Rugby News: Thrilling Eton Return and Middlesex Squad Success for Lower Eighth Player

Middlesex Rugby selection

Congratulations to Charlie Grainger (Lower Eighth) for a successful trial with Middlesex, earning a place in their training squad of around 50 players. The squad will be narrowed down to 30 in the spring, with the final team set to represent Middlesex in matches later this season. While training is currently limited to one session per month, Charlie is eager to do everything he can to secure a spot in the match-day squad. We look forward to supporting him in his training and development. Well done, Charlie!

Rugby Report by Mr Andy Maguire, Head of Rugby

The return fixture against Eton brings great excitement among the players from both schools, and this proved to be another thrilling afternoon of rugby.

The 1st XV anticipated a tough game, having secured an impressive 47-12 win at Eton back in September. Eton was determined to avenge that scoreline, and it was clear from the opening kick that this would be a physical encounter. Eton initially used their powerful ball carriers to try and break through the SPS defence, but our team made some formidable tackles to weather the storm. Slowly, we took control of the game, working our way downfield to score a well-deserved try, followed by a hard-earned penalty goal to lead 8-0. However, Eton quickly rallied, scoring under the posts to end the half at 8-7.

The second half was an exhilarating 35 minutes, with both teams scoring two more tries each. As the clock entered the red, Eton held a narrow 21-20 lead. The tension was high, and everyone knew that a single mistake could hand Eton the victory. Yet, our players kept their composure, maintaining possession and creating an opening for fly-half Sam Francombe to display some magic, slicing through the Eton defense and setting up debutant Rishi Shukla for the winning try. It was a spectacular finish to a game that could have gone either way, with credit to both teams for providing such an entertaining contest.

Not to be outdone, the 2nd XV also put in a strong performance, winning 27-20 and showing plenty of attacking flair. Commiserations to the 3rd XV, who put up a hard-fought contest but ultimately lost 36-19.

The Under 15s continued their dominant season, sweeping away their opposition. The A team delivered a strong performance, scoring impressive tries to win 40-0. The Bs had another close game, as they did in the away fixture, but managed a well-deserved 12-7 victory. Both the C and D teams won convincingly, showcasing the remarkable depth of talent within the U15 year group.

Congratulations to the U14As, who showed resilience to defeat a well-drilled Eton team, and to the U14Cs, who avenged their earlier-season loss to Eton. The E team also secured a comprehensive victory against Eton’s U14D team. Unfortunately, the U14Bs couldn’t make it a full sweep, but they will undoubtedly bounce back with a strong performance next week.

Finally, huge congratulations to both the U16 A and B teams, who reversed their September losses with outstanding 38-19 and 19-12 wins, respectively. This represents a fantastic all-round effort, and credit is due to both players and coaches for the hard work that ensured these results. I look forward to seeing how they, along with the rest of the Rugby Club, fare against Whitgift next week.

Overall, this weekend brought a fantastic set of results against a strong rugby school in Eton. Congratulations to all the winning teams, and to the losing teams for their hard-fought contests.

Good luck to all SPS boys and staff involved in next week’s fixture against Whitgift.

SPS v Eton College Saturday 9 November

Eton College (Home)

1st XV won 27 – 21

2nd XV won 27 – 20

3rd XV lost  36-19

U15 A won 40 – 0

U15 B won 12 – 7

U15 C won 47 – 7

U15 D won 55 – 5

Eton College (Away)

U16 A won 38 – 19

U16 B won 19 – 12

U14 A won 19 – 15

U14 B lost 5 – 38

U14 C won 50 – 19

U14 E won 50 – 12