After a long and occasionally warm summer the 2024/25 schools rugby season is just days away from kick off and following some outstanding pre-season action, the excitement is sky high.
Last season was an extraordinary one, at 1st XV level Harrow put together a season that has scarcely been seen before and will take an exceptional side to replicate. Kirkham Grammar School likewise, only defeat to Harrow in the Continental Tyres Schools Cup final separated them and they claimed a maiden St Joseph’s Festival title in the most dramatic of circumstances. Meanwhile Ipswich School had their greatest ever season, Brighton College were superb, RGS High Wycombe were young yet brilliant, Kingswood and Hurstpierpoint College had years that will live long in the memory, to name but a few.
When the short format rolled around, perhaps the two biggest names in schools rugby were the ones left standing when the music stopped, Millfield sweeping all before them on the 7s circuit before lifting the Howden Rosslyn Park National Schools 7s title for the first time in a decade. A few days later Sedbergh put a difficult fifteen-a-side season behind them to claim the Sedbergh Super 10s title for the first time since 2019, scoring at the death to do so.
All throughout the game itself led, naturally, by Rugby School celebrated its 200-year anniversary. The founders hosting a season of epic events, culminating in a first ever set of Barbarians U18 fixtures.
It was that sort of season, poignant, dramatic, and with sheer brilliance scattered throughout. The stories will live long in the memory.
It served, after some difficult times of the sport at age-grade level, as a reminder of why this great game exists in schools. Yes, it is a wonderful game, but more than that it is a vehicle for some of the greatest experiences and memories of a school career. Through the teamwork, the challenges, the questions that you have to ask of yourself and of others, it brings moments that few other aspects of life can.
That is as true for the 1st XV as it is for the U14 Ds, these are special times for all involved.
For those at the top end of the school, this season represents the last opportunity for this. For the vast majority this will be the highlight of their rugby lives, yes some may have top university careers, other perhaps even great Premiership or even International careers, but for most this will be the peak – even those at the top end of the game look back fondly on their school days.
Enjoy it, treasure it, wear the shirt with pride and remember what you were like when you began at whichever school you were at. Back then the 1st XV were your heroes, untouchable almost, now that is you – be to those young would-be first teamers what you wanted the 1st XV to be to you when you were thirteen or fourteen.
The Season Ahead
This year sees a huge amount of change on the landscape, prior to half term there are now three major Festivals.
On the 12th and 13th October Merchiston Castle host their annual festival, the following weekend arguably the greatest fifteen-a-side tournament on these shores takes place, the St Joseph’s Festival, which this year sees action begin with an U15 tournament on Friday 18th before the usual U18 tournament on the Saturday and Sunday.
On the same weekend is a new tournament, John Fisher will host an all-state school tournament a huge development for the game and for state school rugby in particular.
Running through the season is the Continental Tyres Schools Cup, which this year has seen a shake up with more teams in the Cup – making the Cup a deeper and more competitive competition and, by extension, making the Vase more about sides that are growing having a chance of a good knockout run. After arguably its best year in a decade last season, the Schools Cup looks like it is on the rise.
Also running through the season will be the Daily Mail Trophy, with Harrow looking to become the first side since Wellington College to win it three times on the spin.
The NextGenXV Table will also run through the season as well, Harrow claimed the title last year in style and will be eager to go back to back. This year will see a simplified format too – news on that to follow in the coming weeks.
There is also a new NextGenXV competition to sign off the calendar year, the NextGenXV Global Schools Challenge, hosted at Grey College in South Africa from the 14th-18th December. It will see schools from around the world compete at the home of one of schools rugby’s most famous names and there is still room for a couple more schools – please contact tom@nextgenxv.com for more information or if you are interested in singing your school up.
The Global Schools Challenge will also include several teams made up of individual players from around the world. Players can participate by joining The Draft, from which they will be allocated to a team by the coaches – this is open to all players in 6th form. For more info, see here: The Draft.
Key Dates
6th/7th/8th September – Opening Daily Mail Trophy & NextGenXV League Games
w/c 9th September – Opening U18 Continental Tyres Schools Cup & Vase Games
11th September – Opening ACE League Games
12th-13th October – Merchiston Castle Festival
18th-20th October – St Joseph’s Festival
19th-20th October – John Fisher Festival
4th December – ACE League Final (expected)
6th-7th December – Final Weekend of Regular Season Fixtures
14th-18th December – NextGenXV Global Schools Challenge
26th January – Seaford Southern 10s
2nd March – North of England School 7s
5th March – Edwin Doran Surrey Schools Senior 7s (expected)
w/c 10th March – U18 & U15 Continental Tyres Schools Cup, Plate, Vase & Bowl Finals
24th-28th March – Howden Rosslyn Park National Schools 7s
30th-31st March – Sedbergh Super 10s
Opening Fixtures
The season starts in earnest on Friday and Saturday, with an exciting game on Sunday too, all of which we will preview in the coming days, however before all that there are some exciting games to come this week, not least on Wednesday.
Tuesday 3rd September
Robert Gordon’s College v Gordonstoun
Scotland has had plenty going on in pre-season already, with George Watson’s College looking very exciting in these early stages after stunning performances agains King’s Macclesfield and, in particular, RGS Newcastle. Meanwhile Strathallan, who will be at the NextGenXV Global Schools Challenge, had a strong game against Glasgow High before a close defeat to Loretto.
Hutchesons’ Grammar have been busy, beating Hillhead Jordanhill and St Aloysius’ College, missing out to a strong Stewart’s Melville performance, while Marr College and Dundee High School have impressed early on too.
Tuesday sees Robert Gordon’s College and Gordonstoun take to the field ahead of busy years for both, it should be a competitive outing for both to kick off September.
Wednesday 4th September
Cardiff & Vale College v Hereford 6th form College
Christ College v Glantaf
Hayes v Campion
Ivybridge Community College v Truro College
King’s Worcester v Hereford 6th form College
Taunton v Richard Huish College
Windsor Boys’ v Henley College
Woodhouse Grove v Bishop Burton College
On Wednesday, England’s season roars into action and some action it is too as in Yorkshire two giants meet in the form of Woodhouse Grove and Bishop Burton College. This two will be competing hard all term, Woodhouse Grove on the various schools fronts, Bishop Burton in the ACE League, and both will contribute heavily to the Yorkshire Academy side in the Premiership Rugby U18 Academy League. As could Hill House, who were outstanding in pre-season against Ampleforth College.
Henley College looked good at the Hartpury College pre-season Festival last week, see below, and will be eager to put in a big display on Wednesday at Windsor Boys’, expect to see them regularly on Wednesdays.
Two others that will feature often on Wednesdays are Hayes and Campion, two superb South East London state schools that will push a lot of schools hard this year. They have each contributed so much to the Saracens Academy, and there will be plenty of potential stars in action when they line up on Wednesday.
The Hartpury Festival also saw Ivybridge Community College impressing, with a number of young Exeter Chiefs in their ranks. Their fixture list looks very strong this year as they build on the promise of the last few years, and on Wednesday they take on another strongly Exeter Chiefs affiliated side in the form of ACE League competitors, Truro College. It is a game that should provide a real early sign of where these two are at.
Another that impressed at Hartpury were Hereford 6th form College who, like Ivybridge, have been really building recently. They have two sides in action on Wednesday, one at King’s Worcester, who always like to kick off the season with a testing Wednesday game, and another side in Wales taking on Cardiff and Vale College, who looked absolutely outstanding at Hartpury and will be one of the sides to watch in Wales.
As will Christ College Brecon and Ysgol Gyfun Glantaf, who also meet on Wednesday in an all-Welsh affair between two sides that have had some brilliant 1st XVs in the last couple of years. They each have incredibly competitive fixture lists this year, two to keep an eye on for sure.
Finishing things off on Wednesday is a good game in Somerset too, with Taunton School – keep an eye out for news on their 7s next term – hosting Richard Huish College in what will be a competitive start to the season for both.
Thursday 5th September
Bryanston v QES Wimborne
Ahead of the season really getting underway on Friday and Saturday, there is one fixture to whet the appetite on Wednesday in the South West as Bryanston host QES Wimborne. Once at the very top of the schools rugby tree, Bryanston would love to start the year in style and see just how high they can challenge this year, while QES Wimborne would love an early headline scalp.
Get in Touch
We are keen to give as much depth and breadth to our coverage as possible this season, so if you have any news, stories, videos, or great images, please to get in touch either across social media or direct to angus@nextgenxv.com – likewise if you are keen to contribute, please do get in touch, we a keen to give as much coverage as possible but also to give as many opportunities as possible to those with an interest in a future within media.