This Sunday 7s season continues at peace as Ipswich School host the Ipswich School 7s at Ealing Trailfinders.
Twelve sides will head to West London on Sunday, with all of the action on Pitch 1 broadcast LIVE here on NextGenLive, including the two finals. The action will all be available on the NextGenLive YouTube Channel and through the embedded video below.
A midday start at the home of the Champ Rugby table toppers means a finish under the lights, with the Cup Final at 5.40pm, preceded by the Plate Final at 5.20pm. Perhaps the most important news of all though, given recent weather conditions, with Vallis Way being an artificial surface, we are guaranteed action at a time of year where that is not always the case.
The twelves sides are divided into two Pools of six teams each, with only the top two from each group progressing to knockout rugby. Indeed it is progress straight to finals rugby, the winners of each pool will meet in the Cup final and the runners up will meet in the Plate final.
Groups:
Group 1: Brighton College, Hurstpierpoint College, Ipswich, Lord Wandsworth College, St Benedict’s, Whitgift
Group 1 looks highly competitive and the hosts game against Whitgift at 15.40 particularly so, they met at fifteen-a-side in an epic game just before Christmas, Ipswich winning 15-14. That will be one to tune in to.
As will all the fixtures, Hurstpierpoint College have plenty of practice in the bag following their efforts at the Seaford 10s and their own Sussex Open 7s last week, they will be eager for a big outing. St Benedict’s have the shortest journey of anyone, by far, being Ealing based themselves. They will be looking to make that count and have a talented group of players. Likewise Lord Wandsworth College, who got some good practice under the belts at last week’s Pangbourne 7s. A late change sees Brighton College join this group, only serving to make it even more competitive. Reigning Rosslyn Park 7s champions, Brighton are a formidable outfit and, as their fifteen-a-side season showed, they are a major threat this year too.
It’s a competitive looking group, with Ipswich and Whitgift likely keen to kick on from excellent fifteen-a-side seasons, indeed Whitgift’s is ongoing with the upcoming Continental Tyres Schools Cup semi final, but with Academy action also taking place over the weekend, squads will be varied and that could really shake this group up. The addition of the Rosslyn Park champions only makes this group even harder to call, and Brighton’s live 1.20pm game against Ipswich and their 4.40pm game with Whitgift could be key.
Group 2: Berkhamsted, Finborough, John Fisher, Kingswood, St Joseph’s College, Wellington College
In Group 2 there are some massive fixtures, perhaps the key one coming at 14.20 when Berkhamsted and Wellington College go head to head, both were outstanding in the fifteen-a-side season, though Berkhamsted will be aiming to make amends for a tough defeat to Wellington in the season opener.
Outside of them it’s a group littered with top sides, Finborough are the Merchiston Festival champions, St Joseph’s College had arguably their best outing at their own Festival since they won it in 2013, while John Fisher have one of the greatest reputations in state school rugby history. Kingswood, meanwhile, were outstanding throughout the fifteen-a-side season, losing just twice all campaign. They will be a force and an opening game against Wellington College could set the tone for the whole tournament.
Another hugely competitive group then, sides will be missing some key players, but that is only likely to make this group even more competitive than it already looked.
The Ipswich School 7s – LIVE on NextGenLive, Sunday 8th February at Ealing Trailfinders
Across both groups it looks set to be an incredible day of school 7s!
Schedule:
Pitch 1 – LIVE
12.00 Ipswich v St Benedict’s
12.20 Berkhamsted v John Fisher
12.40 Kingswood v Wellington College
13.00 St Benedict’s v Whitgift
13.20 Brighton College v Ipswich
13.40 John Fisher v Wellington College
14.00 Finborough v Kingswood
14.20 Berkhamsted v Wellington College
14.40 Ipswich v Lord Wandsworth College
15.00 Berkhamsted v Kingswood
15.20 Brighton College v Lord Wandsworth College
15.40 Ipswich v Whitgift
16.00 Lord Wandsworth College v St Benedict’s
16.20 Hurstpierpoint College v Ipswich
16.40 Finborough v Wellington College
17.20 Plate Final
17.40 Cup Final
Pitch 2
12.00 Finborough v St Joseph’s College
12.20 Lord Wandsworth College v Whitgift
12.40 Brighton College v Hurstpierpoint College
13.00 Berkhamsted v Finborough
13.20 Kingswood v St Joseph’s College
13.40 Hurstpierpoint College v Lord Wandsworth College
14.00 Brighton College v St Benedict’s
14.20 Hurstpierpoint College v Whitgift
14.40 St Joseph’s College v John Fisher
15.00 Hurstpierpoint College v St Benedict’s
15.20 St Joseph’s College v Wellington College
15.40 Finborough v John Fisher
16.00 Berkhamsted v St Joseph’s College
16.20 Kingswood v John Fisher
16.40 Brighton College v Whitgift
