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Day 1 of the World Schools Festival sees Grey College shock their English counterparts
The anticipation is finally over and on Tuesday 13th December the world sat down to watch some of the best age-grade sides battle in the World Schools Festival at the Pattana Sports Resort in Thailand.
Four winners will progress to the Cup semi-final, and the others will go into the Shield Competition semi finals. These games will take place on Thursday 15th December and will be live on RugbyPass.
The Odyssey XV (Fiji) vs Hamilton Boys’ High School (New Zealand)
No better way to start the World Schools Festival than to see the Hamilton side give an adaptation to the Haka! The Odyssey XV side, while limited time together as an invitational team, showed great spirit, and they came together wearing shorts and socks of their home school or club side.
Full Time: Odyssey 0-56 Hamilton Boys’
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The game saw the Hamilton Boys’ show what they can do, breaking lines, fast hands, organised, and displayed their Kiwi physical ability. Able to put a huge 56 points on a talented opposition and keep them at bay is something that will instil huge confidence in the boys in Black and Maroon as they go deeper into the competition. Fear not for the Odyssey side, while the game didn’t go their way, they exhibited positive signs for the next round, a side that can play with confidence even when the game is beyond them tells us all you need to know about the mentality of the group. Simon Lewis and his team will still be a side that could cause a shock result in the Shield Semi Final.
St Michael’s College (Ireland) vs Cardiff and Vale College (Wales)
Ireland vs Wales at the World Schools Festival in Thailand, it certainly lived up to expectation. A tight affair which saw both sides have the chance to win it and progress further in the Cup competition. Both teams were tested in unfamiliar conditions with the sweltering Thai weather.
Full Time: St Michael’s 11-12 Cardiff & Vale
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The final few moments saw St Michael’s lead 11-7 – with five minutes left on the clock, the Welsh pack gave it their all and drove almost 20 metres over the Irish sides line of a lineout, moments later the ball was kicked into touch and Cardiff & Vale celebrated. St Michael’s will watch Cardiff & Vale in the Cup competition knowing they were one moment away from being there, and they will be one of the favourites for the shield competition which starts on Thursday. Both sides had room for improvement and will certainly have the experience of playing on Thai soil and make some incredible affairs in the next round of the competition.
Sedbergh School (England) vs Millfield School (England)
Not only a World Schools Festival Quarter Final but more was on the line as the game was a decider in The Schools Championship. Both sides have been just a few points away from being unbeaten this season, and both wanted to finish their domestic calendar season with a win, and it would be even sweeter if completed at the Pattana Sports Resort in Thailand.
Full Time: Sedbergh 10-15 Millfield
Millfield broke through early on as Stefan Emmanuel intercepted a lofted Sedbergh pass and ran 70 metres to give Millfield the opening score. A few minutes later the men in brown returned with some strong work off the lineout going over to make it level at 5-5. Millfield gained the lead on the stroke of Half Time with a penalty. It was Sedbergh’s right lock that showed some incredible strength to evade multiple Millfield tackles as he covered ground towards the line and placed it down to make it 10-8. With 10 minutes to go, Millfield produced one of the tries of the day, a nudge through that was collected by the same man opened a gap in the Sedbergh defence, a few quick offloads saw Matt Hall win the game for the boys from Somerset. Both sides proved the talent and entertainment that English schoolboy rugby has to offer, and produced another close knit game in the World Schools Festival.
Grey College (South Africa) vs Trinity Schools (England)
Thousands tuned in Live to watch Grey College take on Trinity in the final Quarter Final in the World Schools Festival. The favourites of the tournament vs
one of the best in England and the game did not disappoint. Drama on the field and of it as social media had heated debates across all platforms.
Full Time: Grey 22-7 Trinity
It only took 100 seconds before the hotly anticipated South African schoolboy side got their first spoils of the game, with excellent quick work flowing through the phases. Despite the early blow, Trinity did not let their heads go down, as they fought back minutes later with a try of their own to make it 7-7. In spite of Trinity’s efforts, it became the Grey College show, as they dominated possession and were able to keep the ball for large parts of the game. A mature performance from the Grey side made the second half low scoring as the job was done in the first. Trinity gave it their all, and had moments where they looked like they could have got more from their opportunities, but facing Grey College is a hard feat in itself, and the predictions proved correct in the final game of the day at the World Schools Festival.
Will Stace’s Team of the Day : Grey College (South Africa)
It comes as no surprise to see Grey be the side of the day, facing arguably England’s best side at the moment, in a tough first game at the World Schools Festival. The favourites will go to the Semi Final with huge confidence, knowing how well they performed on Day One.
What a day, what rugby, here are your results from day 1 of the World Schools Festival 🔥 pic.twitter.com/01Lp8daaDz
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 13, 2022
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Comments on RugbyPass
Not sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
24 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
1 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
24 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
24 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
11 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
3 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
4 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
4 Go to comments