Whitgift advance on two fronts

The south London school won the Under 15 Cup in 1999 andthe majority of those players are now aiming to do the double at First XVlevel.

Their only defeat this season came at the hands of Wellington,ironically the team they beat in a classic Twickenham final three seasonsago, and they were never in danger of another one when they met StBenedict's, Ealing at home in the fifth round this week.

The wind played a big factor and after choosing to play with the advantage they had the game wonby half time when they led 27-0. Fly half Ross Broadfoot put the firstpoints on the board with a penalty before the centre partnership of MarkFoster and Adam Clarke combined for Clarke to score the first try.

Broadfoot converted and then his deft through kick was pounced upon by JamieCrawford to score in the corner. Inside centre Foster was next on thescoresheet when scrum half Tom Maynard's quick pass set him off to beat thewinger and cover to touch down under the posts. Broadfoot did the honoursagain and just before half time he collected Whitgift's fourth try.

StBenedict's battled on but never established enough field position and theironly reward was when they hacked on to score a converted try midway throughthe second half. Whitgift were to have the last word anyway with Maynardselling a dummy and darting down the blindside for a try to make the finalscore 32-7.

Whitgift face a major test now with a visit to defendingchampions Campion in the New Year but it could so easily have been ashattered Wymondham College, who fought back from a 14 point half timedeficit at Hornchurch and would have gone through as the away side in a14-14 draw but for a late penalty slotted over by Paul Roberts.

It was justas tight for Whitgift's Under 15s, who had their hands full with a verypowerful and unbeaten RGS Guildford side.

Whitgift outscored them fivetries to two with young full back Nick Canty scoring a hat-trick, but onlysqueezed through 25-24 after trailing 15-14 in the second half. The gamecame down to a conversion attempt in the last minute after RGS centreMichael Garside scored in the corner.

Luckily for Whitgift, Chris Nelson,who had kicked four penalties and a conversion could not find the rangethis time. Whitgift will be favourites to reach the quarter-finals in ahome tie with Judd but they cannot be dismissed lightly.

Sutton Valencehad whipped them in a Kent Cup tie earlier in the season but the Tonbridgeside claimed their revenge in the mud 10-5 with Sutton Valence failing totake their chances and showing the effects of a county cup exit to SirJoseph Williamson's days earlier.

Judd fully deserved their victory andmanaged two well worked backs tries from Chris Butt and Jon Lapham despitethe conditions.

Intriguingly, the only side to beat Whitgift this seasonare lurking in the other half of the southern draw. St Paul's, Barnes beatBishop's Stortford High School 25-0 to earn a sixth round home game withWymondham, who won 5-3 at William De Ferrers with some excellent defence inpoor conditions and a try from winger James Davey.