Rugby: Seven-try Madras College storm into the final of U16 Bowl

MADRAS College made up for the disappointment of losing to the eventual under-18 Plate winners Earlston High School by booking their place in the final of the Brewin Dolphin Scottish Schools under-16 Bowl competition, scheduled for 21/22 March at Murrayfield.

The St Andrews school reached the last stage of the Bowl with a 47-31 win over Trinity Academy in what Madras coach Jim Tarvet described as “a match played in the best of spirits and a great advert for schools rugby”.

Madras ran in seven tries, with doubles from Jack MacLean and skipper Jon Price, who was voted man-of-the-match after finishing with 22 points from two touchdowns and six conversions. Duncan Sinclair, Calum Stewart and Shaw Parker were the other Madras scorers. They will meet the winners of the delayed semi-final between Hawick High School and Biggar High School, which goes ahead this Friday.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A day later, the first of the under-18 Bowl semi-finals will be played. It features two composite sides – Queen Ann/Dunfermline High Schools and Boroughmuir/James Gillespies High Schools, and perhaps points the way for state schools to be able to compete in these competitions. The other semi-final between Queen Victoria School, Dunblane, and Dunbar Grammar School will go ahead a week today.

Meanwhile, Madras College 1st XV, who have played little rugby since Christmas, again had to sit it out on Saturday while the school’s junior sides played against Buckhaven High School. Coach Jim Tarvet is desperate to arrange a game for the firsts over the next two weekends and is prepared to travel a reasonable distance for matches.

In the capital, the Edinburgh schools sevens circuit opens this weekend at Colinton where Merchiston will be looking to achieve success in their own tournament. Merchiston then play in the Goldenacre sevens next week before travelling to the Richmond Athletic Ground to take part in the Powder Byrne Six Nations tens tournament.

Next stop for Merchiston will be the Caritas Sevens and concluding their busy schedule will be the prestigious Rosslyn Park school sevens at Roehampton. In Glasgow, the schools sevens season begins tomorrow at Auldhouse where 16 teams will take part in the Hutchesons’ tournament. The circuit then moves on to Anniesland a week tomorrow for the Glasgow High School sevens.

At 15s level, George Watson’s College beat Heriot’s by 34-7, while at New Anniesland, Dollar Academy achieved a 22-7 win over Glasgow Academy. Another Glasgow school to experience defeat was Hutchesons’ who lost 12-3 to Marr College, but there was a win for St Aloysius College, 29-7 against Carrick Academy.

Related topics: