This weekend saw action across Friday evening, Saturday, and Sunday, with 7s, 10s, and 15s all taking place across the weekend.
Yet more torrid conditions forced a number of cancellations over the weekend, but despite that most action did still go ahead, including LIVE coverage on NextGenLive of Sunday’s Ipswich School U18 7s and the Bristol Grammar School 7s and Netball Festival.
With half term approaching fast, there was plenty of opportunity to get some much needed 7s in the legs ahead of the break, after which the tournaments will arrive thick and fast!
Friday 6th February
Friday saw the annual Cathedral School Llandaff Floodlit 7s take place in Cardiff, with Welsh and English schools competing in a brilliantly run competition by Cathedral School Llandaff. Pre-tournament two sides particularly jumped off the page as ones to watch, the Welsh champions, Ysgol Gyfun Glantaf, and one of the most consistent sides in England, Cheltenham College. So it panned out as those two reached the final, where Cheltenham put in one of the performances of the entire weekend to win 33-7 and claim the silverware. Look out for them over the next 6 weeks.
On the fifteen-a-side front, there was action at Horsham RFC where Eastbourne College hosted Hayes. A fantastic Friday night occasion. Both sides gave it everything, with Hayes putting in a fantastic display for a 34-15 victory.
Friday Results
Cathedral School Llandaff Floodlit 7s – Cheltenham College, champions
Eastbourne College 15-34 Hayes (Horsham RFC)
Saturday 7th February
Saturday saw a lot of action lost to the weather, but one place that managed to survive it was Pocklington School, who hosted their annual 10s competition. Hosted and won, the Pocklington School side were absolutely outstanding en route to victory, going through the entire tournament unbeaten, leaving them looking ahead to 7s season with real confidence. A brilliant achievement from Pocklington.
Travelling out of Yorkshire were St Peter’s York’s U17s, they were at RGS Newcastle to face their U17s and they returned with the spoils, and with much excitement about their prospects in the 2026/7 season, winning 36-7.
Across the border in Scotland, the Glasgow derby took place, with Glasgow High School travelling to Glasgow Academy and returning with a magnificent 52-10 victory, a quite outstanding achievement.
Back in England, Lancashire saw some good action. Kirkham Grammar School proved the depth of their quality as their U17 side defeated the Stonyhurst U18 side 24-5 on home turf. Stonyhurst are a good side, so it shows their depth at Kirkham, they are going to be formidable again next year. Over at Lancaster RGS it was a victory on the road for King’s Macclesfield, who have been so consistent this season and excellent since Christmas, winning 24-14.
Further South, Bishop Vesey’s Grammar won a fantastic game of rugby with Haberdashers’ Adams, winning by a converted try 26-19, a really great contest. Down in London, John Fisher’s 2nd XV were outstanding, hosting Ibstock Place’s 1st XV and earning a good 26-14 victory.
Saturday Results
Bishop Vesey’s GS 26-19 Haberdashers’ Adams
Glasgow Academy 10-52 Glasgow HS
John Fisher 2nd XV 26-14 Ibstock Place
Kirkham GS U17 24-5 Stonyhurst
Lancaster RGS 14-24 King’s Macclesfield
Pocklington 10s – Pocklington, champions
RGS Newcastle U17 7-36 St Peter’s York U17
Sunday 8th February
Sunday saw some terrific 7s action take place. The superb South Coast 7s at Portsmouth Grammar School was unfortunately lost to the weather, but there was still brilliant 7s at the Ipswich School U18 7s at Ealing Trailfinders, the Bristol Grammar School 7s, and the Oliver Osgood Memorial 7s at New Hall School.
Ealing Trailfinders was the magnificent host venue for the Ipswich School U18 7s, an intense day of action with a high quality field split across just two groups of six, where only two sides would qualify for knockout rugby, the top side in each Pool going straight to the Cup Final and second to the Plate final. Whitgift topped Group A, winning every game and looking formidable. Finishing in second were Hurstpierpoint College, ahead of Ipswich on points difference, the host school had defeated Hurstpierpoint but not quite by enough, with the Sussex side going through. Meanwhile in Pool B St Joseph’s College drew with Berkhamsted but topped the pool, they were at their free-flowing best. Berkhamsted finished in second, a defeat to Merchiston Festival champions Finborough denying them a chance to overhaul St Jo’s.
In the Cup Final Whitgift went up against St Joseph’s College, and though an even contest through most, the recent Northampton Saints 7s champions just couldn’t quite live with Whitgift through the whole 14 minutes. Whitgift were just outstanding, turning the screw as the game went on and playing some truly brilliant rugby to claim the Cup. An awesome achievement, not least as 15s has been the focus as they have a Continental Tyres Schools Cup semi final on the horizon. On this form, it would be hard not to back them.
Hurstpierpont College claimed the Plate, playing superbly in the final against Berkhamsted to head home with some much deserved silverware after some impressive performances in recent weeks that perhaps have not had just reward. Overall it was, once again, a magnificent competition, a highlight on the schools rugby calendar.
Over at the Bristol Grammar School 7s, the rugby was outstanding at well at their superb facilities in the Bristol Grammar School Sports complex, which also hosted their Netball Festival. 16 sides were in action in the Boys’ competition, including a combined Bristol State Schools side, who are always such a joy to watch. There was also a three team U16 Girls round robin, won by Bristol Grammar, with a tight defeat of Bromsgrove and a brilliant 29-0 display against Clifton High.
Clifton College claimed the Cup in the Boys U18 competition, and they had to be outstanding to do so, topping a tough pool ahead of Blundell’s, King’s Worcester, and Christ College Brecon, all three of which would reach the other finals, two of them winning. Following that they had a semi final against perhaps the most consistent side in school 7s history, Millfield, 21-17, to set up a final with Taunton School, who had topped their pool and then beaten Collegiate in the semi finals.
An epic final followed, with Taunton showing their quality in abundance. Clifton College just held out though for a two point victory, 21-19, and an early piece of major silverware to kick off the 7s campaign.
Over in the Plate, Blundell’s claimed the spoils with a 29-10 defeat of the hosts, Bristol Grammar School, while ACE Champions Beechen Cliff sealed the Bowl with a defeat of King’s Worcester in the final, there was joy for King’s Worcester in the netball though, where they claimed the Cup with a 14-5 defeat of QEH in the final.. Christ College Brecon claimed the Shield, ahead of their own 7s tournament in a few weeks time. Once again a magnificent day of rugby and netball at Bristol Grammar School, a tournament that is becoming one of the key early staging posts of the 7s season.
In Essex it was the Oliver Osgood Memorial 7s at New Hall School and a strong field assembled. Ten sides were split into two Groups of five, and Bedford and Campion both went through the groups undefeated to reach the Memorial Shield semi finals. Bedford were outstanding in their semi, beating Finborough 55-14, while Campion had to scrap past Felsted for a 14-12 victory.
It meant a final between the two groups winners, and in the final Bedford were again utterly brilliant, winning 42-26 to claim the spoils – a result consistent with their excellence all day. For Campion, that Continental Tyres Schools Cup semi final remains the main goal on the horizon. Reaching a final here in that context feels a big achievement. Once again, a fantastic afternoon of 7s at New Hall.
Sunday Results
Bristol GS 7s (and Netball) – LIVE – Clifton College Champions
Ipswich School 7s – LIVE – Whitgift, Champions
Oliver Osgood Memorial 7s at New Hall – Bedford, Champions
