The draw for the 38th St Joseph’s College National Schools Rugby Festival has been made, and the 2024 edition includes some exciting additions.
Taking place on the 19th and 20th October, twelve sides that competed last year are back again, while two recent former competitors return, one new English sides joins the party, and one side travels over the Irish Sea for the first time, aiming to become the first side from Ireland to lift the De La Salle trophy since the turn of the century.
There is also a brand new U15 tournament, featuring 7 different schools including four that are also competing in the U18 competition. It will take place on Friday 18th October, providing a real curtain-raiser for the U18 competition, arguably the most prestigious fifteen-a-side event in schools rugby.
NextGenXV will once again bring LIVE coverage of all the action, including the U15 tournament on the Friday, as well as a live preview show on the Friday evening featuring a number of top-notch guests to look ahead to the weekend’s action.
You can find links to all the action already up on the NextGenXV YouTube Channel and at the foot of this article.
The U15 tournament is a significant addition as the Festival expands its offering to more schools and more players, while in the U18s the return of Hurstpierpoint College and Seaford College is significant, both are in top form and will challenge hard. Berkhamsted join the Festival this year as well, they will enter sides at both U15 and U18 level and they will be highly competitive in both. Their U18 side in particular will fancy their chances of pushing high.
The addition of St Michael’s College from Dublin is a huge coup for the St Joseph’s Festival. St Michael’s have been one of the top schools in Ireland for some time now, boasting the likes of James Ryan, Ross Byrne, and Ryan Baird among a number of recent leavers playing top level rugby now. The have lifted either the Leinster Schools Senior Cup or the Leinster Schools Junior Cup six times in the last 12 years, including doubles in 2012 and 2019.
They are far from the only major name in the draw though, all sixteen will feel they can make an impact. Last year’s champions Kirkham Grammar School look incredibly strong again, beaten finalists RGS High Wycombe too.
Millfield’s 8 titles are more than twice anyone else’s tally at this great tournament and then will once again be one of the favourites heading in, likewise 2019 champions Wellington College. There are huge names wherever you look and past champions in abundance, Brighton College, RGS Newcastle, Hampton, QEGS Wakefield, and of course the hosts, St Joseph’s College, who have really pushed themselves in this first half of term in a bid to be at peak form for the festival.
As ever the tournament sees four pools of four, with the top two from each Day 1 Pool qualifying for the Trophy, the bottom two for the Bowl, losers of Trophy quarter finals on Day 2 go to the Plate, losers of Bowl quarter finals go to the Shield.
Beaten semi finalists in all four competitions play in play-off finals as well, leaving every side with a position from 1 to 16 at the end of the weekend.
The Draw
Group 1: Kirkham Grammar, Hurstpierpoint College, Strathallan, Wellington College
A brutal group, with the reigning champions, Kirkham Grammar School, 2019 champions and one of the strongest sides in world rugby, Wellington College, one of Scotland’s finest in Strathallan, and the returning Hurstpierpoint College, who were sensational last year making their return a no-brainer. Kirkham and Wellington were actually in the same group last year, along with finalists RGS High Wycombe, such was the toughness in that pool that Wellington ended up in the Bowl, winning the final against the fourth team from that group, Cheltenham College. This group could be just as tough!
Group 2: Millfield, Berkhamsted, St Michael’s College, Seaford College
Welcome to the St Joseph’s Festival, St Michael’s. The Irish giants are alongside the dominant side in this Festival’s history, Millfield – what a game that is going to be when it comes around, an Anglo-Irish clash for the ages. Don’t go thinking that this group is just about those two though the returning Seaford College are a superb side and will be arriving a week on from competing at the Merchiston Festival – they will know therefore exactly what is required and would love to mount a Trophy challenge on their return to the competition. Berkhamsted meanwhile, like St Michael’s, are in the hot seat on debut. If they get up to speed quickly they could really throw the cat among the pigeons, a hugely challenging group, but a brilliant group.
Group 3: RGS High Wycombe, Brighton College, QEGS Wakefield, Denstone College
Another beast of a group, three former champions and a Denstone College side that must feel they are due one. RGS High Wycombe were brilliant last year, and with a L6th heavy side they should feel confident of another big performance, while Brighton College could say the same and are a brilliant festival team. QEGS Wakefield look back to their former glory too, at the time of writing they are unbeaten. This is one of those groups in which almost any combination of results feels possible. All are familiar with each other from Festivals gone by, not least Brighton and Denstone who were drawn together last year. Perhaps the toughest group of all.
Group 4: St Joseph’s College, Blundell’s, Hampton, Trinity
This group will be must watch viewing, whenever St Joseph’s take to the field it is must-watch, such is the atmosphere generated around the ground. They have been putting themselves out this year, travelling the country and taking on big opponents and they will be hoping that battle-hardness pays dividends. Up against them are former champions Hampton, who are really starting to hit their straps, a Blundell’s side that impressed many last year, and a Trinity side that reached the final in their debut campaign a couple of seasons ago. It’s another group that could go any way really, how these teams handle the pressure of the big and noisy crowd for the games against St Joseph’s College may well dictate the outcome of it. Should be a cracker!
U15 Tournament
Eight sides will compete in the U15s tournament, which will begin on Friday 18th October, with the semi finals and finals being played on Saturday 19th, between the U18 Group Games.
Four sides that are competing in the U18s tournament will also be involved in the U15 tournament, St Michael’s, Berkhamsted, Blundell’s, and, of course, the hosts, St Joseph’s College. They will be joined by four others, local rivals of St Joseph’s, Ipswich School, Felsted, who won’t have too far to travel either, Northampton School for Boys, and Canford.
Pool 1: St Michael’s College, Berkhamsted, Northampton School for Boys, Ipswich
It should be a wonderful group, St Michael’s come across from Ireland and will bring plenty of quality. Their record in the Leinster Schools Junior Cup is exceptional and they will certainly add to the competition. Up against them though are Northampton School for Boys, who have utterly excelled in the Continental Tyres U15 Schools Cup. That head to head ought to be special. Berkhamsted and Ipswich will add plenty too, Berkhamsted are always strong, and Ipswich’s growth through the age-grades continues – they would love to do well in their neighbours back yard.
Pool 2: St Joseph’s College, Blundell’s, Canford, Felsted
Much like Group 4 in the U18s, much of this group will be about how the other sides respond to the pressure of playing in front of a bumper St Joseph’s crowd when they take on the hosts. St Joseph’s themselves will be itching to do well and play in front of a buoyant crowd on the Saturday, but they face a Felsted side that is always good in knockout rugby, and Blundell’s and Canford sides that have travelled a long long way and they have not just come to take part.
Live Stream Links
U18 Day 1 Pitch 1
U18 Day 1 Pitch 2
U18 Day 2 Pitch 1
U18 Day 2 Pitch 2
U15 Day 1
