Cardinal Newman make their mark
IT IS almost unprecedented for a team to dominate at Rosslyn Park quite as much as Cardinal Newman’s U18s did, but their 258 points for and 27 points against tell the full story of just how brilliant they were.
From incredible dominance in their two group stages, to two thumping knockout stage wins in the driving rain on the main pitch at the Richard Evans memorial playing fields, Cardinal Newman hardly put a foot wrong and will surely join the 10 girls teams that play in the ACE competition for schools and colleges affiliated with professional clubs and universities next year.
If Cardinal Newman – who are affiliated with Ealing Trailfinders women who will next season play in the Premier 15s – join that competition next year they will no doubt give Hartpury College a run for their money, who beat Exeter College 26-5 to win a seventh out of eight ACE tournaments, since they were first held in 2014.
Special mention must go to Cardinal Newman’s final opponents Peter Symonds College, who reached a first U18s Girls final in their history since they first participated in 2007, following up their Plate title last year with a brilliant run.
They had barely looked troubled in either of their group stages, and secured their place in the final with a 22-0 win over Millfield, who had also performed impressively in only their second girls tournament at the festival, only to be outdone by the team that beat them in last year’s Plate final.
Cardinal Newman joined them after beating Dubai College’s girls 29-0 in their semi-final, and won by the same margin as they took the final 36-7.
Hereford Sixth Form College took the Plate, putting behind them a narrow defeat to Dubai College on day one to beat Hills Road Sixth Form College 24-0 in the final.