September draws to a close and what an opening month of the season it has been, and a month in now some of the patterns are starting to fully emerge.
Weekend 4 was a stunning weekend, the weekend of the draw in many ways – three of our Ten to Watch fixtures ended in a draw, Stamford v Warwick, Bromsgrove v Oakham, and Millfield v Northampton School for Boys – two of those sides make our Top 5 School Teams of the Weekend.
Elsewhere a number of sides impressed, Campion have already been in the Top 5 and showed just why in a 61-13 victory over Reed’s in the Paddy Dear Memorial Game, Cheltenham College likewise as they defeated King’s Worcester 47-26. Cheltenham are looking strong. So too Whitgift, who won the massive Croydon derby against John Fisher 47-5.
Wellington College continue to impress, they were outstanding at Dulwich College. Wellington were not the only side to be seriously impressive away from home, The Judd were brilliant against what has been a very good Dartford Grammar side, likewise Woodhouse Grove up at RGS Newcastle, a terrific performance.
Trent College won the Nottingham derby, 26-5 at Nottingham High, superb bragging right for them, while Rugby School really impressed in a tight victory at Oundle, 24-19. St John’s Leatherhead continue to impress, travelling to Sevenoaks and returning with a 37-5 victory.
Plenty of sides were firing at home too, Seaford College were sensational against Hampton, likewise St Joseph’s College, who drew with Seaford earlier in the season, against Norwich. Worksop College were also outstanding, as were Mount Kelly, Loughborough Grammar, and Ellesmere College, who are backing up last year’s campaign superbly.
Merchiston Castle were sensational at home against Stirling County, and remain unbeaten in the Scottish U18 Schools and Clubs Open League.
All of those sides deserve a shoutout, but ultimately only five could make the Top 5, despite the challenge!
Top 5 School Teams of the Weekend | Week 5
KCS Wimbledon
KSC Wimbledon have started this season like a train, unbeaten and scoring plenty of points as well. Saturday was their great local derby, travelling to Wimbledon College – not that there’s much travel, less than 100 metres really.
They were favourites for the game but derbies are always a potential banana skin and KCS were wise to it, securing a 36-19 victory away from home to stay unbeaten and to earn their just reward for a fine September’s work, a place in our Top 5.
Kingswood
Kingswood have been utterly brilliant so far this season, starting with a tight victory over Cheltenham College that looks better and better with ever match that Cheltenham have played since. They followed it with victories over Bristol Grammar, Sherborne, and Bishop Wordsworth’s and look superb.
On Saturday they faced a test in the form of Collegiate away from home, and yet once again they were just brilliant in a 52-19 victory. They face their toughest challenge on Wednesday, taking on Radley College in the Cup. Win that, and everyone is going to be talking about this Kingswood side.
Millfield
It is not often that a side that doesn’t win makes out Top 5, and rarer still that a side with such an incredible rugby history as Millfield does – anything that’s not a victory often seems to feel like a bit of a shock when they are involved. However sometimes a draw is a big result, and a 36-36 home draw against Northampton School for Boys on Saturday was a big one.
NSB look like they could be one of the best 2 or 3 in the country this year, maybe the best of all, Millfield’s season has had a scratchy start, with split squads for differing challenges on the same day. They have still impressed, but from the outside looking in this felt like the first proper standalone game – the first chance to see exactly where they are. The answer? Right up there, level with the very best in the country. Some effort from the every excellent Somerset side.
Northampton School for Boys
If a draw could be seen as a big result for Millfield, it was even bigger for Northampton School for Boys. They have been rising and rising and rising over recent years, winning the Continental Tyres U15 Cup in 2023 and 2025, reaching the final in 2024, and entering this season with huge expectation from others that they will be one of the very best in the business.
They arrived unbeaten, untroubled really, with four in a row. This was different though, a trip to Millfield, their first ever, to arguably the greatest name in schools rugby anywhere in the world. In many ways NSB have already made their mark, just being in this conversation is massive, those U15 triumphs, incredible. Yet every ‘new’ great in any sport and at any level has a moment where they can be deemed to have arrived. This was it for NSB, it may be a draw rather than a win, but it’s a draw that says everything – that they belong at the top table, that they are a great side. It’s a superb achievement and a landmark moment, and they remain unbeaten.
You can catch NSB LIVE tomorrow against Berkhamsted on the NextGenLive YouTube Channel and below, 5.15pm Kick Off.
Reigate Grammar
Reigate Grammar School also remain unbeaten, they started the season in brilliant style, winning their opening four games almost with ease. The side that was once one of the most dominant in the country is flying.
On Friday they faced arguably their toughest challenge of the season so far, hosting Worth at Cobham RFC, one of last year’s most consistent sides – losing just once. It is credit them to Reigate Grammar School that they faced that challenge, and boy did Worth provide a challenge, and they found a different way to win, gritting it out for an 18-13 victory. Superb.
