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KING EDWARD’S of Bath are on the charge in the SOCS Daily Mail Schools Trophy following a hectic start to this national competition for 176 teams during the autumn term. Three wins in the first month have highlighted the strong squad put together by head of rugby Sean Lilley and John Tidball, the long-standing head coach.
A 31-15 win against Canford on Saturday follows those against Bristol GS (49-0) and Dauntsey’s (50-7), which have fired King Edward’s into the top 10 at this early stage of the competition. They are chasing early leaders King’s Worcester plus Stamford, Sedbergh and Tonbridge, who have also won their opening three games to make the top 10. Lilley says the strong start rewards a squad who have worked together since joining the school aged 10 or 11.
‘It’s great to see how the squad has come together down the years,’ he said. ‘They’ve come up together and the players are largely the same as those who started out. It’s been a long-term plan which is coming to fruition. It’s going to be exciting to see how we do over the coming months.’
King Edward’s boast five Bath academy players as part of the Premiership club’s talent pathway. Co-captains Frankie Foster, a prop, and fly-half Henry Derwent lead the way, with back-rowers Ali Aljawabra and Noah Murray, as well as full back Cade Comer, also in the pathway.
The group are out to match the deeds of Max Ojomoh, the Bath centre, who started out at the school before moving into the professional ranks.
King Edward’s round off a new-look top 10, with back-to back champions Harrow losing two of their first three games.The holders, who have one of the strongest fixture lists, lost 26-12 to Clifton in their opener and were then beaten by former champions Wellington last Saturday. The hosts held on to win a fierce contest 22-15, helped by first-half tries from forwards Callum O’Byrne and Oscar Thomas. Full back Inigo Langford added a second-half score through a chip and chase effort.
Clifton’s tough start was followed by a losing trip to Sedbergh, where the Cumbrians avenged last year’s defeat in a 21-19 win which featured three tries from Olly McCall. Sedbergh’s early results indicate they have a more powerful team than last autumn and the same applies to Cranleigh, the 2019 champions. The Surrey school swept to the title that season thanks to an attacking style which continued on the sevens circuit. They have an experienced squad this term, led by a quartet who are entering their third season of senior rugby. England Under 18s centre Cameron Ward and Joe Taylor are part of an impressive midfield, backed up by flanker and captain Alexander Washington and flyhalf Will Friedlander. A 63-7 thrashing of Trinity was followed by a 27-21 triumph against Seaford College, despite a late rally from their opponents.
Head coach John Andrews said: ‘We realised against Seaford that not all games will be easy. It was a bit of a wake-up call and we had to defend really well late on. Sometimes you have to dig out a win.
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