This Wednesday Hampton School host the annual Hampton School Founders’ Day 7s, one of the key tournaments of this second half of term.
With an incredibly strong field and an intense competition format, it is always a key competition on the road to the Howden Rosslyn Park National Schools 7s, and with the Surrey 7s changing tack this year, it is one of the few opportunities for some of these heaviest of hitters on the school 7s scene to meet ahead of those nationals.
That importance was in evidence last year, Millfield were runners up and went on to win at Rosslyn Park – it was one of the foundations stones on the way to that triumph.
Triumphant above all at Hampton though, were Cranleigh. They have now won three in a row here at Hampton and have been in every final since 2016 winning four of them. Indeed in that period it was really been a Cranleigh and Hampton dominated tournament, with Hampton winning three finals of their own. The two have met in five of those finals, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, and 2023.
The only side to interrupt the pattern has been Brighton College, who collected their second Hampton School Founders’ Day 7s title in 2018. They were absent from the tournament last year but return this year and again will be among the major contenders.
The return of Brighton College is the only change from last year, so again the tournament consists of ten teams, divided into two pools of five teams each. The winners of each pool meet in the Cup Final, while the runners up meet in the Plate Final.
As hosts, Hampton are in Group 1. They won last year’s Plate competition, their second in three years and fourth Plate title overall to go with their 3 Cup titles. They defeated Epsom College in an epic final 22-17. Epsom, who had won the Plate in 2023, are also drawn in Group 1. Continuing what is a brutally difficult pool are last year’s runners up, Millfield, the reigning Rosslyn Park champions. Joining those three are the back to back Plate winners in 2019 and 2020, St John’s Leatherhead, and a Hurstpierpoint College side that has, perhaps surprisingly, never picked up silverware here at Hampton.
Things are hardly any easier in Group 2, where Cranleigh will begin their quest for a remarkable fourth title in a row here at Hampton. The going will be tough though, up against them are the returning Brighton College, champions in 2014 and 2018 and a side with a real history against Cranleigh. Alongside those two are the ACE champions, Gordon’s, who will undoubtedly bring a strong side as they look to go further than their best effort to date – a Plate final in 2023. Joining them, another side that has reached a Plate final but is yet to pick up silverware, St Benedict’s, Plate finalists in 2016. Completing the group are the side that defeated St Benedict’s in that Plate final, John Fisher, who also won the Plate in 2014 and, perhaps more crucially, the Cup in 2015 – a triumph that sparked a run to the Rosslyn Park final.
Without doubt it is one of the great days on the schools rugby calendar, and it’s importance and value is only heightened further this year. It is going to be an afternoon to remember!
Hampton School Founders’ Day 7s Draw
| Group 1 | Group 2 |
| Epsom College | Brighton College |
| Hampton | Cranleigh |
| Hurstpierpoint College | Gordon’s |
| Millfield | John Fisher |
| St John’s, Leatherhead | St Benedict’s |
Past Cup Finals
2024 Cranleigh 19-12 Millfield
2023 Cranleigh 26-12 Hampton
2022 Cranleigh 28-21 Ipswich
2021 N/A
2020 Hampton 31-12 Cranleigh
2019 Cranleigh 27-14 Hampton
2018 Brighton College 40-5 Cranleigh
2017 Hampton 19-10 Cranleigh
2016 Hampton 24-19 Cranleigh
2015 John Fisher 15-14 Hampton
2014 Brighton College 21-17 Whitgift
2013 Whitgift 19-17 Hampton
2012 Cranleigh 33-14 Whitgift
Past Plate Finals
2024 Hampton 22-17 Epsom College
2023 Epsom College 49-5 Gordon’s
2022 Hampton 29-26 Bishop Wand
2021 N/A
2020 St John’s, Leatherhead 32-7 St Paul’s Catholic College
2019 St John’s, Leatherhead 31-19 RGS High Wycombe
2018 Hampton 31-10 St Paul’s Catholic College
2017 Brighton College 26-24 St Paul’s Catholic College
2016 John Fisher 31-7 St Benedict’s
2015 Brighton College 12-0 St Paul’s
2014 John Fisher 26-12 Hampton
2013 Cranleigh 28-7 Campion
2012 Hampton 45-12 Campion
Cup Titles:
Cranleigh x5
Hampton x3
Brighton College x2
John Fisher & Whitgift x1
Plate Titles:
Hampton x4
Brighton College, John Fisher, & St John’s x2
Cranleigh & Epsom College x1
