The weekend’s school rugby lived up to the hype with some fantastic games and brilliant tournament as 7s season kicked into gear.
It is the time of the year where there is split focus between fifteen-a-side and seven-a-side, but on both fronts we were treated to some unbelievably compelling action.
There was also U16 action LIVE here on NextGenXV as we took in the Gordon’s School U16 Invitational 7s, a thrilling competition that saw The Oratory lift the title in the most dramatic of circumstances, and epic day that you can relieve below.
Friday
On the U18 front the action began on Friday with some fantastic games of rugby, perhaps chief of all at Cheltenham Tigers RFC where Sir Thomas Rich’s and Old Swinford Hospital put on a show. The two sides were scoring tries for fun but, in the end, it was Sir Thomas Rich’s that came out on top, 34-29.
Towards Birmingham and the West Midlands the excitement kept on coming KES Camp Hill and KES Birmingham drew 14-14 in a tension ridden thriller, meanwhile at Butts Arena in Coventry KES Stratfordwere in sensational form as they defeated Bishop Vesey’s Gramar 40-17. Meanwhile on the Wirral at Birkenhead Park FC hosts Birkenhead squeezed home for victory against Stonyhurst in a fantastic game, winning 18-15.
There was also some epic 7s action, Cardiff University Sports Ground, the host venue for Cathedral School Llandaff’s Floodlit 7s. Ten teams were in action in total and in the end the knockouts boiled down to England versus Wales, Glantaf taking on Hereford Cathedral School and Dean Close taking on Whitchurch HighSchool. Both semi finals went the way of Wales, Glantaf winning 37-7 and Whitchurch winning a tight one, 19-12. In the final Glantaf showed all the form that they had been displaying throughout the evening, soaring to a 29-7 victory to earn the Cathedral School Llandaff Floodlit 7s title.
Friday Results
Birkenhead 18-15 Stonyhurst – at Birkenhead Park FC
Bishop Vesey’s GS 17-40 KES Stratford – at Butts Arena, Coventry
Cathedral School Llandaff Floodlit 7s – Glantaf Champions
KES Camp Hill 14-14 KES Birmingham
Sir Thomas Rich’s 34-29 Old Swinford Hospital – at Cheltenham Tigers RFC
Saturday
Saturday saw some wonderful action, RGS High Wycombe bounced back superbly from missing out in the Seaford Southern 10s final last weekend, enjoying a superb 29-9 victory at Campion, one of the hardest places to play. Indeed, the south east saw number of brilliant performances, Hampton were magnificent away in Ealing as they defeated St Benedict’s 24-12.
Further east, in Suffolk, Whitgift were sensational in a wonderful game at St Joseph’s College, the two sides put on a quite magnificent display with both scoring plenty of tries but it was Whitgift that emerged victorious 42-29. Elsewhere, Ibstock Place were victorious at The Cedars, 19-14. Meanwhile Sir Joseph Williamson’senjoyed a thrilling and tight 33-28 victory at Coopers Coborn.
Further West, Haberdashers’ Adams were hosting a rampant St Ambrose College side, who have been so brilliant this season and were so again on Saturday with a 33-5 victory. Across in Wales there was a fantastic game in one of the great derbies in Welsh rugby, Christ College v Llandovery College is one of the great fixtures and it was so again on Saturday with the hosts, Christ College, winning an incredibly tight game 17-16.
Up in Scotland things were exciting in a tight game between Glasgow Academy and George Heriots, finishing up 25-21 to Glasgow Academy, meanwhile Edinburgh Academy enjoyed a 22-10 victory over Dundee High School and Gordonstoun were in fine form against club side Angus RFC, winning 47-15. Robert Gordon’s College were also in club action, winning 17-0 against Mackie RFC while Stewart’sMelville were in absolutely sensational form away at Glasgow High School, winning 38-0. MerchistonCastle’s 2nd XV were meanwhile victorious against Hutchesons’ Grammar, winning 67-17.
In the north west of England, Manchester Grammar and Calday Grange Grammar played out a close game with Manchester Grammar winning 12-5. There was also U17 action in the area with Kirkham GrammarSchool winning 48-21 against St Anselm’s College at Preston Grasshoppers RFC, a continuation of Kirkham’s fine form in this U17 period of the season. Further South there was more U17 action, Warwicktravelled to Northampton School for Boys and returned home with a fantastic 36-10 victory.
Saturday Results
Campion 9-29 RGS High Wycombe
Christ College 17-16 Llandovery College
Coopers’ Coborn 28-33 Sir Joseph Williamson’s
Edinburgh Academy 22-10 Dundee HS
Glasgow Academy 25-21 George Heriot’s
Glasgow HS 0-38 Stewart’s Melville
Gordonstoun 47-15 Angus Colts RFC
Haberdashers’ Adams 5-33 St Ambrose College
Kirkham GS U17 48-21 St Anselm’s College U17 – at Preston Grasshoppers RFC
Manchester GS 12-5 Calday Grange GS
Merchiston Castle 2nd XV 67-17 Hutcheson’s GS
Northampton School for Boys U17 10-36 Warwick U17
Robert Gordon’s College 17-0 Mackie RFC
St Benedict’s 12-24 Hampton
St Joseph’s College 29-42 Whitgift
The Cedars 14-19 Ibstock Place
Sunday
Sunday was all about 7s as the short format season really kicked off. There were a number of tournaments including the prestigious South Coast 7s at Portsmouth Grammar School. It was an incredible tournament with some of the great sides in all of schools rugby in contention, ultimately it all boiled down to a final between two of the giants Brighton College and Millfield, two sides that had simply been outstanding right from minute one. Brighton College took the title a huge early marker in this 7s season, and no surprise after their superb fifteen-a-side form prior to Christmas. They will have huge ambitions going forward and this brilliant South Coast 7s title will certainly put the watching schools rugby world on notice – as will Millfield’s performance in having reached the final.
Elsewhere, Hurstpierpoint College hosted their inaugural 7s tournament and it was a roaring success. Some of the strongest sides in the country were in attendance, playing some quite wonderful 7s throughout the day. The cup semi finals saw Ipswich, Tonbridge, Trinity, and Newman College all in action in two contrasting yet tight semi finals. Ipswich and Tonbridge put on an absolute thriller with Ipswich edging it by a score 40 points to 35, meanwhile Trinity and Newman College were in a lower scoring yet even tighter game with Trinity just emerging 19-17 victors. In the final Ipswich were on flying form enjoying a 26-7 victory to make it two titles in seven days following that triumph at last week’s Seaford Southern 10s. The Suffolk side are laying down a huge marker as a side that could be in contention for some of the biggest prizes of the school season.
There was also 7s in Essex, where Brentwood put in some outstanding displays to secure the New Hall 7stitle, keep an eye on Brentwood as this season progresses and further 7s challenges arise.
Sunday Results
Hurstpierpoint College 7s – Ipswich Champions
New Hall 7s – Brentwood Champions
South Coast 7s at Portsmouth Grammar School – Brighton College Champions
Still to Come:
Barnard Castle U17 Festival (Saturday)
Bolton v Lancaster RGS 2nd XV (Saturday)
Bromsgrove v Solihull (Saturday)
Linlithgow RFC v Morrison’s Academy (Saturday)
Pangbourne College 7s (Sunday)
St John’s, Leatherhead U17 v St George’s Weybridge U17 (Friday)
Trent College 7s Triangular (Saturday)
Wellington College 7s Triangular (Saturday)
West of Scotland Triangular (Saturday)
