Barnard boys bid to carry on silencing the doubters

Barnard Castle are just one match away from Twickenham again, driven by some unfinished business and a streak of cussedness.

The Durham school reached their first Daily Mail Under 18 Cup Final a year ago only to lose 30-28 to Oakham in a thriller.

Ten of that team feature this year and they have confounded the unbelievers, including coach Martin Pepper, by reaching tomorrow's semi-finals at Castlecroft, where they face the ever-dangerous Campion.

The 2001 champions from Hornchurch have crept up on their seventh semi- final without the

ballyhoo of previous years and Pepper said: 'We're expecting a tough and tight game. I still think last year's team were probably better but my players seem to enjoy proving me wrong.'

Barnard Castle possess a real game-breaker in centre Mathew Tait, the best player to have been produced by the school since Rob Andrew and the Underwood brothers.

' I played with and against Tony Underwood,' said Pepper, 'and I think Mathew has the potential to be better.'

While it is impossible to call the Barny-Campion game (kick-off 1.0pm), sixtimes champions Colston's are favourites in the other semi, against Lancaster RGS (11.0), although the only thing to have stopped the Lancashire boys is last month's blizzard in their quarter- final against Northampton School for Boys. But they comfortably won the replay.