St Benedicts retain U21 National Cup
Sep
St Benedict’s Ealing successfully defended their title at the 14th annual Cronk Cunis Under 21 Festival at Richmond Athletic Ground on Monday (August 30).
The Cup final, in which St Benedict’s defeated 2007 Cup winners Tonbridge 19-7, was the culmination of nine hours of continuous rugby on seven pitches. A total of 71 matches were played involving some 40 teams, all of them former pupils of some of the country’s leading rugby playing schools.
Some 750 players took part in festival’s five competitions – Cup, Plate, Bowl, Vase and Shield – making this established Under 21 event the biggest festival of one-day 15-a-side adult rugby in the country. Whilst the emphasis is on participation and enjoyment, the standard of rugby also seems to go up every year. Teams came from as far afield as Hull (Hymers College), Altrincham (St Ambrose) and Penrhos (Rydal), confirming the national status of this event.
St Benedict’s had looked likely winners from early in the day but were pushed extremely hard in their semi-final against Brighton, winning 11-6. The second semi final was even closer, with Tonbridge scoring in the dying minutes to overcome Dulwich College 12-11.
The Cup was presented to St Benedict’s captain Rowan Halsall by RFU President Richard Appleby who continued the record of recent RFU presidents in attending.
In presenting the trophies, Mr Appleby praised the organisation of the festival, now in its 14th year, and the important place it holds in the annual rugby calendar.
“It is wonderful to see so many young rugby players enjoying the game, renewing old friendships and making new ones,” he said. “The organisers of the festival are to be congratulated on another hugely successful and enjoyable event.”
A special presentation was made to chief organiser Tim in recognition of Tim’s outstanding contribution to rugby in developing the Under 21 Festival over the past 14 years. Presentations were also made to the doctors, physios, referees and match officials for their contribution to the success of the day.
Results:
Cup : Winners St Benedict’s, Ealing 19 Runners-up Tonbridge 7
Plate : Winners Berkhamsted 21 Runners-up Millfield 0
Bowl: Winners Oratory, Reading 17 Runners-up Portsmouth GS 0
Vase: Winners Pangbourne 22 Runners-up Norwich 14
Shield: Winners St John’s, Leatherhead 20 Runners-up Hampton 15
Cup Round 1
Dulwich College 24 Worth 0
Glyn Technology 0 Bedford 45
Pangbourne College 21 King Edward VI, Southampton 0
Saffron Waldon County High 0 Wellington College 30
Berkhamsted 12 Tonbridge 26
Abingdon 12 Chislehurst & Sidcup Grammar 5
Cranleigh 10 St John’s College, Leatherhead 20
Rugby 0 King’s College, Wimbledon 15
Bryanston College 6 Denstone College 5
Marlborough College 17 St Paul’s 22
Lord Wandsworth College 5 Hampton 10
St Benedict’s, Ealing 40 Radley College 0
Brighton College 8 Hymers College 0
Oundle 24 King’s College, Taunton 21
Millfield 12 St Ambrose College 13
Rydal Penrhos 17 St Edward’s, Oxford 7
Round 2
Dulwich College 19 Bedford 0
Pangbourne College 0 Wellington College 12
Tonbridge 14 Abingdon 0
St John’s, Leatherhead 12 King’s College, Wimbledon 21
Bryanston College 35 St Paul’s 5
Hampton 0 St Benedict’s 22
Brighton 24 Oundle 3
St Ambrose College 19 Rydal Penrhos 10
Quarter-finals
Dulwich College 14 Wellington College 0
Tonbridge 18 King’s College, Wimbledon 11
Bryanston College 3 St Benedict’s, Ealing 26
Brighton College 14 St Ambrose College 0
Semi finals
Dulwich College 11 Tonbridge 12
St Benedict’s, Ealing 11 Brighton College 6
Final
Tonbridge 7 St Benedict’s, Ealing 19
Plate
Round 1
Worth 15 Glyn Technology 5
King Edward’s, Southampton 0 Saffron Waldon County High 7
Berkhamsted 14 Chislehurst & Sidcup 0
Cranleigh 29 Rugby 5
DenstoneCollege 39 Glyn Technology 3
Lord Wandsworth College 24 Radley College 26
Hymers College 17 King’s College, Taunton 8
Millfield 22 St Edwards, Oxford 0
Quarter-finals
Worth 17 Saffron Waldon County High 22
Berkhamsted 7 Cranleigh 0
Denstone College 19 Radley College 7
Hymers College 8 Millfield 11
Semi finals
Saffron Waldon County High 0 Berkhamsted 36
Denstone College 12 Millfield 15
Final
Berkhamsted 21 Millfield 0
Bowl
Round 1
Oratory, Reading 10 Reigate Grammar 0
Wimbledon College 0 Merchant Taylors’ 10
Portsmouth Grammar 6 Norwich 3
Bloxham 3 John Fisher 0
Quarter finals
Oratory, Reading 22 Merchant Taylors’ 0
King Edward’s, Southampton 5 Chislehurst & Sidcup Grammar 10
Bedford 10 Portsmouth Grammar 15
Bloxham 0 Lord Wandsworth College 17
Semi finals
Oratory, Reading 33 Chislehurst & Sidcup Grammar 7
Portsmouth Grammar 15 Lord Wandsworth College 10
Final
Oratory, Reading 17 Portsmouth Grammar 0
Vase
Quarter finals
Reigate 14 Wimbledon College 12
St Edward’s, Oxford 0 Pangbourne College 31
Glyn Technology 7 Norwich 58
John Fisher 35 King’s, Taunton 12
Semi finals
Reigate Grammar 5 Pangbourne College 12
Norwich 34 (John Fisher) King Edward I, Soton 5
Final
Pangbourne College 22 Norwich 14
Shield
Round 1
St John’s, Leatherhead 19 Merchant Taylors’ 5
St Paul’s 5 Abingdon 26
Hampton 19 Rydal Penrhos 14
Wimbledon College 5 Bloxham 8
Semi finals
St John’s, Leatherhead 19 Abingdon 12
Hampton 7 Bloxham 0
Final
St John’s, Leatherhead 20 Hampton 15
Photos from the Festival will be available at www.scrumpix.co.uk
