The New Year brings more schools rugby this week as the season resumes with some fantastic fixtures on Wednesday.
It was a dramatic ending to the regular season, with Northampton School for Boys clinching the Daily Mail Trophy on the final weekend, just a week or so on from them, Whitgift, Epsom College, and Campion booking their places in the Continental Tyres Schools Cup semi finals.
Then it was on to the Global Schools Challenge, where Ireland’s Presentation Brothers’ College took the tournament by storm.
Rugby took a back seat over Christmas and the New Year, but was back with a bang over the weekend with the Prem Rugby Next Gen League, and now the school games resumes with a superb fixture list on Wednesday.
Wednesday 7th January
Some of the very best sides of last term are in action on Wednesday, not least the Welsh champions, Ysgol Gyfun Glantaf. They are in action against one of England’s best state schools, Old Swinford Hospital – a blockbuster fixture with which to kick off 2026. Another of Wales’ finest, Christ College Brecon are also in action, facing Crickhowell High School, which Christ College subscribers can watch on the Christ College Brecon channel on www.nextgenlive.stream – if you are keen to add your school to the growing list of sides with ALL of their games live, please get in touch.
Another stunning fixture to kick off 2026 is Millfield v Sir Thomas Rich’s, two of the very best in England last term. Millfield had some terrific performances, including that tight victory over Wellington College, while Sir Thomas Rich’s were just a last-gasp Whitgift penalty away from a Continental Tyres Schools Cup semi final and recorded a Top 5 Daily Mail Trophy finish. It should be a fantastic game.
In Yorkshire, Hill House and Hymers College meet in what should be a hugely competitive opening game of 2026 for both sides, meanwhile in the Midlands Bablake and KES Aston go head to head, again a game that should be very competitive. In the East Midlands, look out for Samuel Whitbread Academy v Brooksby Melton College, two sides that have produced so many fantastic players in recent years and that will be eager to start 2026 off in style.
The South East looks busy, in South West London Esher College are in action at home to Wilson’s, a big start to 2026 for both, meanwhile on the Kent border Ravens Wood and Hayes go head to head, two sides that have been real forces of late. Deeper into Kent, Bennett Memorial host former England captain Martin Corry’s old school, Tunbridge Wells Grammar School, another fantastic contest.
It’s an exciting start to 2026, and it’s only the appetiser ahead of a huge weekend of both schools and academy rugby!
Wednesday Fixtures
Bablake v KES Aston
Bennett Memorial v Tunbridge Wells GS
Christ College v Crickhowell HS
Esher College v Wilson’s
Hill House v Hymers College
Millfield v Sir Thomas Rich’s
Old Swinford Hospital v Glantaf
Ravens Wood v Hayes
Samuel Whitbread Academy v Brooksby Melton College
