Bristol looking for revenge

Daily Mail Under 15 Cup

St. John's School may be newcomers to the Daily Mail Under 15 Cup this season, but the Marlborough school are setting the competition alight with a string of impressive performances.

Tom Nicholls, director of physical education and sports development, has
watched his comprehensive side defeat Sheldon, Beechen Cliff and local rivals Marlborough College and consequently he is not keeping his cup ambitions under wraps.

'Quite simply, we are pinning our hopes on reaching the final at Twickenham,' said Nicholls, whose side have not lost a game on the schools' circuit this term. 'We want to play good quality schools and play some fantastic rugby and hopefully if we can do that we can go to Twickenham.

'The under 15s are our strongest year group this year and they are an extremely committed group of lads. We operate on a squad system which is hugely beneficial because we have 30 plus decent players to choose from each time.'

Nicholls admits that as newcomers he did not initially expect his side to reach this stage of the tournament but having overcome two good rugby schools in Beechen Cliff and Marlborough College, he is confident his side can book their place in round five with a win over Windsor Boys' School on November 11.

'I am really looking forward to the next round because I know Windsor Boys' will be a tough challenge for us. But, if we can tighten up our defence and not let Windsor score many tries then it should be a close game. We will definitely go into the game with the attitude that we can win.

'The boys all have that mentality too and coupled with their impressive athletic ability I know we have a side in this school who can take on any school across the country.'

DAILY MAIL UNDER 15 CUP - 2nd rnd: St Ignatius Enfield 5 St Benedict's
Ealing 38; Sir Roger Manwood's 51 Chtaham House 0; Churchdown 24 Crypt 5;
Deacons 0 St Ivo 23; Bishop Vesey's 37 KE VI Stratford 0; Bedford Modern 39
Hinchingbrooke 7; Hitchin Boys 5 Redborne Upper 41;Newent CS 25 Sir Thomas
Rich 10; Hutton GS 0 RGS Lancaster 55.
3rd rnd: Reigate GS 22 Brighton College 11; William de Ferrers 33 Culford
0; Colfe's 24 Ravenswood 0; Cranbrook 24 Sir Roger Manwood's 5; Bristol GS
0 Millfield 50; Liskeard 12 Plymouth College 22 Aylesbury GS 10 Reading 13;
Sir William Borlase 0 RGS High Wycombe 26; Sherborne 55 Poole GS 0;
Colston's 17 QEHS Bristol 5; Arnold 0 Kirkham GS 48; Whitehaven bt
Cockermouth wo; King's Tynemouth 0 0 Durham 38.