take the campaign into the final week. They travelled to London & South Central and duly got the job done for a bonus point 37-28 victory that sees them three points behind Bath – it’s still in Bath’s hands, but with both sides away next time, Exeter at Bristol and Bath at Gloucester, it’s not over yet. It was the final game of the campaign for London & South Central meanwhile, leaving them currently in fourth so they will be hoping that Saracens don’t do too well against Quins in order to stay in that spot.
Saracens are in a position to challenge for fourth next week thanks to an impressive 29-21 victory at Gloucester on Saturday, a bonus point victory that leaves any position from 3rd to 6th available to them as a finishing spot when the table shakes out at the end of next week. Gloucester will be gutted to have missed out on a bonus point, but can still have a huge influence on the table when they take on Bath in the final game.
Bristol Bears meanwhile are in third on points difference ahead of London & South Central after Saturday’s superb bonus point victory over Harlequins, 26-7, at Grasshoppers RFC. They will be determined to hold on to that spot when they take on Exeter Chiefs next time around, meanwhile Harlequins are going to be determined to finish with a second victory when they travel to their great rivals Saracens in this week’s final round.
Standings
North Group
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | BPs | Points |
| 1 | Sale Sharks | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 24 |
| 2 | Northampton Saints | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 22 |
| 3 | Midlands West | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 15 |
| 4 | Midlands Central | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 13 |
| 5 | Leicester Tigers | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 12 |
| 6 | Yorkshire Academy | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| 7 | Newcastle Falcons | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 7 |
South Group
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | BPs | Points |
| 1 | Bath | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 25 |
| 2 | Exeter Chiefs | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 22 |
| 3 | Bristol Bears | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 15 |
| 4 | London South Central | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 15 |
| 5 | Saracens | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 13 |
| 6 | Harlequins | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 8 |
| 7 | Gloucester | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 7 |
Team Sheets:
Midlands West:
15 Haydn Lewis (Hartpury College), 14 Charlie Whorrod (Warwick), 13 Henry Williams (Hartpury College), 12 Henry Parsons (Bromsgrove), 11 Ellis Deans-Smith (Hartpury College), 10 Ned Collins (Hereford 6th form College), 9 Osian Catlin (Millfield), 1 Harrison Osborne (Bromsgrove), 2 George Knowles (Hereford Cathedral, captain), 3 Lewys Perkins (Stourport HS), 4 Tom Hilton (Malvern College), 5 Dan Halkon (RGS Worcester), 6 Henry Black (Hereford 6th form College), 7 Harvey Leonard (Ellesmere College), 8 Jack Gilbert (Bromsgrove).
Replacements: 16 Sean O’Donnell (Hereford 6th from College), 17 Gus Wixey (Malvern College), 18 Fintan Dowling (KES Birmingham), 19 Harvey Shaw (Hartpury College), 20 Rory Blyth (Hereford 6th form College), 21 Ollie McGinnity (Warwick), 22 Ben Gowland (Stourport HS), 23 Joe Johnston (North Leamington College).
Leicester Tigers:
15 Ethan Blackmore (King’s Grantham), 14 Freddie Snary (Norwich), 13 Harvey Nkrumah (Norwich), 12 Oliver Docherty (Oakham), 11 Tobias Spencer (Norwich), 10 Tom Threlfall (Nottingham HS), 9 Jack Dickens (Trent College), 1 Bronson Mellowes (Brooksby Melton), 2 Jamie Longyear (Denstone College), 3 Ben Beere (Stamford), 4 George Marsh (Gresham’s), 5 Harry Palmer (Brooksby Melton), 6 Joshua Brahoua (King’s Grantham), 7 Lawrence Adediran (Brooksby Melton), 8 Ralfie Willott (Brooksby Melton, captain).
Replacements: 16 Finlay Hayward (Old Swinford Hospital), 17 Dante Moore (Trent College), 18 Euan Fern (Brooksby Melton), 19 Tate Skinner (Old Swinford Hospital), 20 Henry Nanka-Bruce (Brooksby Melton), 21 Sam Dickens (Trent College), 22 James Egerton (Stamford), 23 Samson Shute (Brooksby Melton).
Newcastle Falcons
15 Josh Bailey (Gosforth Academy), 14 James Bent (Gosforth Academy), 13 Harry Ryder (Dame Allan’s), 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 Harry Bellamy (Sedbergh), 3 Elvis Kitenge-Fuki (Gosforth Academy), 4 Patrick Hogg (Durham, captain), 5 Harry Wildridge (Yarm), 6 Jacob Butterill (Sedbergh), 7 Charlie Turnbull (Sedbergh), 8 Reuben Parsons (Gosforth Academy).
Replacements: 16 Aidan Stewart (Sedbergh), 17 Finn Kennedy (Carlisle RUFC), 18 Sam Graham (Durham), 19 Charlie Brewer (Dame Allan’s), 20 Dan Toole (Durham), 21 Reuben Dyer (Gosforth Academy), 22 Rhys Beeckmans (Gosforth Academy), 23 Lucas Jessop (RGS Newcastle).
Yorkshire Academy
15 Callum Hyland-Dugbo (Woodhouse Grove), 14 Anesu Chindove (St Peter’s, York), 13 Vojtech Nevicky (Mount St Mary’s), 12 Lloyd McEwan-Peters (Wellington College), 11 Thomas Rowe (Woodhouse Grove), 10 Louie Platt (Mount St Mary’s), 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 Josh Oke (Ampleforth College), 7 Archie Hurford (Woodhouse Grove), 8 Oliver Spencer (Grammar School at Leeds).
Replacements: 16 Seb Easterby-Gray (Queen Ethelburga’s), 17 Will Farr (Bishop Burton College), 18 Myles Lyster (Kirkham GS), 19 Anthony McCormack (Bishop Burton College), 20 Harry Tunningley (Hill House), 21 Isaac Firth (Birkdale), 22 Rylie Bonsall (Mount St Mary’s).
Sale Sharks:
15 Daniel Green (St Ambrose College), 14 Fraser Rossiter (King’s Chester), 13 Alex Smith (Kirkham GS), 12 Toby Wilson (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 Liam Harrison (Xaverian College), 5 Dylan Hodkinson (Wirral GS), 6 Jos Gilmore (Kirkham GS), 7 Ruben Reed (Merchant Taylors’), 8 Monty Loggenberg (Kirkham GS).
Replacements: 16 Harrison Kent-Mannion (Wigan Warriors College), 17 Noah Lawton (Myerscough College), 18 Cian Jackson (Kirkham GS), 19 Alex Kerr (St Anselm’s College), 20 Will Holmes (Sedbergh), 21 Ben Firth (Kirkham GS), 22 Zak Halsall (Sedbergh).
Midlands Central:
15 George Pearson (City of Oxford College), 14 Austin Nevitt (Fairfax Academy), 13 Charlie Morgan-Stephens (City of Oxford College), 12 Elis Thomas (City of Oxford College), 11 Emosi Nabakeke (Queen Ethelburga’s), 10 Charlie Mason (St Edward’s Oxford, captain), 9 Drew Delaney (City of Oxford College), 1 George Alexander (City of Oxford College), 2 Michael Onobhayedo (Magdalen College), 3 Gruff Williams (City of Oxford College), 4 Ade Oyeyemi (Henley College), 5 Ethan Surrey (City of Oxford College), 6 Matt Sell (St Edward’s Oxford), 7 John Baldwin (Bloxham), 8 Jake Roberts (Rugby).
Replacements: 16 Leo Carniaux (Magdalen College), 17 Lasha Asatiani-Kalandadze, 18 Matt Bridge (City of Oxford College), 19 Jack Randall (Sedbergh), 20 Diamond Ayiehfor (Warwick), 21 Freddie Walton (Magdalen College), 22 Harry Eckersall (Wellington College), 23 Freddie Cow (RGS High Wycombe).
Gloucester
15 Woody Walker (Radley College), 14 Raph Campbell (King’s Gloucester), 13 Ollie Rendell (Sir Thomas Rich’s), 12 Harry Tovey (Hartpury College), 11 Louis Callow (Hartpury College), 10 Taite Fortey (Hartpury College), 9 James Lilwall (Sir Thomas Rich’s), 1 Billy Kerslake (Wycliffe College), 2 Ruben Cummings (Hartpury College), 3 Ellis Allen (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 Leo Mullis (King’s Gloucester), 17 Tom Ring (King’s Gloucester), 18 Josh Hanson (Cheltenham College), 19 Kealan Freeman-Price (Hartpury College), 20 Piers Fortey (St Peter’s, Gloucester), 21 Billy Benson (Dean Close), 22 Jack Hopson (Dean Close).
Saracens
15 Jack Bracken, 14 Finn Newton, 13 Fraser Rawlins, 12 Angus Hall (cc), 11 Charlie Griffin, 10 Alex Nagele, 9 Asa Stewart-Harris, 1 Lewis Young, 2 Frank Kitchen, 3 Finn Bloomer, 4 Charlie Barker, 5 Tayo Adegbemile (cc), 6 Zach Johnson, 7 Charlie West, 8 Gabriel Nott.
Replacements: 16 J Twigg, 17 R Burke, 18 A Ogunsanya, 19 F White, 20 A Marks, 21 R Varona Blakstad, 22 L Elder.
Harlequins:
15 Elliot Southworth (Hartpury College), 14 Izaak Manuel (Eton College), 13 Morgan Purnell (Gordon’s), 12 Ed Tusler (Hurstpierpoint College), 11 Zuko Robb (Gordon’s), 10 Felix Bateman-Champain (Worth), 9 Sam Line (Whitgift), 1 Connor Van Lille (Newman College), 2 Jimmy Staples (Seaford College), 3 Ollie Streeter (Gordon’s), 4 Freddie Abel (Caterham), 5 Elliot Williams (Gordon’s), 6 Jack O’Kelly (Henley College), 7 Ashton Graham (Gordon’s), 8 Tate Williams (Worth).
Replacements: 16 Jamie Miller (Whitgift), 17 Nathan Ventham (Brighton College), 18 Adam Beney (Gordon’s), 19 Tom Maslen (Wellington College), 20 Subomi Kolaojo (Tonbridge), 21 Ben Webb (Gordon’s).
Bristol Bears:
15 Tom Bown, 14 Louis Nancekivell, 13 Victor Worsnip, 12 Jamie Howick, 11 Josh Sheppard, 10 Fin Fielder, 9 Ted Phillips, 1 Will Pearce, 2 Jacob Hodgson, 3 Jack Parkinson, 4 Rowan Curry, 5 Harrison Jones, 6 Joachim Hullah, 7 Kieran Hill, 8 Joe Lloyd.
Replacements: 16 Manship, 17 Davison, 18 Russell, 19 Mills, 20 Bartlett, 21 Green, 22 Williams.
London & South Central:
15 Martin Betsen Tchoua, 14 Finlay Wiseman, 13 Lockie Lee, 12 Cameron Ward, 11 Tyler Offiah, 10 Finn Keylock, 9 Albert Mildenhall, 1 Charlie Holyer, 2 Oscar Thomas, 3 Jerold Gorleku, 4 Will May, 5 Oliver Agar (c), 6 Elijah Taylor, 7 Ashton Ilincic, 8 Isaac Sprenger.
Replacements: 16 N/A, 17 Alan Poku, 18 Hunter Deane-Johns, 19 Spencer Codling, 20 Reuben Osgood, 21 Aidan Pugh, 22 Finlay Cunnison, 23 Freddy Rossigneux.
Exeter Chiefs
15 Jed Findlay, 14 Noah Clifford, 13 Nick Lilley, 12 Israel Akinrowo, 11 Rhys Williams, 10 Freddie Hurst, 9 Josh Pengilly, 1 Josh Mann, 2 Tyler Bayler, 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 Jacob Lewis, 20 Ben Harris, 21 James Howard, 22 Rhys Richards, 23 Luca Brano.
Upcoming Fixtures
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
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
South
Exeter Chiefs 29-19 Gloucester
Harlequins 29-32 Bath
London South Central 32-19 Bristol Bears
Saracens – Bye
