Hurstpierpoint College trailed Reigate Grammar School by a single score at halftime but responded with two second-half scores to take a closely contested Continental Tyres National Schools U18 Cup, London & South-East Group A second round tie by a 7-10 scoreline.
Reigate GS have been enjoying an unbeaten run this term, their most successful start to the season in a few years, with a convincing scoreline against Caterham in the first round of the Cup and Friday night victories over Worth and St George’s Weybridge. Hurstpierpoint arguably have a tougher fixture list, losing narrowly in their traditional early-season Sussex Derby against Brighton College but securing wins over RGS Guildford and Judd, as well as against Worth, their only common opponent with Reigate, in the Cup.
Conditions were good with minimal wind and only the slightest threat of precipitation, and the Hartswood pitches looked in splendid condition as the Sussex-based school kicked off. It was the home side that soon gained good field position, winning a scrum on halfway and moving the ball through the hands on the left. Penalty advantage was being played, and a kick to touch from the boot of fly-half Gregor B, whose kicking game was to be a feature throughout, gave Reigate possession from the lineout. Although Hurst were able to recover possession, they were penalised for crossing, and another excellent kick from hand by Gregor B gave his side an attacking line-out on the right.
When the throw to the set piece was ruled not straight, Hurst regained possession from the scrum and from the first phase ball, they put wing Josh P into space on the left, and he made ground along the touchline before putting in a grubber kick towards the corner. That was recovered by the defence and cleared to touch, but Hurst were unable to win their ball at the lineout, and after a good clearance kick from outside centre Finlay B, Hurst were again penalised, giving Reigate an attacking lineout on the right.
This time possession was secured and an excellent break by Gregor B took play up to the Hurst 22, and good recycling kept the pressure on the Hurst line before inside centre Bertie M cut through to score in the right corner. Gregor B was on target from the tee to add the touchline conversion. When the restart went into touch on the full, Reigate recovered possession from the ensuing scrum, and more good handling saw them make progress on the right. However, successive penalties were conceded, and Hurst broke out, an effective driving maul taking play up to the Reigate 22 before the ball was moved through the hands to the left. Although Reigate were able to win a turnover, Hurst had an attacking lineout in the left corner but were unable to secure possession from the set piece, and Reigate cleared.
The home side counter-attacked, strong running by Bertie M taking play deep into the Hurst half on the left, and a well-weighted kick to the in-goal area was only narrowly recovered by the defence. Following the goal line drop-out, Reigate conceded successive penalties, enabling Hurst to regain good field position, moving the ball through the hands on the left to take play up to the Reigate 22. However, a handling error gave possession back to Reigate, and the interval was reached without a further scoring opportunity.
Half-time: Reigate Grammar School 7-0 Hurstpierpoint College
Although Hurst managed a successful exit from the restart, they were penalised shortly afterwards. Once again, the throw to the ensuing line-out was judged not straight, and Hurst made good use of possession from the resulting set scrum, moving the ball through the hands into midfield, where inside centre Harry C showed great pace to cut through before offloading to Eddie H. The outside centre ran deep into the Reigate 22, but a good cover tackle saw him pulled down just short of the line, and Hurst were penalised at the breakdown, enabling Reigate to clear to touch.
The Sussex school maintained their good field position, but successive kicks into the Reigate 22 were successfully marked by the defence. Although the home side briefly threatened to counter-attack with left wing Mukundi D stepping past would-be tacklers on the left, Hurst managed to recover possession and take play up to the 22. Good handling took play deep into the right corner, and although the defence held firm, possession was retained, and the pick-and-go tactic by the forward pack took play close to the posts. The referee was signalling that a penalty advantage was being played, but Hurst chose to move the ball through the hands on the left and replacement Wilby W dived over to score in the corner. Fly-half Jonnie S produced an excellent kick from the touchline to land the crucial conversion to put the scores level, which would potentially be sufficient, under Regulation 5.2 of the Competition, to see Hurst through to the next round.
It initially seemed that Hurst had made an excellent clearance to touch from the restart, but the referee had spotted that the ball had been taken back into the 22, so Reigate had an attacking line-out on the right. Although they were unable to secure possession from that set piece, a subsequent line-out was won, and Bertie M again carried strongly, and good field position was maintained until a handling error gave Hurst the put-in at a scrum in midfield. The first phase possession gave the long-striding Harry another chance to stretch his legs, and he broke clear to the Reigate 22, where he looked to offload, but was thwarted by a clearly deliberate knock-on. The referee decided that a penalty was sufficient punishment for that infringement, and Jonnie S stepped up to take what was by no means a straightforward attempt for three points from the tee. That was well struck to put his side ahead.
With the game still in the balance, Reigate worked hard in search of a second try, with Mukundi D switching to midfield and again displaying his stepping skills, and Gregor B breaking into the 22, but the Hurst defence was able to regain possession. A cleverly weighted kick was then gathered by Mukundi D, but he was stopped, and Reigate were penalised for an illegal clear-out at the ensuing ruck. Having regained possession, Reigate again took play up to the Hurst 22 but were unable to unlock the defence, and when they were penalised, Hurst were able to regain possession from the line-out and run down the clock before clearing to touch to bring up the final whistle.
This game was as close as the scoreline would suggest and could easily have gone either way. Reigate were worth their half-time lead, but Hurst just did enough after the interval to justify their narrow win. They now face a tough-looking visit to Epsom (who won convincingly over KCS Wimbledon) in the next round, but must first travel to Ipswich for the St Joe’s Festival, where they will hope to have some players back from injury and are in a day 1 group with the hosts and Marlborough, as well as having a rematch with Brighton. Reigate, despite the disappointment of the result, can hold their heads high, having given a side that plays a stronger fixture list a really tough game, and will resume their block fixtures after half-term, with some challenging-looking fixtures including games against Gordon’s, Shiplake and Reed’s.
Full-time: Reigate GS 7-10 Hurstpierpoint College
By Peter Crawshaw
Teams:
Reigate Grammar School: Joshua K, Zac L, Tommy W, Luke G, Oliver B (Capt), Joe L, Hugo S (Vice-Capt), Xavier S-D, Ben H, Gregor B, Mukundi D, Bertie M, Finlay B, Toby S, Jack N (Vice-Capt)
Replacements: Daniel B, Sam B, Archie K, Oliver H, Samuel A
Hurstpierpoint College: Paddy C, Zander B, Oliver H, Rory G-G, Josh D, Will L, Sam S, Johandre VJ, Finn B, Jonnie S, Josh P, Harry C, Eddie H, Jacob J, Arlo M
Replacements: Sam DST, Oliver N, Tom M, Lawrence G, Wilby W
