Champs Bedford cruise into last four again

BEDFORD are 80 minutes from returning to the Champions Trophy final following a brilliant 31-8 win over Canford in the quarter-finals on Tuesday.

Two tries from Joe Rogers as well as one from Conor Finch and a penalty try were enough to send the reigning champions to the semifinals where they will be on the road.

They have been drawn against Epsom College who beat Blundell’s 29-7 while Oakham, 23-8 victors over Monmouth, will host Tonbridge who had already qualified last week.

Dan Cole slotted a lastminute kick to hand

Hartpury College a 32-21 win over Exeter and take them one step closer to their eighth successive AASE League final.

Alex Forrester and Jacob Morris both grabbed a pair of tries for Hartpury, plus there was a neat individual score from Charlie Chapman.

U18s coach Wayne Thompson said: “This was the most physical test Hartpury have faced all year.

“The win now leaves us only one win away from the AASE final, needing to beat an ever improving Beechen Cliff team next Wednesday.”

Beechen Cliff have kept their hopes of reaching the final with a 20-15 win against Henley College. In the North 1 group, Gosforth claimed a 29-25 success over Oaklands while in North 2, Moulton and Wyggeston beat Bishop Burton (90-14) and Myerscough (39-15) respectively. In South 2, it was Truro and St Paul’s who recorded wins over Filton College (12-0) and Ivybridge (36-24). This week also featured a host of NatWest Cup fixtures and the champions Bromsgrove are safely through to their area finals in Midlands B following their 33-21 win over Lawrence Sheriff.