PROSPECTS FOR 2008-2009

by Huw S Thomas

St Benedict’s finished top of the 2007-2008 rankings but only three of their exceptional squad have returned to school.

Coach Jesse Coulson has also moved on to become Director of Sport at Harrow School where he succeeds Roger Uttley so it will be a time of rebuilding at the Ealing school.

But expect the teams that finished in close proximity to St Benedict’s to continue to do extra well.

Daily Mail U18 holders Wellington College have quality throughout the side, eight of last year’s Twickenham squad returning.

They will be led by Wales fly-half Christian Lewis-Pratt and he will have the support of two outstanding players in vice-captain and tight head prop Charlie Buffin and England U18 wing Sam Edgerley who starred for England U18 on the summer tour of Argentina.

They have already beaten Windsor Boys 46-0 in the first round of the Cup and will be the team to beat.

Millfield – led by back-rower Rhys Ruddock, son of former Wales coach Mike Ruddock – have posted early notice of their potential.

They had three comfortable wins over Old Swinford Hospital 57-0, RGS High Wycombe 48-14 and Bryanston.64-0 when full-back Ollie Lindsay-Hague grabbed hat- trick of tries.

Sedbergh and Colston’s will be there or thereabouts once again on the evidence of the Bristol school’s exciting and very high quality 31-29 win over their Cumbrian visitors in mid September.

Centre and goal-kicker George Watkins scored 16 points and will be a key man for Colston’s who have re-entered the Daily Mail U18 Cup after an absence of four years.

The Bristolians had a remarkable record in the Cup in the late nineties, winning the trophy six consecutive times between 1995 and 2000 and will be certain to challenge for their eighth Daily Mail Cup title.

Expect the powerful clutch of West Country colleges – Filton, Ivybridge, Truro, Hartpury and St Peter’s Sixth Form, Gloucester to be pushing for the top ten.

Tonbridge and Epsom College in the South-East, RGS Lancaster in the North and Bromsgrove in the Midlands should all enjoy good seasons.

Edinburgh’s Merchiston Castle will – as usual - be hard to beat in Scotland whilst in Wales anticipate Welsh Schools League champions Coleg Sir Gar from Llanelli and Cup holders Bridgend College under international lock Lloyd Peers to be prominent.

The big tertiary colleges will dominate the scene in Wales but of the independent schools, Llandovery College look the strongest after beating Monmouth 29-12 and will be desperately keen to finish higher than what was for them a very disappointing 50th place.

QEGS Wakefield – 33th in the rankings last year – lost 28-14 to RGS Lancaster in early September but could – under England flanker Joe Barker – also be a surprise packet.

36th placed Bedford School will, I fancy, finish very much higher. As U15s, they won the Daily Mail Cup, in James Ingle have a fine No 8 and captain and possess a cool customer at fly-half in Jack Cook.

Written by Huw S Thomas