Friday evening sees the annual Gordon’s School U18 Floodlit 7s take place, however after torrential rain the tournament has seen some major changes ahead of kick off.
The grass pitches are unfortunately waterlogged; however such are the Surrey School’s superb facilities that some play can still go on, owing to their excellent 3G Pitch, fromm which all of the action will be live streamed here on NextGenXV from 3.30pm through the NextGenXV YouTube Channel and through the embedded video below.
The move from two pitches to one has unfortunately necessarily meant a change in the tournament structure, with the number of teams reduced from twelve to eight. Those eight sides were drawn from a hat containing the original twelve, and the four to miss out have had their entry to next year’s tournament guaranteed.
The upshot is that every single game of the 2024 Gordon’s School U18 Floodlit 7s will be broadcast LIVE here on NextGenXV, and it looks set to be a fantastic competition, and with the adapted format it looks set to be more intense than ever ahead of this third edition of the tournament.
The eight sides have been divided into two groups of four, with the top two from each group going through to the Cup semi finals and the bottom two heading to the Plate semi finals, meaning that every side will play either four of five games over the course of the evening.
Former champions Brighton College and Wellington College are both in attendance. Wellington College won in 2022, while Brighton College won last year’s competition with a series of superb displays.
It is an exceptionally strong field for this year’s competition. Reigning champions Brighton College are drawn in Pool 1 and will need to be at their best, alongside them are the hosts, Gordon’s, who would love to claim the silverware in this Floodlit tournament for the first time and will have a returning army of outstanding players to aid in that cause. Reading Blue Coat will be a side to watch too, a smaller school in rugby playing terms but on a 7s field they will feel more than confident of competing. Completing the group are the sole club side in the competition, Rams RFC’s U18 side, who will likely be a very strong outfit too, with players from the likes of Maiden Erlegh, Emmbrook, Piggott, Reading College, The Forest, St Crispin’s Bulmershe, Franborough College, St Joseph’s, and Waingels.
Over in Pool 2 are the 2022 champions, Wellington College and, like Brighton College in Pool 1, they are going to be among the favourites on Friday night. Up against them are Worth, whose players have made a real impact for Harlequins U18 this season, and with them likely available again in part on Friday, that could see them really challenging. Also in the group are one of the biggest rising stars in school rugby, Hayes, who so well to Saracens and have benefited hugely themselves, they will be worth watching. Likewise Bishop Wordsworth’s, who always look competitive, particularly when the shortened format season rolls around, and who will be eager to make their mark in a group that they will feel they can challenge strongly to emerge from in Cup contention.
It’s set to be a fantastic evening on Friday, and the live action will start with a bang too. Hosts Gordon’s kick off LIVE at 3.30pm against Reading Blue Coat, followed by the 2022 champions Wellington College against Worth at 3.48pm, and then at 4.06pm the reigning champions, Brighton College, get underway against Rams RFC.
It is going to be that sort of evening – intense, right from the off!
Gordon’s School U18s Floodlit 7s Draw
Pool 1: Gordon’s, Reading Blue Coat, Brighton College, Rams RFC
Pool 2: Wellington College, Worth, Hayes, Bishop Wordsworth’s
Live Schedule:
15.30 Gordon’s v Reading Blue Coat (1)
15.48 Wellington College v Worth (2)
16.06 Brighton College v Rams RFC (1)
16.24 Hayes v Bishop Wordsworth’s (2)
16.42 Gordon’s v Brighton College (1)
17.00 Wellington College v Hayes (2)
17.18 Reading Blue Coat v Rams RFC (1)
17.36 Worth v Bishop Wordsworth’s (2)
17.54 Gordon’s v Rams RFC (1)
18.12 Wellington College v Bishop Wordsworth’s (2)
18.30 Reading Blue Coat v Brighton College (1)
18.48 Worth v Hayes (2)
19.20 Plate SF 1 (3rd Pool 2 v 4th Pool 1)
19.38 Plate SF 2 (3rd Pool 1 v 4th Pool 2)
19.56 Cup SF 1 (1st Pool 2 v 2nd Pool 1)
20.14 Cup SF 2 (1st Pool 1 v 2nd Pool 2)
20.32 Plate Final
20.50 Cup Final
Previous Winners
2023 Cup Brighton College, Plate Mill Hill
2022 Cup Wellington College, Plate Felsted
