Underdogs Cranleigh see off rugby’s school elite to win Rosslyn Park Sevens

Cranleigh turned giant slayers as they upset the odds to claim an historic Rosslyn Park Sevens title on Friday.
Entering the Cup competition for the first time in years, the Surrey school, who had won the Festival Plate last year, wasted no time in finding their feet against some of the biggest two-term schools in the country.
A perfect four wins from four on Thursday saw them through to the knock-out stages and they carried their form on Friday beating Wellington and Millfield on their way to a 27-19 triumph over Harrow in the final.
England No.8 Billy Vunipola‘s old school, Harrow, had Callum Sirker cross once in each half but Cranleigh secured a convincing win with tries from player-of-the-tournament Tom Nicole, Ed Russell and Alex Gook, while Richard Eamey matched Sirker’s double.
“It’s the first time we got asked to enter the Cup competition so to come in and win it at our first attempt is pretty special for a school like ours,” Cranleigh director of rugby Andrew Houston told TRP.
“We spent a lot of years trying to beat Wellington who we see as our big rivals so to beat them along the way is massive. Because we’re a one-term rugby school, most of the boys play hockey or football after Christmas. One of them is even in the school play.
“We only train once a week but the boys work really hard. Cranleigh is an underdog school and we punch above our weight.
“We’ve revamped the programme over the past six years in terms of the way we train and it’s paying off now. For us to win something on a national level is just amazing. I’m so stoked.”
While their well-drilled and clinical performance in the final impressed, it was their drumming of Millfield and Wellington in the previous rounds that earned them plaudits.
Last year’s champions Wellington had no answer to Cranleigh’s fast start in the quarter-final group and lost 22-15.
Welly didn’t make it out of the group while Cranleigh booked their place in the semi-finals and set up a clash against Millfield who were looking to win their second national crown in three years.
But they were blown apart by the clinical Cranleigh and the 30-0 scoreline more than told the story.
Harrow started the competition high on confidence after wins at the Marches and Reigate tournaments in recent weeks, and were just as impressive in the lead up to the final beating Coleg Sir Gar, Millfield, Hartpury College and Kirkham in the semi-finals. They started the final well with Sirker scoring the opening try, but once Cranleigh hit back and went in front there was no catching them.
Harrow’s Sevens coach Brendan Mckerchar told TRP: “We’ve had a very good term winning two tournaments in the build up to Rosslyn Park, it’s just a shame we fell slightly short at the end.
“Cranleigh deserved their win but there wasn’t much between the two teams. It was always going to come down to the bounce of the ball or a decision and it went their way.”
Another school making the step up to the Cup was last year’s Festival winners Stowe and, although they lost to Millfield in the last 16 on Friday morning, they went on to lift the Plate, beating Barnard Castle 24-12 in the final.