With the NatWest Cup and the Champions Trophy both taking place, we are set for another action packed few days of schools rugby.
There is also plenty of action from outside of those two tournaments as teams squeeze in the fixtures before the half term break.
Wednesday
Wednesday sees the start of the Champions Trophy quarter finals and also includes two live streamed fixtures.
In the Champions Trophy the live streamed fixture is between Millfield and Sedbergh. Both are among the most famous rugby schools in the country, but with Sedbergh one of the form teams in the country, and Millfield coming off the back of a pair of heavy defeats to Wellington and Bromsgrove this could be very interesting.
The other fixture sees two very much in form teams, Blundell’s and Barnard Castle, meet in a fixture that could prove to be hosting one of the dark horses of the competition here. You can see our full quarter final preview here: Champions Trophy quarters.
The day is stacked full of NatWest Cup games, but the highlight is set to be London Oratory v Wimbledon College, which is being live streamed as the RFU continue to follow that section of the draw right through to the national stage of the competition. With London Oratory having already beaten Wimbledon College this season, they will be confident of progressing to the next round.
City of London Freemen’s v Christ’s Hospital should be a very evenly matched game and an excellent contest, well worth watching if you are in the area. Crossley Heath v Woodhouse Grove ought to be another very good game of rugby.
2010 and 2011 Champions Whitgift are in action against Richmond Upon Thames College, local rivals John Fisher, whom they beat 32-0 at the weekend, face a potentially tricky fixture against Wallington Country Grammar.
Warwick, who are made up of U15 NatWest Cup winners, are hosting KES Stratford.
Outside of the cups St Edward’s Oxford host Magdalen College, while Mill Hill and Merchant Taylors’ play their traditional midweek fixture. RGS Worcester host Malvern College and Ratcliffe host Welbeck.
Thursday
Thursday sees the second two Champions Trophy quarter finals as Sherborne, who beat Wellington College on Saturday, travel to Bedford, who beat Dulwich. The other game sees Epsom, who fell to a surprise defeat at Stowe, travel to Haileybury, who had a tough outing against Rugby. You can see our full preview here: Champions Trophy quarters.
In the NatWest Cup in form Ampleforth College and Stockport Grammar host Ripon Grammar and Sale Grammar respectively.
Elsewhere, Cheltenham College v Radley College’s traditional Thursday before half term fixture will be one of the big draws of the day, as will Oakham’s trip to Rugby.
Uppingham v Gresham’s ought to be a similarly high standard game, while Monmouth face a tricky game against Crawshay’s Welsh, one of only two games that they lost last season.
If you have any photos, videos, or reports from this week’s games, please send them in to writers@fifteenrugby.com
Schools Rugby Midweek Fixtures (predictions in bold):
Monday
Drayton Manor 12-18 UCS (NatWest Cup)
Tuesday
Bishop’s Stortford College 5-47 Felsted
RGS Colchester 22-5 Norwich
St John’s Leatherhead 31-36 Seaford College (See Report Here)
Harrow v Parmiter’s (NatWest Cup)
New Hall v Seevic College (NatWest Cup)
Oundle 24-18 Northampton School for Boys (NatWest Cup)
Stowe 45-11 Pangbourne College (NatWest Cup)
Trent College v King’s Grantham (NatWest Cup)
Wellsway v QEH (NatWest Cup)
Worksop College v Birkdale (NatWest Cup)
Wednesday
Blundell’s v Barnard Castle (Champions Trophy)
Millfield v Sedbergh (Champions Trophy) – LIVE STREAM
Bedford Modern v Hitchin (NatWest Cup)
Bridgwater v King’s College Taunton (NatWest Cup)
Brockenhurst College v Portsmouth GS (NatWest Cup)
Cabot v Colston’s (NatWest Cup)
City of London Freemens v Christ’s Hospital (NatWest Cup)
Corfe Hills v King Edward’s Southampton (NatWest Cup)
Crossley Heath v Woodhouse Grove (NatWest Cup)
Desborough College v Lord Wandsworth College (NatWest Cup)
Dr Challoner’s v Sir William Borlase’s (NatWest Cup)
Harris City Academy v Worth (NatWest Cup)
King Henry VIII Coventry v Bishop Vesey’s GS (NatWest Cup)
Langley Park v Skinners’ (NatWest Cup)
London Oratory v Wimbledon College (NatWest Cup) – LIVE STREAM
Loughborough GS v Leicester GS (NatWest Cup)
Maidstone GS v Kent College (NatWest Cup)
Manchester GS v Altrincham GS (NatWest Cup)
Newcastle Under Lyme v Ellesmere College (NatWest Cup)
QEGS Ashbourne v Fallibroome (NatWest Cup)
QES Kirkby v QEGS Penrith (NatWest Cup)
Richmond Upon Thames College v Whitgift (NatWest Cup)
RGS High Wycombe v Upton Court (NatWest Cup)
RGS Lancaster v Ripley St Thomas (NatWest Cup)
Robert Clack v Coopers Coborn (NatWest Cup)
Royal Latin v Bloxham (NatWest Cup)
Rydal Penrhos v Lymm HS (NatWest Cup)
Tring v Sandringham (NatWest Cup)
Wallington CGS v John Fisher (NatWest Cup)
Warwick v KES Stratford (NatWest Cup)
Mill Hill v Merchant Taylors’
Ratcliffe v Welbeck
RGS Worcester v Malvern College
St Edward’s Oxford v Magdalen College
Thursday
Bedford v Sherborne (Champions Trophy)
Haileybury v Epsom College (Champions Trophy)
Ampleforth College v Ripon GS (NatWest Cup)
Stockport GS v Sale GS (NatWest Cup)
Bethany v Ashford
Cheltenham College v Radley College
Christ College v Downside
Colchester RFC v Royal Hospital School
Dover GS v St Lawrence
Monmouth v Crawshay’s Welsh
Rugby v Oakham
Sexey’s v Queen’s College Taunton
Uppingham v Gresham’s
Wycliffe College v Dean Close