The opening day of the 2024 Howden Rosslyn Park National Schools 7s certainly lived up to the hype with an outstanding day of action on the field and a brilliant atmosphere off it.

The Boys U18 Vase and Girls U16 were on the cards and both gave us fireworks, while off the field it may have been muddy at 8am but by the time play kicked off at 10am the sun was shining, the smiles were out, and the joy at the return of the Howden Rosslyn Park National Schools 7s was evident for all.

It carries on again for four more glorious days and you can watch all the action through the week on Pitches RE1 and RE2 LIVE here on NextGenXV through the NextGenXV YouTube Channel and you can also check out tomorrow’s action direct through the embedded links below.

U16 Girls Cup

The first trophy of the week was on offer on Monday in the U16 Girls Cup and it was last year’s runners up that claimed it, Ivybridge Community College. The Devon side were outstanding all day long and in Alice Flemming they had by far and away the Limitless Player of the Tournament, after an outstanding display in the final against Millfield, and throughout the rest of the day.

They had got to that final with a fantastic qualifying round victory over Cwmbran before topping a Cup Pool G ahead of Hill House and KES Bath, no mean feat.

After that though was knockout rugby, and they had to be at their sharpest in the quarter finals against Dubai English Speaking College, winning 31-12. Then came a semi final against a hugely impressive Samuel Whitbread Academy side, yet Ivybridge were flying, winning 45-5 and whispers of a title run had turned to shouts. Millfield meanwhile had topped their group ahead of Monkton Combe and Oakham before beating two Welsh side in their knockouts, Bro Teifi and Glantaf, in crackers both; 35-22 and 24-17 respectively.

That took us to the final, where Ivybridge were simply outstanding. Millfield gave it everything but nothing could stop this superb Ivybridge side, who took the first trophy of the week with a stunning 34-5 victory.

Welsh side Bryn Celynnog took the Plate, beating Seaford College 22-14 in an epic final, both sides deserved to come away with real credit, but the Welsh outfit just had enough to get the job done and were presented with the Plate by former England captain Jason Robinson, representing title sponsors Howden.

Champions: Ivybridge Community College

Cup Final: Ivybridge 34-5 Millfield

Cup Semi Finals: Ivybridge 45-5 Samuel Whitbread, Millfield 24-17 Glantaf

Cup Quarter Finals: Ivybridge 31-12 Dubai College, Samuel Whitbread 27-0 JESS, Millfield 35-21 Bro Teifi, Glantaf 41-0 St John’s Leatherhead

Cup Pools Final Standings:

A: 1 St John’s Leatherhead, 2 Prince Henry’s GS, 3 Clifton College

B: 1 Glantaf, 2 Dubai ESC, 3 Malmesbury

C: 1 Millfield, 2 Monkton Combe, 3 Oakham

D: 1 Bro Teifi, 2 Kings of Wessex, 3 Haverfordwest

E: Samyel Whitbread, Llandovery College, Stamford

F: 1 JESS, 2 Dyffryn Taf, 3 Langley

G: 1 Ivybridge, 2 Hill House, 3 KES Bath

Plate Winners: Bryn Celynnog

Plate Final: Bryn Celynnog 22-14 Seaford College

Plate Semi Finals: Bryn Celynnog 33-7 Holyrood Academy, Seaford College 17-14 Blundell’s

Plate Quarter Finals: Holyrood 30-0 Reigate GS, Bryn Celynnog 38-12 Robert Clack, Seaford College 17-12 Kingsdale, Blundell’s 48-12 Rugby

Plate Pools Final Standings

A: 1 Rugby, 2 Harrogate GS, 3 King Henry VII

B: 1 Blundell’s, 2 Finborough, 3 N/A

C: 1 Kingsdale, 2 Salesian, 3 Taunton

D: 1 Seaford College, 2 Hayfield, 3 N/A

E: 1 Robert Clack, 2 Wellington, 3 N/A

F: 1 Bryn Celynnog, 2 Newman College, 3 N/A

G: 1 Holyrood Academy, 2 Reigate GS, 3 Cwmbran HS

Qualifying Round Results:

Clifton College 12-5 Harrogate GS

King Henry VIII 0-32 Prince Henry’s GS

Rugby 10-22 St John’s

Glantaf w/o N?A

Dubai ESC 29-5 Blundell’s

Finborough 5-20 Malmesbury

Kingsdale 0-24 Millfield

Taunton 5-22 Oakham

Monkton Combe 22-10 Salesian

Kings of Wessex 29-0 Hayfield

Haverfordwest 17-7 Seaford College

Bro Teifi w/o N/A

Samuel Whitbread w/o N/A

Robert Clack 10-15 Llandovery College

Wellington 5-22 Stamford

Langley w/o N/A

JESS 31-24 Bryn Celynnog

Newman College 17-26 Dyffryn Taf

Reigate GS 5-17 KES Bath

Hill House 35-5 Holyrood

Cwmbran 0-20 Ivybridge Community College

Boys U18 Vase

In the U18 Vase a staggering 252 teams are now reduced to just 28 heading into day 2 on Tuesday after an utterly brilliant days play. It all began with a group stage, with only the winners progressing to an elimination round that would see the winners head through to Day 2, and the losers head home. (You can see the final group standings at the foot of this article).

28 sides emerged victorious and are now placed into Day 2 Groups, with 7 groups of four teams each. Those group winners and the best runner up will head to the Cup quarter finals, with the remaining two runners up heading to the Bowl Semi Finals Pools.

Tuesday’s pools look exciting, with Bedford Modern, St Paul’s, Dollar Academy, and 2022 Bowl winners St Peter’s York all in Pool A. Meanwhile Bishop Wordsworth’s, Christ College Brecon, New Hall, and a St Edward’s Oxford side whose stunning performances have marked them out as one of the favourites.

Over in Pool C it will be Taunton School, Dauntsey’s, a strong looking Sevenoaks side, and an excellent Grammar School at Leeds team going at it, meanwhile in Pool D things look very tasty, St Albans have been sublime on Day 1 but so too have Marlborough College, with City of London Freemen’s and Lancaster RGS sure to challenge hard as well.

Pool E meanwhile has a strong Scottish flavour, with both Merchiston Castle and Strathallan making it through, they will be up against Magdalen College and Kingswood in what is a really exciting pool. Pool F looks brilliant, Schools Plate finalists Uppingham have been one of the sensations of the day and will be excited about the pool, but so will a bang in form Millfield 2^nd VII and Harrogate Grammar School, Belgium’s Waterloo Schools are making a big case for being the first ever International U18 champions. Over in Pool G, look out for a bit of local rivalry in a pool of death that sees Stamford and Whitchurch High School up against Gloucestershire’s Whitchurch High School and Dean Close.

A huge day of action awaits in the Vase, picking a champion looks near impossible. It’s going to be a run ride!

Day 2 Vase Pools:

Pool A: Bedford Modern, St Paul’s, Dollar, St Peter’s York

Pool B: Bishop Wordsworth’s, Christ College, New Hall, St Edward’s Oxford

Pool C: Taunton, Sevenoaks, Dauntsey’s, Grammar School at Leeds

Pool D: Marlborough College, City of London Freemen’s, Lancaster RGS, St Albans

Pool E: Merchiston Castle, Strathallan, Magdalen College, Kingswood

Pool F: Uppingham, Millfield, Harrogate GS, Waterloo Schools

Pool G: Stamford, Dean Close, Cheltenham College, Whitchurch HS

Vase Elimination Round Results:

Uppingham 36-7 Ivybridge

Bedford Modern 36-7 JESS

Torquay Boys GS 14-36 St Peter’s, York

Dollar 28-12 Churcher’s

St Paul’s 17-15 Campion

Taunton 22-17 King’s Gloucester

City of London Freemen’s 31-12 George Watson’s

Sherborne 24-31 St Albans

Lancaster RGS 36-14 Cardiff HS

Mill Hill 17-28 Marlborough College

The Leys 7-32 Millfield 2^nd VII

Merchiston Castle 33-22 Queen Ethelburga’s

Gravesend GS 14-33 Harrogate GS

King’s Grantham wo New Hall

Bishop Wordsworth’s 29-10 Ampleforth College

St John’s Leatherhead 5-26 Dean Close

Christ College 28-0 Portsmouth GS

KES Birmingham 14-24 Magdalen College

Mavlern College 7-15 Waterloo Schools

Stamford 17-12 St George’s Weybridge

Worth 7-51 St Edward’s Oxford

Kingswood 26-21 Newman College

Peter Symonds’  14-29 GSAL

Oundle 15-22 Cheltenham College

Dauntsey’s 43-7 Hayes

King’s Taunton 31-26 Sevenoaks

USP College 17-24 Whitchurch HS

Strathallan 28-12 Coleg Gwent

Boys U14 Cup

The U14 Boys Cup has grown and grown to become one of the most exciting of the week. A massive 216 teams compete, split across 54 Groups of four teams each. Those groups will take place on Tuesday and will be followed by an elimination round – with each pool winner involved.

Winners of those elimination round games will progress to the Day 2 Cup Pools, nine pools of three teams each. From those pools, the group winners will then progress to Quarter Final Pools, three pools of three teams with the winners and the best runner up progressing to the semi finals knockouts. Losers of that initial elimination round game will progress to the Plate competition, which mirrors the Cup competition.

Eton College picked up the title in 2023 and are drawn into Group A and it’s a competitive one, with old rivals Marlborough College for company alongside QES Barnet and Gymraeg of Wales.

Wellington College were runners up, the are at the other side of the draw in Group BBB with Bennett Memorial, Churcher’s College, and a Collegiate side that reached the final of the Schools Sports Magazine U14 National Cup – look out for them!

It promises to be an epic two days of rugby in the Boys U14 Cup!

Girls U14 Cup

The Girls U14 Cup all takes place on Tuesday, 28 teams split into eight groups of four teams each in what ought to be an intense day of action. The Group winners will progress to the Cup quarter finals, quickly moving to knockout rugby from those morning groups.

Hill House claimed the 2023 title and are in Group A as a result, alongside Calon Cymru from Wales as well as Cambridge’s The Perse and Newman College, who were involved in the Ready 4 Rosslyn events run by UR7s earlier this term.

As ever it promises to be a brilliant day of action, with the excitement added to with international sides such as Dubai English Speaking College and Jumeirah English Speaking College in the mix as well. It should be a day to remember!

Tuesday 19^th March Live Schedule

RE1

10.00 Bedford Modern v St Peter’s, York (Boys U18 Vase)

10.20 Magdalen College v Merchiston Castle (Boys U18 Vase)

10.40 Hill House v The Perse (Girls U14 Group A)

11.00 Eton College v Marlborough College (Boys U14 Group A)

11.20 Christ College v New Hall (Boys U18 Vase)

11.40 Bishop Wordsworth’s v St Edward’s, Oxford (Boys U18 Vase)

12.00 Harrogate Grammar v Uppingham (Boys U18 Vase)

12.20 JESS v Penyrheol (Girls U14 Group C)

12.40 TBC v Duke of York’s Royal Military (Boys U14 Group C)

13.00 Taunton v Grammar School at Leeds (Boys U18 Vase)

13.20 Cheltenham College v Stamford (Boys U18 Vase)

13.40 Dubai English Speaking College v Reigate GS (Girls U14 Group B)

14.00 Orleans Park v Waterloo Schools (Boys U14 Group B)

14.20 Boys U18 Bowl Semi Final Pool A (RU2 v RU 4)

14.40 Boys U18 Vase QF 1

15.00 Girls U14 Cup QF 1 (Winner Group A v Winner Group B)

15.20 Boys U18 Bowl Semi Final Pool B (RU3 v RU 7)

15.40 Boys U18 Vase SF 2

16.00 Girls U14 Cup SF Pool A (RU 4 v RU6)

16.20 Boys U18 Bowl Semi Final Pool A (RU4 v RU 6)

16.40 Boys U18 Vase Final

17.00 Girls U14 Cup Final

17.20 Boys U18 Bowl Final

RE2

10.00 Dollar Academy v St Paul’s (Boys U18 Vase)

10.20 Kingswood v Strathallan (Boys U18 Vase)

10.40 Newman College v Calon Cymru (Girls U14 Group A)

11.00 QES Barnet v Gymraeg Bro Edern (Boys U14 Group A)

11.20 Bedford Modern v Dollar Academy (Boys U18 Vase)

11.40 Sevenoaks v Grammar School at Leeds (Boys U18 Vase)

12.00 Millfield v Waterloo Schools (Boys U18 Vase)

12.20 Blundell’s v Hayes (Girls U14 Group C)

12.40 Clifton College v Ipswich (Boys U14 Group C)

13.00 Dauntsey’s v Sevenoaks (Boys U18 Vase)

13.20 Dean Close v Whitchurch High (Boys U18 Vase)

13.40 Llangatwg v Taunton (Girls U14 Group B)

14.00 Shiplake College v St Paul’s (Boys U14 Group B)

14.20 Boys U18 Bowl Semi Final Pool B (RU3 v RU 5)

14.40 Boys U18 Vase QF 2

15.00 Girls U18 Cup QF 2 (Winner C v Best RU)

15.20 Boys U18 Bowl Semi Final Pool A (RU2 v RU 6)

15.40 Boys U18 Vase SF 1

16.00 Girls U18 Cup SF 2

16.20 Boys U18 Bowl Semi Final Pool B (RU5 v RU 7)

Boys U18 Vase Day 1 Pools Final Standings: