The draw for the 2024 Edwin Doran Surrey Schools Senior 7s has been made, one of the biggest 7s tournaments of the year and the toughest test annual ahead of the Rosslyn Park National School 7s.

Taking place on Wednesday 6^th March, 52 teams will compete at the Richmond Athletic Ground in what is one of the most intense and challenging tests on the 7s circuit, with many of the best sides in the country in action.

Those 52 sides are split into 13 groups of four teams each, with the winners heading to the Round of the Last 16 in the Cup alongside the best three runners-up. Of the rest, the best 8 placed Surrey affiliated schools will quality for the Surrey Plate quarter finals. There are 25 Surrey affiliated schools in the competition, two in every group except Group M, in which Dulwich College are the only Surrey affiliated side.

Placings within the groups will be decided first by number of points scored, then by points difference, and, if there is still a tie, a coin toss. In the knockout stages there is room for five minutes each way of extra time in the event of a draw, which will be decided on golden point – the first score will signal the end of the game.

Two sides have dominated this tournament this century above all other schools, perhaps unsurprisingly given their historic performances at all levels and tournaments, Millfield and Wellington College. Since the turn of the century Millfield have won the Edwin Doran Surrey Schools Senior 7s five times, Wellington College four times, and they have each reached 9 finals – playing each other in four of them, most recently in 2015, Wellington College lead that particular head to head 3-1.

However that 2015 final had been the last time that either had reached the final in seven years until Wellington College reached the 2022 final, in which Brighton College claimed the silverware for the first time in an epic, 24-21.

That was the last time the tournament was played, indeed the only time since Epsom College’s back to back victories over Cranleigh in 2019 and 2020, with Covid and the waterlogged pitches forcing cancellation in 2021 and 2023.

Hopefully no such problems will occur this year as the lineup looks fantastic, and with such a competitive 7s season already seemingly unfolding, this will be set to be one of the key highlights – on the year of the sponsor’s, Edwin Doran, 50^th birthday.

Brighton College, as mentioned, lifted the trophy most recently and they are drawn in a tricky Group G where 2014 finalists St Joseph’s College, who Brighton College beat in the quarter finals of the St Joseph’s Festival, will be among the key competitors. So too will Trinity, who will be determined to have a good tournament, likewise St John’s Leatherhead, who have won more Surrey Plate titles than anyone else, 3, most recently in 2018.

The 2022 runners-up, Wellington College, have 2017 Plate champions Caterham for company in Group A, alongside a Reading Blue Coat that would love to make a deep run in this competition and a KCSWimbledon team that will be thinking they have a sniff here.

As previously mentioned, Epsom College won back to back titles in 2019 and 2020, they will be competitive again this year but have to navigate a tricky Group I that includes the 2013 champions Oaklands College, Saracens’ ACE affiliated side, 2005 Plate winners Wimbledon College, and a Bishop Wordsworth’s side that has already put in some strong 7s performances this season.

Cranleigh were defeated by Epsom in those two finals prior to Covid, but they were actually their second and third finals on the bounce after victory in 2018 over Harrow. Cranleigh’s Group K draw sees them joined by Cambridge’s rising stars, Hills Road 6^th form College, and one of Surrey’s fastest growing sides, Godalming College, as well as Bath ACE side Beechen Cliff, who reached the 2017 final, going down 22-10 to a brilliant Hampton side.

That 2017 title is Hampton’s only Cup victory at the Surrey 7s, however they are the most recent winners of the Plate, beating Epsom College 31-5 to claim the 2022 Plate, adding it to the one they won in 2015. It will be the Cup title that they would love to claim from Group E though. Standing in their way are a strong Berkhamsted side, along with a Shiplake College side that always enjoys the shortened format, and fellow Surrey affiliated school, The Cedars.

It will, astonishingly, be ten years since Millfield’s last title at the Edwin Doran Surrey Schools Senior 7s, a 40-7 victory over St Joseph’s College. It is 9 since their last final too, that epic game against Wellington College in 2015. They will be looking at this year’s tournament and wanting to make a big impression. Their challenge will begin from Group F, where Fulham Boys and Surrey pair Wallington County Grammar and Halliford will be their opponents – look out in particular for Halliford, who could surprise a few.

In that last ten years one of the most competitive sides of all has been Harrow, yet surprisingly they have only reach one final in that time, going down to Cranleigh in 2018. This year they will arrive as arguably the favourites after one of the most outstanding fifteen-a-side seasons of all time, and as the reigning Rosslyn Park National School 7s. The only trouble for them may be that success brings with it a hectic schedule and they will be coming off the back of a Continental Tyres Schools Cup semi final with Bromsgrove. Nevertheless, they are deep and they are capable, but they have a tricky Group C draw, with Marlborough College, who were excellent at the recent Seaford Southern Tens, for company. Also in the group are a strong Emanuel side and the London & South Central ACE affiliates, Bishop Wand – who just happen to be in Harrow’s group at the Rosslyn Park National School 7s and whose players have a fierce but firm rivalry with Harrow as a result of each side’s London & South Central representation. It should be entertaining!

Only four former Cup champions or Cup finalists are not returning this year, SGS Filton College, back to back champions in 2011 and 2012, 2008 winners Collegiate, 2004 winners Ivybridge, and 2010 finalists Tonbridge. However two former finalists lurk in Group J, 2007 champions St Benedict’s, and runners up in 2001 and 2002, John Fisher. They will be joined by St George’s College Weybridge and a Rugby School side that are the reigning Vase champions at the Rosslyn Park National School 7s, and that hit peak form towards the end of the fifteen-a-side season and will fancy their chances of capitalising on that in the 7s season.

The only other side in the draw to have reached a final are Welsh outfit, Coleg Sir Gar, who are drawn in Group B. They were beaten by St Benedict’s in 2007 and would love to go on another charge like that again. Up against them are two of the Surrey Plate’s most successful sides, RGS Guildford and Tiffin, RGS won the Plate in 2019 and 2012, while Tiffin beat RGS in an epic in 2011, 28-26. RGS have reached two other finals 2005 and 2006, while Tiffin also reached the 2007 and 2015 finals. Completing the group are City of Oxford College, the Midlands Central ACE affiliates, who will certainly pose a threat.

There are threats all over the place in Group D, where Hurstpierpoint College, Whitgift, Seaford College, and City of London Freemen’s all lurk. Hurstpierpoint College were one of the best fifteen-a-side teams in the country last term, and with all their players available post U18 Academy League, they are going to be one to watch here. The same is true of Seaford College, who looked superb at their Seaford Southern 10s tournament despite missing a couple of Harlequins stars. Whitgift also have some players that could make a real 7s impact, and this is a tournament they are itching to do well at. Despite some of the incredible 7s sides that they have had in the last decade and a half, they have never won the Cup at the Surrey 7s, their only silverware been two Surrey Plates, 2020 and 2014, they would love to get their hands on the big one.

So too would Dulwich College, whose great teams from 2011 to 2014 always had Schools Cup knockouts to focus on when they might have challenged well at the Surrey 7s. The closest they have come to silverware at the Surrey 7s this century is 2020 Plate final defeat to Whitgift, who they would love to change that on Wednesday 6^th March. Up against them are some tricky sides in Group M, USP College, a strong St Edward’s Oxford side with some ideal players for 7s, and Felsted, who are another that has never quite got their hands on the silverware despite some superb teams down the years.

One team to really watch are Blundell’s, who lurk in Group L. They have an ability to go under the radar and yet consistently for a few years have been producing top teams and top performances, and they will be eyeing this tournament up with real belief. It is a competitive group though, London Oratory have some players with excellent 7s potential, and Surrey sides St Paul’s and Reed’s have both had some excellent days over the course of the season and will believe that they can do plenty. A group to watch.

Finally then to Group H, a group that is definitely one to watch. Harlequins’ ACE affiliates Gordon’s might be the headline act in terms of predictions, but all four sides will fancy their chances of progress to the knockouts. Two state schools provide most of the headlines, first one of the most successful state schools in school rugby history, Campion, who have a strong side again this year, and second Graveney, who remain one of school rugby’s greatest stories. They had no rugby at the school at all until Anastacia Long, now one of the key organisers across Surrey Schools, helped build a programme that saw a run to the U15 Schools Vase finals and produced England prop Kyle Sinckler. One of the great school rugby achievements. Completing that group are Abingdon, who have had some wonderful sides in recent time and will be thinking that they have an opportunity to make a big impact here.

After a year’s absence, it is going to be one of the most hotly anticipated Edwin Doran Surrey Schools Senior 7s that there has been. It is one of the key tournaments in any season, second only to the Rosslyn Park National School 7s and considered by many to be an even greater challenge give the sheer intensity of the tournament, taking place over just one day.

It is, without question, one of the greats and is not to be missed!

Edwin Doran Surrey Schools Senior 7s Draw:

*Denotes Surrey Affiliated Schools

Roll of Honour:

Cup Finals:

2023 Cancelled

2022 Brighton College 24-21 Wellington College

2021 Cancelled

2020 Epsom College 14-5 Cranleigh

2019 Epsom College 26-15 Cranleigh

2018 Cranleigh 29-0 Harrow

2017 Hampton 22-10 Beechen Cliff

2016 Cancelled

2015 Wellington College 17-12 Millfield

2014 Millfield 40-7 St Joseph’s College

2013 Oaklands College 19-14 Wellington College

2012 SGS Filton College 21-14 Epsom College

2011 SGS Filton College 29-12 Wellington College

2010 Millfield 32-0 Tonbridge

2009 Wellington College 19-12 Millfield

2008 Collegiate 24-12 Epsom College

2007 St Benedict’s 31-12 Coleg Sir Gar

2006 Wellington College 29-10 Millfield

2005 Millfield 36-14 Wellington College

2004 Ivybridge 17-14 Millfield

2003 Millfield 40-7 Wellington College

2002 Wellington College 26-12 John Fisher

2001 Millfield 17-10 John Fisher

Cup Winners:

Millfield x5

Wellington College x4

Epsom College x2

Brighton College x1

SGS Filton College x2

Collegiate x1

Cranleigh x1

Hampton x1

Ivybridge x1

Oaklands College x1

St Benedict’s x1

Cup Runners Up

Wellington College x5

Millfield x4

Cranleigh x2

Epsom x2

John Fisher x2

Beechen Cliff x1

Coleg Sir Gar x1

Harrow x1

St Joseph’s x1

Tonbridge x1

Plate Finals

2023 Cancelled

2022 Hampton 31-5 Epsom College

2021 Cancelled

2020 Whitgift 22-17 Dulwich College

2019 RGS Guildford 36-5 Wimbledon College

2018 St John’s, Leatherhead 24-15 Caterham

2017 Caterham 29-12 John Fisher

2016 Cancelled

2015 Hampton 43-5 Tiffin

2014 Whitgift 22-15 Hampton

2013 St John’s, Leatherhead 26-7 John Fisher

2012 RGS Guildford 24-14 St John’s, Leatherhead

2011 Tiffin 28-26 RGS Guildford

2010 Richmond Upon Thames College 31-14 Reigate Grammar

2009 N/A

2008 St John’s, Leatherhead 46-0 Reed’s

2007 Cranleigh 45-7 Tiffin

2006 John Fisher 7-5 RGS Guildford

2005 Wimbledon College 19-13 RGS Guildford

Plate Winners

St John’s Leatherhead x3

Hampton x2

RGS Guildford x2

Whitgift x2

Caterham x1

Cranleigh x1

John Fisher x1

Richmond Upon Thames College x1

Tiffin x1

Wimbledon College x1

Plate Runners Cup

RGS Guildford x3

John Fisher x2

Tiffin x2

Caterham x1

Dulwich College x1

Epsom College x1

Hampton x1

Reed’s x1

Reigate GS x 1

St John’s, Leatherhead x 1

Wimbledon College x1