U18 Cup
Millfield ended their decade-long wait to win a 14th Cup title at Rosslyn Park as they defeated reigning champions Harrow 28-17 in a thrilling final.
Harrow struck first through Sam Winters but Millfield hit back to lead 14-7 with two superb solo scores through Ben Morrow and Will Stebbings.
Patrick Keaveney cut the gap to two for Harrow, but narrowly missed the kick that followed leaving Millfield with a slender advantage at the break.
George Bullivant showed his pace and power with a superb double to take Millfield into an unassailable lead, with Harrow’s final score proving a consolation as Millfield booted the ball into touch from the resulting restart to win a first title since 2014.
It was a stunning turnaround for the tournament’s most successful team, and director of rugby John Mallet was full of praise for the resilience his side had shown after a day one defeat to Hampton.
“We’ve had a bit of a week of it having to do calculations,” he said, with their U14s and 2nd XII also overcoming defeats along the way to win silverware.
“The boys really felt like they were sort of down and out yesterday and were pretty flat but we were thrown a late lifeline.”
That lifeline was Hampton losing to St. Joseph’s College in their final group game of day one, opening the door for Millfield to advance to the second day, which they had failed to manage last year after they were beaten in the plate final.
Though they beat Bishop Burton College by an identical scoreline of 35-12 that Hampton had managed, it was their own win against St. Jo’s and thumping 52-17 victory over South Gloucestershire and Stroud College, that saw them through to day two on points difference.
Millfield had to battle through every game in the second group stage, edging Kirkham 26-19, Sedbergh 10-7 and Wellington 15-12 before comfortably beating Bromsgrove 36-14 to reach the final, while Harrow had seen off Dulwich 33-12, Cranleigh 14-7 and Ipswich 40-0 before dispatching Gordon’s 31-7 in their semi to reach the showpiece.
But it was Millfield who came through to give Mallett a sixth title as DOR in his 20-year stay in Somerset.
“The big thing we’ve learnt all week is to keep going, keep scoring tries, stick at it,” he added.
“That’s what coaches teach to kids not only at Millfield but anywhere.
“Sevens is a bit like that as a game, you could be three tries down and suddenly in the blink of an eye you’re back in it. That’s the way the game can spin, you’re never quite as bad as you think you are, and you’re never quite as good as you think you are.
“We lost in the plate final last year on a pretty painful day, the cup final too the year before, so there’s plenty gone into it over a few years.”
Llandovery College took the plate to Wales as they won four of their five games on the final day by a score or less, beating Brighton College 10-5 in the final.
