Another epic day at the Howden Rosslyn Park National Schools 7s daw Stamford crowned the Boys U18 Vase champions while history was made as Jumeriah English Speaking College become the first ever international winners at the competition, lifting the Girls U14 Cup in sensational fashion.
It marked a day of real history at the tournament, where both the son and the great grandson of the founder of the tournament were in attendance. It is hard to imagine that the possibility had even occurred back in 1939 of a winner from Dubai in 2024.
Another day of excitement and history making is likely to occur again tomorrow when the Boys U14 competition, which started on Tuesday, concludes and the Boys U16 competition begins.
Boys U18 Vase
The Boys U18 Vase enjoyed one of the most superb competitions that it has had. With so many teams moving up to the Cup it left the competition looking absolutely wide open and it had looked as though any one of at least a dozen could lift the title after Monday’s opening groups.
That continued through Tuesday, but when the music stopped it was a superb Stamford side that finished out on top. They were outstanding through the fifteen-a-side season and have had some superb 7s results as well, particularly in recent weeks, and brought that form despite an extensive injury list.
They Day 2 pool was brutally tough, with Welsh giants Whitchurch High School and Gloucestershire rivals Cheltenham College and Dean Close for company, but the Midlands side topped the lot to head into a quarter final against a much fancied St Albans side featuring two England U18 internationals, who had actually finished second in their pool to eventual finalists Lancaster RGS.
Stamford came through that game 36-14, setting up a semi final with Kingswood, who finished ahead of Scottish pair Merchiston Castle and Strathallan, who really have done Scotland proud, and Magdalen College in Pool E before beating an Uppingham side that had impressed all around 19-10. They made Stamford work, but in the end Stamford won out 12-0 to head into the final.
Lancaster RGS meanwhile, had topped that wonderfully hard Group D before a tight 26-19 victory over Grammar School at Leeds in the quarter finals. The semis pitted them against St Paul’s, who had demonstrated their quality to win 19-12 over a much fancied St Edward’s Oxford side. Lancaster RGS were in flying form in that semi final though, winning 29-14 to set up the final.
What a final it was too, a topsy turvy, nerve-jangling affair that really could have gone either way. Lancaster RGS will rightly be proud of their effort, they were magnificent, but in the end nothing could quite stop Stamford. The Midlands side were sensational all day, showing real grit and determination as well as no little quality to reach the promised land and take home the Vase and with it a place in next year’s Cup competition – where they will be a real threat.
While all that was going on, there was a statement being made in the Bowl too, where Millfield’s 2nd VII claimed the title with a stunning 35-5 victory over Dauntsey’s in the final. It was a magnificent achievement for that group of players, but also a real warning shot for all of those sides competing in the Boys U18 Cup on Thursday and Friday – if the 2nd VII can achieve this, image what the 1st VII could do, especially having already claimed the Edwin Doran Surrey Schools Senior 7s title. Of course though, this was all about this group today, who backed up the West of England 7s triumph with this Bowl success, and outstanding achievement and a real sign of the depth of quality at Millfield.
For Stamford, it is a day and a night to remember, winning the Howden Rosslyn Park National Schools 7s Vase as darkness descended. Dramatic, brilliant, and oh so well deserved. They will be among the sides to watch at the weekend’s Sedbergh 10s.
Girls U14 Cup
If the Vase was exciting, the Girls U14 Cup was even more so as history was made with Jumeirah English Speaking School’s sensational triumph.
Having topped their pool ahead of Penyrheol, Blundell’s, and Hayes, they met Reigate Grammar School in their quarter final and put in a stunning performance for a 38-0 victory, setting up a semi final with Dubai rivals, Dubai English Speaking College. On the other side of the draw Oakham won a tight one with Kingsbridge before a 42-12 victory over Tredegar sent them to the final.
The other place in the final was guaranteed to be a Dubai side, with JESS and DESC meeting, but it was Jess, who had reached the U14 Boys final back in 2019, that emerged victorious in a brilliant 29-5 performance to set up the final with Oakham.
That final proved to be the game of the day, and may well end up being the final of the week, such was the nail-biting nature of it. It could have gone either way, and either side would have been worthy winners, but in the end it was this joyous group from Dubai that claimed the title, 20-19. Jumeirah English Speaking School becoming history makers at the Howden Rosslyn Park National Schools 7s – the first ever international winners, and a guaranteed place in the folklore of this great tournament.
Boys U14 Cup
The U14 Boys tournament saw the group stages played out before an epic elimination round that sets us up for a huge day on Wednesday as the Day 2 Pools begin.
The 27 winners from the elimination round games have been divided into nine pools of three teams each, with the winners of those pools tomorrow then progressing to three quarter final pools of 3 teams each. From there the winners and the best runner up progress to the knockout semi finals. Meanwhile losers from today’s elimination round head into the Plate competition on Wednesday, which mirrors the Cup.
It looks like being an exciting day, and after seeing their Girls U14s side lift the Cup, JESS must be looking at Group G alongside Canford and Rodillian Academy and thinking that they would love to create a history making U14 double.
The challenge will be big through after some truly outstanding performances across the board. King’s Macclesfield, who line up with Merchiston Castle and KCS Wimbledon, look particularly impressive after their U14 National Cup triumph last week, but they are one of a number that look as through they could do real damage, among them last year’s Plate winners, Epsom College.
Day 2 in the U14 Boys Cup is set to be a cracker!