October’s outrageously good line-up of double-headers, tournaments, and headline games under the lights continues this Friday, with a colossal clash between two of the United Kingdom’s best teams. Kirkham Grammar School, a week on from their famous victory away at Sedburgh, hosts one of Leinster’s “Big 6” – ten-time Leinster Schools Senior Cup winners, Tenure College.
The game will be streamed live this Friday, October 10th, from Lightfoot Green, the home of the Preston Grasshoppers. Kick off is due at 7 pm. You can find the game on the NextGenLive YouTube channel or via the embedded video below.
The Dublin side crosses the Irish Sea with a big reputation, having made it all the way to yet another Leinster schools cup final last March, before being beaten by Blackrock College. They are champions on ten occasions and have a list of rugby-playing Alumni to rival any school in England. 9 full Irish internationals, along with a plethora of former Lienster players, have starred for the school and, more often than not, for its Irish League side Tenure College RFC, currently coached by former All-Black fly-half Carlos Spencer. Equally, they have had seasons full of incredibly tough fixtures so far. Games against the likes of RBAI, Blackrock and Belvedere College, while not always going their way, have still been tight affairs, which is a testament to their quality. They remain a relative unknown quantity compared to the home team on Friday night, but Terenure will undoubtedly be a talented outfit, as other touring sides like Blackrock and St Michael’s have proven to be when taking on English opposition.
Kirkham could be on their way to a very successful October. This fixture comes just before the St Joseph’s College festival, where the former champions will certainly be amongst the 3 or 4 favourites for the title. This game is excellent preparation, but it also offers them a chance to build on an excellent season so far. They remain at the right end of the Daily Mail trophy rankings after an outstanding away win against Sedbergh, who had previously been undefeated. A flurry of comfortable wins against the likes of The Wirral Grammar School, Finborough and Lancaster Grammar in the run-up to their last game under the lights against Clifton College set the Blue Storm up for a fantastic campaign. Their defeat two weeks ago to the Bristol-based side could have slowed their season down, but they responded outstandingly well, running out an 18-7 win on the road. The game is likely to be a frightfully physical affair, and for the neutrals, it will be another thrilling contest between an English and Irish school, games which have always been memorable.
