WARWICK School’s director of rugby Dave Hesketh believes his team have grown as men despite missing out on a trip to Twickenham in the Continental Tyres Schools under-18 Cup.
The Warwickshire side fell to an agonising 20-19 defeat against Queen Elizabeth Grammar School from Wakefield in the semi-final of the competition at Aylesbury RFC.
Warwick led 7-3 at half-time in a tense encounter but lost out to a penalty in the final minute as their opponents earned a spot at Twickenham.
Hesketh said: “I’m gutted to be honest. I don’t think we ever got into our game in the way we wanted to.
“All credit to QEGS, they never let us get us out of sight and managed to score a fantastic try which led to the opportunity for them to kick the try that won the game.”
“It’s an opportunity for the boys to test themselves, play in big games and have opportunities to be put under pressure, and grow as young men.
“That’s why we really embrace it because sport at school is not about winning, it’s about developing the boys away from the classroom.
“Being in environments like this with hundreds of people watching and it being televised is a fantastic opportunity. But equally, in terms of their growth as young men, it’s perfect for them.
“Sometimes things don’t work out, sometimes they do, but that’s life. It will stand them in good stead in the future going through situations like this and games like that.”
The RFU Continental Tyres Cup enables students from across the country to compete against one another and against the best the game has to offer at schoolboy level.
As well as offering holistic learning opportunities to the boys’ character, there were also some key takeaways for Hesketh on-pitch that Warwick can look to implement in future.
Hesketh added: “We thought we could go after them in the set-piece and we got some good gains around there, especially in the line-outs.
“We probably didn’t get what I thought we were due in the scrums. It was difficult to get any ascendancy in that area.
“It was how I expected it to be: physical and no one giving an inch to each other.”
The Continental Tyres Schools Cup is an important part of the age-grade rugby landscape in England, with schools’ rugby often where players fall in love with the game for the first time. For more information visit the Continental Tyres Schools Cup section of the England Rugby Website
