Scottish Rugby Schools' Cup takes centre stage at Murrayfield as 16 teams bid for glory on finals day

Earlier in the season, teams secured places in the various under-16 and under-18 competitions by going well in their Conferences. Since then, they have been playing knock-out rugby and now it all comes down to this.

The Cup finals are the main events and in the under-16 one at Murrayfield at 1.45pm Strathallan School take on Stewart’s Melville College. When the sides met in early November in Conference action, the Edinburgh school came out on top 38-3 at Inverleith, but this contest is expected to be closer.

Strathallan defeated Fettes College and Marr College to get this far and their coach Morc Tod said: “It has been a privilege to work with this group of players from pre-season into the tour to Italy and then into the Conference and Cup. Throughout our focus has been directed towards our core values of hard work, humility and have fun.

“To finish runners-up in the Conference and then go away and secure a last play win in the Cup semi-final against a strong Marr College side demonstrates the desire, effort and progress the squad have made.

“The final presents another chance to go out and adhere to the values that all the players have written on their sleeves and what an exciting opportunity it will be.

“Stewart’s Melville are a strong team and we are looking forward to what should be excellent advert for under-16 schoolboy rugby in.”

As Tod mentioned, Strathallan were runners-up in the Conference and that was to Stewart’s Melville who won six games out of six.

Their coach Gregor Wood said: “We have an exciting group of players who are relishing the opportunity to play at Murrayfield.

“They have prepared extremely well for the occasion and I hope they love every minute of their experience when it comes along.”

The under-18 Cup final takes place at 6.30pm at Murrayfield with Edinburgh Academy taking on the holders Merchiston Castle School.

Edinburgh Academy got past Loretto School and Stewart’s Melville to get this far while Merchiston defeated George Watson’s College and Strathallan along the way.

In Conference play, Merchiston finished second to winners Watson’s with Edinburgh Academy in fourth place.

When these sides met in the Conference in early October, Edinburgh Academy won 29-26 in a thriller at Merchiston, the former’s coach Chris Martin saying at the time that the game was “a wonderful showcase for Scottish schools rugby”.

In the under-16 Shield final, Howe of Fife/Bell Baxter High School will take on North Berwick High School at 11am at Murrayfield.

At 3.45pm at the same venue St Aloysius’ College and The High School of Glasgow will face off in the under-18 Shield final.

Loretto School from Musselburgh and Linlithgow Academy will be at the DAM Health contesting the under-16 Plate final at 4.30pm.

At the same venue at 6.30pm George Heriot’s School will take on Marr College from Troon in the under-18 Plate final.

On the Murrayfield back pitch, Berwick and Knox Academy/Haddington will meet at 11.15am to see who come out on top in the under-16 Bowl final.

And at the same venue in the under-18 Bowl final Lomond and Helensburgh face Morrison’s Academy at 1.15pm.