This Sunday Gordon’s School host their annual U18 Invitational 7s, with sixteen teams gathering at Gordon’s for what should be a superb day of action.
This tournament has grown and grown in the short time that it has been running and includes some of the real giants of schoolboy rugby. It has grown off the pitch too, and this year every single game will be available on Gordon’s School’s NextGenLive playsite – www.gordonsschool.tv – with the main 3G pitch also available on the NextGenLive YouTube Channel.
The tournament began in 2022, the Gordon’s School U18 Invitational 7s has quickly established itself as a key one on the calendar on the road to the Howden Rosslyn Park National School 7s, and this year it has expanded out to being a sixteen-team tournament.
Gordon’s won this competition back in 2024 and they will be challenging again. Likewise Wellington College, 2022 champions and one of the strongest sides in the country. Brighton College will also be in action and are going to be one of the key contenders, they are the reigning champions and also picked up the title in 2023.
Bishop Wordsworth’s also return and are the back to back Plate champions, a trophy won by Mill Hill in 2023 before, both would love to challenge in the Cup this year.
The sixteen sides are drawn into two pools of four teams each. The top two in each pool will qualify for the for the Cup quarter finals in the afternoon, while second place will qualify for the Plate quarter finals.
Hosts Gordon’s head up Pool 1 as they seek to add to their 2024 title. They have a challenging group though, featuring a growing Trinity side, a Kingswood side that was outstanding in the fifteen-a-side season, and a Seaford College side that has to be among the favourites after a blistering start to the short form season that saw them win their own 10s tournament and the Hurstpierpoint 7s.
Over in Pool 2 are the 2022 champions, Wellington College, who will again be among the favourites on Sunday. They have a tricky pool though, KCS Wimbledon are a good side and had key contributors in the Harlequins U18 side, while Worth are a top quality 7s outfit. Likewise Finborough, who have had some very impressive outings this year, including winning the Merchiston Festival.
Pool 3 contains the two most recent Plate champions Mill Hill and Bishop Wordsworth’s, surely one will have a Cup run this year – and if Mill Hill have their Saracens available, they could be quite the force. Hayes are also in this group, a side that punch so far above their weight continually. Hurstpierpoint College will be a big threat from this pool, particularly after an impressive outing at the Ipswich 7s.
Reigning champions Brighton College lurk in Pool 4 and without doubt will be among the favourites here on Sunday. Alongside them in the Pool are an Ipswich side that impressed at their own 7s before half term, as well as a Dulwich College side that has shown real strength in the short-form game in recent years. Look out too for Marlborough College, a school that loves its 7s and will be a threat.
Gordon’s School U18 Invitational 7s Draw:
| Pool 1 | Pool 2 | Pool 3 | Pool 4 |
| Gordon’s | Wellington College | Hurstpierpoint | Brighton College |
| Seaford College | KCS Wimbledon | Mill Hill | Dulwich College |
| Trinity | Worth | Bishop Wordsworth’s | Ipswich |
| Kingswood | Finborough | Hayes | Marlborough College |
Overall then, it’s a strong draw across the groups, with some exceptional teams in amongst it all. It should make for an incredibly competitive tournament, and with the clock ticking until Rosslyn Park that competition is going to be ramped up to the max. Statements can be made now that last into the pool stages there.
It’s set to be an awesome day of 7s!
Gordon’s School U18 Invitational 7s Schedule
Pitch 1 – 3G (LIVE)
09:30 Gordon’s v Seaford College
09:50 Wellington College v KCS Wimbledon
10:10 Hurstpierpoint College v Mill Hill
10:30 Brighton College v Dulwich College
10:50 Gordon’s v Trinity
11:10 Wellington College v Worth
11:30 Hurstpierpoint College v Bishop Wordsworth’s
11:50 Brighton College v Ipswich
12:10 Gordon’s v Kingswood
12:30 Wellington College v Eton College
12:50 Hurstpierpoint College v Hayes
13:10 Brighton College v Marlborough College
13:50 Cup QF1: 1st G1 v 2nd G2
14:10 Cup QF3: 1st G3 v 2nd G4
14:30 Plate QF1: 3rd G1 v 4th G2
14:50 Plate QF3: 3rd G3 v 4th G4
15:10 Cup SF1: QF1 v QF3
15:30 Plate SF1: QF1 v QF3
16:00 Cup Final
Pitch 2 – Grass (LIVE)
09:30 Trinity v Kingswood
09:50 Worth v Eton College
10:10 Bishop Wordsworth’s v Hayes
10:30 Ipswich v Marlborough College
10:50 Seaford College v Kingswood
11:10 KCS Wimbledon v Eton College
11:30 Mill Hill v Hayes
11:50 Dulwich College v Marlborough College
12:10 Seaford College v Trinity
12:30 KCS Wimbledon v Worth
12:50 Mill Hill v Bishop Wordsworth’s
13:10 Dulwich College v Ipswich
13:50 Cup QF2: 1st G2 v 2nd G1
14:10 Cup QF4: 1st G4 v 2nd G3
14:30 Plate QF2: 3rd G2 v 4th G1
14:50 Plate QF4: 3rd G4 v 4th G3
15:10 Cup SF2: QF2 v QF4
15:30 Plate SF2: QF2 v QF4
16:00 Plate Final
Roll of Honour
2025: Cup – Brighton College, Plate – Bishop Wordsworth’s
2024: Cup – Gordon’s, Plate – Bishop Wordsworth’s
2023: Cup – Brighton College, Plate – Mill Hill
2022: Cup – Wellington College, Plate – Felsted
