RFU ACE League: Round 4 Review | Big Shifts in a Key Round

Round 4 is always key in the RFU ACE Boys League and so it has proved again in 2024 as the league reaches the mid point of its opening stage.

In both the North Group and the South Group sides have stated to congregate around the top end of the table, challenging for places in the top leagues when each conference splits after half term.

RFU ACE Boys League Round 4 Fixtures: Wednesday 2^nd October

North

Gosforth Academy 40-17 City of Oxford College

Moulton College 12-26 Brooksby Melton College

Myerscough College 22-28 Bishop Burton College

Oaklands College 31-13 Stourport High

Gosforth Academy continue to set the pace in the North Pool, on Wednesday they were magnificent against, beating a good City of Oxford College side 40-17 to remain unbeaten on a perfect 20 points from 20 points available, leaving them five point clear at the top. They are flying.

They were far from the only side showing off their skills on Wednesday though, Oaklands College sprang perhaps the result of the round when they sealed a 31-13 victory over the previously unbeaten Stourport High. The result sees Stourport lose their grip on second in the table, and pumps Oaklands up to fifth, from where, with the confidence boost Wednesday will have given, they will feel they stand a very good chance of a top half finish.

Bishop Burton College were the side to take advantage of Stourport’s defeat by Oaklands, leapfrogging them into second place, but they were made to work for it by Myerscough College, who put in arguably their best performance of the season, staying within seven points as Bishop Burton just took the game 28-22.

Moulton College also had by far and away their best performance of the season. They may not have won, but in pushing Brooksby Melton College all the way in a 26-12 defeat they will have given themselves real confidence. For Brooksby Melton though, getting the game over the line keeps them in the Top 4 and very much in the hunt.

South

Bishop Wand 52-5 Exeter College

Gordon’s 40-21 Beechen Cliff

SGS College 67-5 Newman College

Truro College 10-42 Hartpury College

For Gosforth in the North, read Gordon’s in the South. The Harlequins’ affiliates have been superb all campaign and on Wednesday they showed their best in a fantastic 40-21 defeat of Beechen Cliff. It seems the five points clear at the top with four wins from four and a maximum 20 points from 20 available. For Beechen Cliff it was a first setback, and a lack of a bonus point sees them slip from second to level third with SGS College, but they will be back, they have been fantastic so far.

It is Bishop Wand that move into second place after one of the most brilliant performances of the whole campaign. They defeated Exeter College by an impressive 52-5 margin to leap up into second place and they will certainly take some shifting now.

One side that might fancy their chances are SGS College, who backed up their brilliant victory of Hartpury College last week with a magnificent 67-5 defeat of Newman College on Wednesday. It moves them level with Beechen Cliff in third and fourth, just a point off second place. For Newman it’s another tough outing, but they will know that things will start to come their way as the season moves on.

Demonstrating that are Hartpury College, who found themselves in the unfamiliar position of having had two defeats in three games heading into Wednesday’s trip to Truro College. They steadied the ship though, putting in a fantastic display for a 42-10 victory that keeps them within touching distance of the Top 4 with three rounds still to go before the split.

RFU ACE Boys League Table:

North Group

South Group

ACE Boys League Results:

Round 3

North

Brooksby Melton College 35-43 Gosforth Academy

City of Oxford College v Oaklands College – Postponed

Moulton College 5-54 Bishop Burton College

Stourport High 21-0 Myerscough College

South

Beechen Cliff 43-8 Truro College

Exeter College 14-35 Gordon’s

Hartpury College 7-8 SGS College

Newman College 0-33 Bishop Wand

Round 2

North

Bishop Burton College 19-40 Brooksby Melton College

Gosforth Academy 29-15 Myerscough College

Oaklands College 68-5 Moulton College

Stourport High 36-19 City of Oxford College

South

Gordon’s 24-17 Bishop Wand

Newman College 7-45 Hartpury College

SGS College 7-40 Beechen Cliff

Truro College 26-29 Exeter College

Round 1

North

Bishop Burton College 30-22 Oaklands College

Brooksby Melton College 24-32 Stourport High

Gosforth Academy 55-0 Moulton College

Myerscough College v City of Oxford College – Cancelled (COO Walkover)

South

Beechen Cliff 17-7 Hartpury College

Bishop Wand 55-14 Truro College

Exeter College 35-52 SGS College

Gordon’s 45-12 Newman College

Further ACE Boys League Fixtures

Wednesday 9^th October

North

Bishop Burton College v Stourport High

Brooksby Melton College v Myerscough College

City of Oxford College v Moulton College

Oaklands College v Gosforth Academy

South

Beechen Cliff v Bishop Wand

Exeter College v Newman College

Hartpury College v Gordon’s

SGS College v Truro College

Wednesday 16^th October

North

City of Oxford College v Brooksby Melton College

Gosforth Academy v Bishop Burton College

Myerscough College v Oaklands College

Stourport High v Moulton College

South

Bishop Wand v Hartpury College

Exeter College v Beechen Cliff

Gordon’s v SGS College

Newman College v Truro College

Wednesday 23^rd October

North

Brooksby Melton College v Oaklands College (30^th October)

City of Oxford College v Bishop Burton College

Moulton College v Myerscough College (30^th October)

Stourport HS v Gosforth Academy

South

Beechen Cliff v Newman College

Hartpury College v Exeter College

SGS College v Bishop Wand

Truro College v Gordon’s