Classy Cranleigh hit top gear

A FIFTH win has kept unbeaten Cranleigh among the front runners in the SOCS Daily Mail Schools Trophy. A 25-10 win over Denstone left Andy Houston, Cranleigh’s director of rugby, claiming it was the ‘highest standard of rugby I’ve coached at schoolboy level’. Secondhalf tries from Hayden Hyde and Hugh Tizard stretched Cranleigh’s lead, though Houston said the contest could have gone either way. ‘They (Denstone) were the best team we’ve played,’ Houston said. Their season has also brought wins over Brighton College, St John’s Leatherhead, Epsom College and Hurstpierpoint. Cranleigh are third behind leaders Wellington and second-placed Sedbergh in the national competition sponsored by the school management system SOCS. Wellington’s seventh win was a 71-14 victory against Bedford. Sedbergh beat Barnard Castle 31-0 to complete a sixth success. Brighton, who lost 29-17 to Cranleigh last month, have improved since that setback, helped by the good form of Scotland Under 18 back Jon Searle. They recorded a 33-22 win at RGS High Wycombe.