Hurstpierpoint College conceded two late scores by Worth School, but had built a sufficient lead to secure a 24-19 win in the first round of the Continental Tyres Schools U18 Cup, London and South-East A Division.
Worth School, after an excellent run in last year’s U18 Vase competition in which they reached the Quarter-Finals, before going out to eventual winners King’s Gloucester, found themselves promoted to the Cup competition. They thus faced neighbours, Hurstpierpoint College, regular Cup competition participants, in a Sussex local Derby. Despite being only 12 miles apart, the two schools play on different circuits and had not met at the U18 level for a number of years.
The home side kicked off under sunny skies into a stiff breeze, but with the advantage of a slight slope, and opened the scoring within the first five minutes. Although Worth conceded a penalty on their first possession and Hurst secured set-piece ball from the ensuing lineout, an interception saw scrum half Mason E break through close to the touchline and he outpaced the cover defence to score on the left, centre Charlie G adding the extras.
Both sides then battled to put together multiple phases, with possession changing hands, but the deadlock was broken when Worth were penalised on halfway and Hurst kicked for touch on the left. With the lineout ball won, a maul was set up and the defence forced to concede another penalty, which was kicked to the corner. Again, the set-piece possession was secured, and after pressure close to the line by the forward pack, the ball came to fly half Ned T, who dived over to score on the left. Full back Jonnie S was successful with the conversion attempt, so the scores were tied.
Worth had an opportunity to regain the lead when Hurst were penalised at the restart, but Charlie G’s kick from the tee drifted wide of the uprights. The visitors were quick to regain good field position when Worth were penalised and Hurst kicked to the right corner. Although possession was won at the line-out, a handling error gave possession back to Worth at a defensive scrum, where No 8 Edward C picked up and a box kick took play clear. Worth were beginning to establish some superiority at the set scrums, and Hurst were penalised on their own put-in, giving Worth the chance to gain good field position, but a kick to the 22 gave possession back to the visitors.
When a 50:22 was awarded. Hurst had an attacking opportunity, establishing a maul from the resulting lineout, but when the ball was switched to the backs, possession was lost, and the interval was reached without further addition to the score.
Half-time: Worth School 7-7 Hurstpierpoint College
Hurst were able to prevent an exit by Worth from the restart, managing to secure possession at a set scrum on the 22 despite a big push from the Worth forward pack. Good handling saw play switched to the right, and Ned T was put into space out wide, where he squeezed in at the corner for his second try. Although the touchline conversion attempt was unsuccessful, the momentum was now with the visitors. Although Mason E again showed good pace to run back a clearance kick, a penalty was conceded at the breakdown, giving Hurst an attacking line-out on the right. The set-piece possession was duly secured and the ball moved through the hands to left wing Arlo M, who stepped past the defence to score in the corner. The touchline conversion was unsuccessful.
The home side’s problems continued when the restart went directly into touch. From the ensuing scrum, Ned T broke through on the right, and although he was stopped, Worth were penalised at the breakdown and the ball was kicked to the right corner. The line-out ball was duly secured and a maul established, taking play up to the line. Although the defence put their bodies on the line in an attempt to prevent the score, tight head prop Zander B forced his way over the line. Referee Phil Bowers was well-positioned to confirm the grounding and awarded the try. Again, the kick was a difficult one into the wind, but Hurst were now three scores clear.
Worth needed a quick response if they were to stand a chance of losing the gap on the scoreboard, and successive penalties conceded by Hurst gave them good field position. When an attempted clearance kick was charged down, Worth were given the put-in at a 5m scrum in the left corner. Edward C picked up at the base, and the pick-and-go tactic took play up to the line, tight head prop James B forcing his way over to score. Charlie G’s conversion attempt was well struck and bisected the uprights.
Good work by Mason E ensured a safe exit from the restart, and Worth soon regained possession at a set scrum from which Charlie G was put into space on the right. A murmur of anticipation came from the home supporters, as the centre accelerated through the defensive line and raced to the corner, but he was stopped just short of the line and was judged to have made a double movement, allowing Hurst to clear to touch from the resulting penalty. Although Worth’s dominance at the set scrum continued, Hurst were awarded successive penalties, giving them an attacking line-out on the right. When possession was switched to midfield and play taken up to the line by the forward pack, a further try by the visitors looked likely, but the Worth defence held firm, and a double movement by Hurst gave them the chance to clear.
With time running out, Hurst were again penalised. A tremendous kick to touch gave Worth an attacking line-out on the right, and another penalty further advanced them close to the line. Although the line-out ball was stolen, play was kept in the Hurst 22 and, from a line-out on the left, play was taken close to the line by Mason E and James B. They were stopped, but the defence was penalised and from the ensuing line-out Edward C forced his way over to score. Although Mr Bowers was indicating that time had expired, Charlie G remained focussed and added the extras.
After an even first half, the second half was marked by shifts of momentum, with Hurst crucially dominant in the first 15 minutes after halftime. Worth must be congratulated on making an impressive comeback in the final quarter, and they might even have secured an improbable victory had time not run out. That should give a young side some confidence with their remaining fixtures, a Friday night fixture under the lights at Cobham RFC against Reigate Grammar School being next on the list. Hurst now face a tough block fixture against Whitgift and, being at the bottom of the Cup draw, will visit the winners of the Caterham vs Reigate tie, before their preparation for the St Joseph’s Festival.
Full-time: Worth School 19-24 Hurstpierpoint College
By Peter Crawshaw
Teams
Worth School: Felix T, Costa T, James B, Joseph T, Jack B, Luca B, Christian B, Edward C, Mason E, Joe D, Oliver L, Sam D, Charlie G, Will K, Daniel F
Replacements: Jayden W, Christian R
Hurstpierpoint College: Ollie DSC, Sam D, Zander B, Rory G-G, Edward S, Sam S, Will L, Cyrus D, George S, Ned T, Arlo M, Harry C, Eddie H, Josh P, Jonnie S
Replacements: Ollie N, Paddy C, Rufus J, Wilby W, Finn B
