High Wycombe plotting their path to glory

RGS High Wycombe — the starting base for England’s Matt Dawson, Nick Beal, Tom Rees and Christian Wade — are a team to follow as the 2024 SOCS Daily Mail Schools Trophy enters the second half of the campaign.   Unbeaten in three games so far, the Buckinghamshire state academy showed their growing confidence by reaching a second successive final in the prestigious St Joseph’s Festival before the half-term break. Their run for glory (successive wins over Denstone, QEGS Wakefield, Brighton College, St Joseph’s and Wellington) came to an end in the final when the Dublin-based St Michael’s emerged 18-7 winners from a stamina-sapping weekend. Now RGS have the Trophy to concentrate on — starting against Seaford College tomorrow — and the national cup following a win over Oxfordshire rivals Abingdon.   Former champions Cranleigh have entered the race to win the Trophy by toppling holders. Harrow in a dramatic match to restart the tournament after the half-term break. The 2019 champions defeated last year’s winners 30-29 to remain unbeaten behind leaders Clifton and second-placed Sedbergh in this national competition fought out by over 150 teams over the autumn term. Cranleigh staged a late comeback to overhaul Harrow by scoring two tries and then defending strongly as the north London school tried to snatch victory at the death. For Cranleigh, it was the closest victory yet of a campaign which has also brought tight wins over Seaford (27-21), Brighton (17-14) and Hurstpierpoint (19-14).   Next up is the visit of fifth-placed Epsom College tomorrow followed by a trip to Hampton a week later. This class of 2024 will have to remain unbeaten to stand a chance of emulating the 2019 gang who were led by Oscar Beard and Will Trenholm, who both have gone on to enter the professional game. Beard led Cranleigh to the title by his squad returning a 100 per cent record in winning all nine Trophy games. A similar record will be needed by this season’s champions and Sedbergh, two-time winners, look to be favourites despite a tough fixture list ahead this next month.   The Cumbrians started back after the break by recording win number six in defeating Northampton School for Boys, 40-12. Back-rower Oli Hands contributed three tries. Sedbergh, who have already edged past leaders Clifton, 21-19, face Mount St Mary’s tomorrow followed later in the month by traditional heavyweights in previous champions Wellington and Millfield. Clifton restart at home to Wellington tomorrow having beaten Harrow and Millfield in a fixture list that is one of the strongest on the circuit.   For Harrow, back-to-back champions in 2022 and 2023, this campaign has been frustrating since the 26-12 opening game defeat by Clifton. Harrow have fallen just short of the standards set by those triumphant squads which shows the competitiveness of the Trophy. Besides the setback to Cranleigh last weekend, Harrow also lost out in a close match to Wellington, 22-15.   Harrow were led to those two titles by the inspirational figure of Kepu Tuipulotu who made a dramatic start to his first-class career at Bath on the opening weekend of Premiership Cup matches. The 19-year-old scored three tries on his first appearance for Bath’s senior team in a win at Ampthill, the Championship club, last Saturday. Tuipulotu started at hooker and powered over from close-in rolling mauls.   He was joined in the Bath team by ex-Harrow colleague Charlie Griffin, who also grabbed a try when coming on as a second-half substitute. To add to the Harrow connection at Bath, the Premiership club have announced that wing Sam Winters, another colleague from that Trophy-winning squad, in has signed up and will join the club next season.