All roads lead to Allianz Park for NatWest Schools semis
It promises to be a busy two days for this national knockout competition, which attracts an entry of more than a 1,000 teams every year.
The matches will showcase the best of schoolboy rugby and will end in eight teams winning places for the Finals Day at Twickenham on March 25.
Each day the action starts at 11am and admission is free. The under-18s are first up on Saturday where the focus is on Dulwich, the Under 18 champions, seeking to take another step in gaining a fourth successive title.
The south east London school take on Wilmslow HS (kick off 5pm) following the first Cup semi-final between Oundle and Bromsgrove at 3pm.
Both Dulwich and Wilmslow endured narrow wins in close quarter-finals over Hampton and St Joseph’s College, Ipswich, respectively.
Dulwich needed a late drop goal from Jonny Waugh to edge out London rivals Hampton, 8-7, while Wilmslow drew 25-25 but went through on tries scored, 4-3.
Wing Broghan Wilson contributed three of Wilmslow’s four tries to give the Cheshire school a first semi-final since a loss in 2011 to Whitgift.
For Oundle and Bromsgrove, who kick off at 3pm, this is a first semi-final in the senior age group.
Before the Cup semi-finals on Saturday, the two Vase semi-finals, for teams who lost in the first and second rounds, take place.
First up at 11am is another Cheshire school in Stockport GS who meet Seevic College from Benfleet in Essex. The second semi follows at 1pm when King Edward VI of Aston take on Churcher’s College from Petersfield in Hampshire.
On Sunday, the Under-15s format is the same with the Cup games staged later in the afternoon after the Vase games earlier.
The focus will be on Warwick and QEGS Wakefield who have dominated this age group for the last two years.
Warwick, who have beaten the Yorkshire school in successive finals, aim for a third Twickenham trip when they meet Brighton College at 5pm. In the other semi-final, QEGS take on Wirral at GS at 3pm.
The two Vase semi-finals pit RGS Newcastle against Sherborne at 11am followed by Oakham playing Bishop Wordsworth’s School, Salisbury, at 1pm.
NATWEST SCHOOLS CUP
Under 18s
Saturday March 7
Vase Semi-finals
11am – Stockport GS v Seevic College, Benfleet, Essex.
1pm – King Edward VI School, Aston, v Churcher’s College, Petersfield, Hants.
Cup Semi-finals
3pm – Oundle v Bromsgrove.
5pm – Wilmslow HS v Dulwich.
Under 15s
Sunday, March 8
Vase Semi-finals
11am – RGS, Newcastle v Sherborne
1pm – Oakham v Bishop Wordsworth’s School, Salisbury.
CUP Semi-finals
3pm – QEGS, Wakefield v Wirral GS
5pm – Brighton College v Warwick
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