WARWICK School coach Rob Wood remained proud of his boys’ efforts this year after a last-second penalty from Northampton School for Boys ended their run in the Continental Tyres Schools U15 Cup.
A fantastic semi-final at Aylesbury RFC ended 25-24 to NSB after Warwick School led 10-8 at half-time through unconverted tries by captain Sam Ingram and Max Liddington.
They had to withstand the sin-binning of Carl Wheeler and the concession of two tries to trail 22-10 in the closing stages, but quickfire scores from Seb Guest and Henry Jennings put them on the brink of victory, only for an NSB penalty from the final kick to break hearts.
Wood said: “We knew it would be so tight because the boys knew each other so well and we knew that if we got on top, NSB would not go away, and vice versa.
“From where we were, I think it was about 10 minutes to go and we were down a man and needing two tries, we had belief that we could get them.
“So, it’s a real shame to have just got ahead and lost it, but that’s schoolboy rugby and it was semi-final rugby, and I’m really proud of the lads. It’s a long season and they’ve played brilliantly.”
Warwick have plenty of history of success in schools’ rugby and Wood feels playing in knockout competitions is perfect for his pupils’ development.
He said: “Hopefully, they play rugby long into their lives and they’ll be in big university games, big professional games maybe and big club games when it’s under the lights in front of big crowds.
“When you’re a schoolboy, you don’t get much exposure to that, so for them to have a chance to do it – because there’s only one way of learning it, and that’s to do it.
“They have to experience those jitters of the crowd and the Cup is a big thing for our boys.”
RFU executive director of rugby development, Steve Grainger said: “Schools rugby plays a hugely important role in the game in England.
“For many young people, it’s the first time they pick up a rugby ball, and often the place where they fall in love with the sport and everything it stands for.
“Competitions like the Continental Tyres Schools Cup give students the chance to create lifelong memories with their teammates and experience the excitement of knockout rugby, which is why it remains such an important part of the pathway into the sport.”
“The semi‑finals have been absolutely fantastic, showcasing the passion, teamwork and resilience that make the Continental Tyres Schools Cup so special,” said Leah Jervis, Senior Brand & Partnerships Specialist, Continental Tyres
“At Continental Tyres, we’re committed to supporting performance and progress at every level – and it’s wonderful to see those values reflected so clearly in these young players. We’re incredibly proud to champion a competition that nurtures emerging talent and celebrates school sport at its best.”
The Continental Tyres Schools Cup is a vital part of the age-grade rugby landscape, with schools’ rugby often where players fall in love with the game for the first time. Catch all the latest highlights and updates from the competition by following @CommunityRugby.
