Daily Mail Cup reaches the “business end” for Schools Rugby
The Daily Mail Cup has long been the competition that has been seen as the Promised Land where schools rugby is concerned. Already with history attached going back to the 1990-1991 season, this great example of a tournament featuring 1st XV’s from across the country is one competition that all schools only get a few chances at taking.
Since 1990 there has been some fantastic schools playing top end rugby involved. Most notable was probably the competition being dominated from the mid to late 90’s by Colston’s Collegiate winning the coveted cup six times in succession.
Ever since the competition started, schools that play rugby have done their utmost to take part and do their best to get to the all important Daily Mail cup final which is grandly held at the home of rugby, Twickenham.
For the 2010-2011 competition, there have been some bruising encounters leading us to where we are now, the Semi Finals. Teams such as Whitgift, Wilmslow, Oakham School and Old Swinford Hospital have come through numerous encounters to get to this stage and are still one match away from the hallowed turf.
The semi finals are to be held on Saturday March 5th with last years winners, Whitgift School taking on Wilmslow High for another shot at cup glory. Whitgift came through the rounds with some impressive wins, beating a tough Plymouth College in the quarter finals 24-10 and one of the closest matches of the tournament so far, an 18-17 victory against John Fisher in the fifth round.
For Wilmslow High, who currently remain unbeaten from 17 matches, their progression to the semi finals looks to have been made up of mostly easy wins but they will tell you that only hard work can produce those types of results including a 31-12 victory against the respected QEGS of Wakefield.
The other half of the semi finals include Oakham School, who under the coaching eyes of Ian Smith and Glenn Gelderbloom have picked up some impressive wins already this season, most notably was that of a 19-12 win versus Stowe and a Dail Mail Cup quarter final win against a predictably excellent St. Joseph’s College Ipswich 16-14.
Oakham will play Old Swinford Hospital, perhaps the surprise package of this years cup competition but respected nonetheless. Whilst Swinford’s season has been scattered with cancellations and three losses, they will remain upbeat when they face the team they last played in 2005, becoming eventual winners of that match by 27-23, again in the Daily Mail cup.
When you look at the total number of schools that take part in this fantastic competition there are many more winners than just the team who claims victory at Twickenham on April 6th, all schools, coaches and players who take part make this what it is and long may it continue. Best of luck to all teams participating in the final stages.
