After another fantastic weekend of schools rugby, it’s another busy midweek with fixtures across Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
It is a key week as well, with the bulk of the remaining U18 Continental Tyres Schools Cup and Vase Round 1 fixtures taking place, as well as some massive regular season games. Being the third weekend of term for many at the end of this week, that means exeat/leave weekend for a number of boarding schools, which in turns means a number of big midweek clashes due to the reduced weekend schedule.
Tuesday 17th
Two big Continental Tyres Schools Cup fixtures dominate on Tuesday. Midlands B sees former Plate winners Bloxham hosting former Champions Trophy winners Bedford. Both are strong sides and it should be a fantastic game. It does not get any easier for the winner either, with a trip to former Plate winners Stowe the reward. Meanwhile, RGS Colchester will be hosting Felsted in the same section – meaning the winners of these two ties could end up meeting in the regional final. Before that though, the reward for the winner between these two is to host the next round, which will be against either Gresham’s or Finborough.
Over in the Vase there are a couple of big games too, Midlands B sees Culford host Ipswich High, and the winner will have a bye straight to Round 3. Meanwhile in North A Leicester Grammar host Queen Mary’s Grammar, the winner there also get a bye straight to Round 3.
Elsewhere there is a fantastic touring game as Chilean side Craighouse take on Canford, Craighouse are one of the great touring schools and it should be a great occasion. Elsewhere, Sevenoaks host Lingfield College and Woodbridge take on Royal Hospital School’s 2nd XV.
Tuesday Fixtures
Bloxham v Bedford (Cup Round 1)
Canford v Craighouse, Chile
Culford v Ipswich High (Vase Round 1)
Leicester Grammar v Queen Mary’s Grammar (Vase Round 1)
RGS Colchester v Felsted (Cup Round 1)
Sevenoaks v Lingfield College
Woodbridge v Royal Hospital School 2nd XV
Wednesday 18th
It’s a huge Cup day on Wednesday as well, with a massive game in London & South East A where one of the Cup’s great sides, Hampton host Wimbledon College. KCS Wimbledon await the winners, meaning either a huge Hampton v KCS game, two sides used to going far, or a massive Wimbledon derby.
In Midlands A former finalists Old Swinford Hospital host triple champions Warwick and, as if to highlight just how competitive this section is, the winner will be hosting two-time champions Bromsgrove in Round 2. A huge game and a huge section. There is a Cup legend in action in North B too as QEGS Wakefield host Hymers College in another massive game, former Champions Trophy finalists Grammar School at Leeds will host the winners.
Three time winners Whitgift are also in Cup action on Wednesday after an epic game at the weekend with Wellington College (see highlights below), they host Ravens Wood and the winner will have an away tie at another Cup legend, three-time champions Dulwich College.
The Vase is also packed with action on Wednesday, London & South East A sees Carshalton host Graveney and Glyn welcome Howard of Effingham, a bye straight to round three is the reward for the latter, for the former, a trip to either Richard Challoner or Tiffin. In the same section, Gunnersbury host Harrodian, the winner there will host London Oratory.
Over in the other London section, Eltham College are at home to Kingsdale, it’s a home tie for the winner in that one, hosting Chislehurst & Sidcup.
South West B will see Magdalen College host Lord Williams’, the winner their hosts Claire’s Court, while in North A Nottingham High host St Mary’s College, with the winner of that welcoming either John Taylor High or QEGS Ashbourne.
Outside of the Cups the big games just keep on coming, and perhaps nowhere more so than a huge clash between one of England’s finest and one of Scotland’s. Kirkham Grammar School, who have started the season on fire, will take on Stewart’s Melville, absolute legends of the Scottish game, in what is sure to be an incredible occasion.
It is one of many, Millfield and St Joseph’s College go head to head in what is a bit of a precursor to the St Joseph’s Festival in October, the hosts of the festival against its most successful side. A tantalising game of rugby.
There are also some massive head to heads which are a bit of a schedule conflict with Cup games and may yet be rearranged, among themr Warwick v Denstone College, Old Swinford Hospital v Ivybridge Community College, and Hereford 6th form College’s trip to Bishop Vesey’s, scheduled at the same time as Magdalen College are due to host them.
A big game in Scotland sees the rampantly in form Merchiston Castle travel to Robert Gordon’s College, while in the North of England Bradford Grammar will look to establish some form at home to Birkdale. Cheadle Hulme and Hill House are also in action, which should be a good game, while Harrogate Grammar School travel to Cumbria to take on Sedbergh’s 2nd XV.
There is a derby game in Scarborough as Scarborough College host Scarborough 6th form College, meanwhile Ilkley Grammar head to Silcoates. Look out too for Hartlepool 6th form College’s trip to Yarm, with Worksop College also in action at home to King’s Grantham.
The West Midlands and its surrounds have some great fixtures too, KES Five Ways and KES Stratford go head to head in what should be a good game, likewise KES Camp Hill v Newcastle-Under-Lyme. Wrekin College and KES Aston also meet, while King’s Worcester have a 3rd XV in action at Hanley Castle, with Shrewsbury and Oswestry in action further West.
Radley College are back in action after a cracking game at Epsom College, there host Cokethorpe, who also have a 2nd XV in action hosting Burford. Meanwhile St Peter’s Gloucester and Cleeve meet in what should be a good game, while Cheltenham Bournside head to Balcarras. Cotswold meanwhile welcome The Crypt.
In Devon Blundell’s look to bounce back from a tough weekend at home to a confident Exeter School, while Plymouth College travel to Torquay Boys Grammar.
Along the road, Salisbury 6th form College travel to take on Bishop Wordsworth’s 2nd XV, elsewhere Ryde host Queen Mary’s College and Stover welcome Shebbear College.
Tiffin have two sides in action, their 1st XV host a Gordon’s XV, while their 2nd XV welcome Saint Cecilia’s1st XV, it’s a busy day in the South East, Gravesend Grammar host Simon Langton Grammar, while Wallington are at Riddlesdown. Watford grammar meanwhile have a huge game at home to Haberdashers’ Elstree.
Wednesday Fixtures
Balcarras v Cheltenham Bournside
Bishop’s Stortford High v Saffron Walden
Bishop Vesey’s Grammar v Hereford 6th form College
Bishop Wordsworth’s 2nd XV v Salisbury 6th form College
Blundell’s v Exeter School
Bradford Grammar v Birkdale
Carshalton v Graveney (Vase Round 1)
Cheadle Hulme v Hill House
Claires Court v LVS Ascot
Cokethorpe 2nd XV v Burford
Cotswold v The Crypt
Eltham College v Kingsdale (Vase Round 1)
Glyn v Howard of Effingham (Vase Round 1)
Gravesend Grammar v Simon Langton Grammar
Gunnersbury v The Harrodian (Vase Round 1)
Hampton v Wimbledon College (Cup Round 1)
Hanley Castle High v King’s Worcester 3rd XV
KES Camp Hill v Newcastle-Under-Lyme
KES Five Ways v KES Stratford
Kingham Hill 2nd XV v Sibford
Kirkham Grammar v Stewart’s Melville
Magdalen College v Hereford 6th form College
Magdalen College v Lord Williams’ (Vase Round 1)
Millfield v St Joseph’s College
Nottingham High v St Mary’s College (Vase Round 1)
Old Swinford Hospital v Ivybridge Community College
Old Swinford Hospital v Warwick (Cup Round 1)
QEGS Wakefield v Hymers College (Cup Round 1)
Radley College v Cokethorpe
Reading v Halliford
Reddam House v St Bartholomew’s
RGS High Wycombe 2nd XV v Dr Challoner’s Grammar
Riddlesdown Collegiate v Wallington County Grammar
Robert Gordon’s College v Merchiston Castle
Ryde v Queen Mary’s College
Scarborough College v Scarborough 6th form College
Sedbergh 2nd XV v Harrogate Grammar
Shrewsbury v Oswestry
Silcoates v Ilkley Grammar
Sir William Borlase’s Grammar v Sir Henry Floyd Grammar
St James v Holyport College
St Peter’s, Gloucester v Cleeve
Stover v Shebbear College
The Forest v Salesian
Tiffin v Gordon’s XV
Tiffin 2nd XV v Saint Cecilia’s
Torquay Boys Grammar v Plymouth College
Warwick v Denstone College
Watford Grammar v Haberdashers’ Elstree
Whitgift v Ravens Wood (Cup Round 1)
Worksop College v King’s Grantham
Wrekin College v KES Aston
Yarm v Hartletpool 6th form College
Thursday 19th
As mentioned, with a number of boarding schools away on Saturday, Thursday is a huge day. They do not come much bigger than Sedbergh v Clifton College either. Both arrive unbeaten, and both after massive games. Sedbergh have got the better of Whitgift and Denstone College, Clifton have won against Harrow and Llandovery College, the quality here is of the very highest level. It would not be too much of a stretch to say that even at this early stage of the season, this is a fixture that could prove defining when the season shakes out at the end of the year. A massive game.
The big games keep coming too, a Cotswolds derby between Abingdon and Cheltenham College will be huge. Both sides will be eager to build big momentum here. Cheltenham College also have a side in action at home to Wycliffe College on a busy Thursday for them.
The South West is pretty busy, one of the games of the day will see Sherborne, who were excellent on Saturday, hosting King’s College Taunton, a massive game. Elsewhere, Bryanston host Beechen Cliff’s 2nd XV, and Milton Abbey welcome King’s Bruton’s 2nds, Kingswood also have a 2nd XV in 1st XV action, hosting Clifton High. Arguably the game of the day in the area is Chile’s Craighouse in action for the second time in the week, they are at Downside on Thursday for what should be a special occasion.
Another huge game sees Finborough travel to the birthplace of the game, Rugby School. A huge game, with both looking for a positive result on what should be a glorious day on The Close. Elsewhere Queen Mary’s Grammar welcome KES Lichfield.
There are also two Contiental Tyres Schools Vase games on Thursday. In North B Birkdale and Crossley Heath meet, the winner will have a bye straight to the third round, while in London & South East B a Worth side that is absolutely flying will travel to The Cedars, the winners travels to either Tunbridge Wells Grammar or Bennett memorial.
Thursday Fixtures
Abingdon v Cheltenham College
Birkdale v Crossley Heath (Vase Round 1)
Bryanston v Beechen Cliff 2nd XV
Cheltenham College 2nd XV v Wycliffe College
Downside v Craighouse, Chile
Kingswood 2nd XV v Clifton High
Milton Abbey v King’s Bruton 2nd XV
Queen Mary’s Grammar v KES Lichfield
Rugby v Finborough
Sedbergh v Clifton College
Sherborne v King’s College, Taunton
The Cedars v Worth (Vase Round 1)