HARROW LAND THE BIG ONE
Twickenham staged the Continental Tyres Schools U18 Cup f inal – and it was a classic
REGGIE HAMMICK will never forget the day. A last-ditch score to secure a 29-27 win that brought a first-ever national schools cup title? What a moment for the back-row and for Harrow School as they claimed victory in the Continental Tyres Schools Cup final against Kirkham Grammar School at Twickenham.
Kirkham Grammar deserve huge credit too. This was two unbeaten sides going full bore at HQ – one of those occasions where the outstanding sides in the country meet in a final. There is talk already that this was the finest English schools cup final in history…
It was tit for tat at the start as a Jack Austin try from a Kirkham Grammar maul was matched by a fine Zachary Uduehi try on the hoof for Harrow.
Harrow missed the conversion and the subsequent Alex Smith try for Kirkham added more degrees to the climb they faced. But it was soon levelled up at 12-12 following a St John Smith score.
Kirkham Grammar led 22-19 at half-time.
Cameron Knight’s storming try in the corner wrested back the lead for Harrow, only for Sam Lewtas to take momentum back and edge Kirkham ahead yet again, with a quarter of game time left to play. It was 27-24 as the clock ticked round to less than a minute.
Enter Hammick. One last bruising run by the flanker-cum-No 8 and Harrow had their historic title. As dramatic an end to a schools cup final as you could hope to see.
“This was our big goal, the one we’ve never got before,” said Harrow rugby master James Melville. “What a performance from the boys and from both sides. We stuck at it and when we got near the line I always back the boys to get over. They’re a special group.
“It all started on tour (to South Africa) in the summer. It brought the group together and then playing on such a tough fixture list offers a challenge that really brought us together because we were battling every week.”
In the other finals at Twickenham, Felsted School won the Vase and Hartpury College took the girls U18s colleges trophy. Congratulations to all the winners from RugbyWorld.