Oakham fight back to end 20-year wait for school title
Trinity…………………………24
Tries: Fleary 3, Farrell 8, Matebalavu 21, 70
Conversions: Bellamy 4, 23
Oakham……………………31
Tries: Reynolds 12, 44; Timmermans 35, Powell 51, Pinter 62
Penalties: Taylor 65, 68
Oakham secured a first Schools Cup title since 2003 as they stunned Trinity with an incredible fightback victory to win the Continental Tyres Schools U18s Cup.
Their five-try victory from 19-5 behind ends a two decade wait to win their third title, having been back-to-back champions in 2002 and 2003, and ends Trinity’s 12-game winning run in the competition, which saw them win last year’s title
Oakham Coach Andy Rice, in his final year of taking the first team, said: “We’re ecstatic. It was a great game of rugby wasn’t it? Credit to Trinity, but it was a mature game of rugby from us.
“Much credit must also go to Ian Smith, who coaches our forwards, but the boys have to go out there and make the right decisions themselves.
“They are now at the forefront of Oakham’s history. The most important page of history is the next one written, and they’ve written a big one today.”
The reigning champions led 12-0 after only eight minutes as Kane Fleary powered under the sticks and Max Farrell cruised in at the corner.
A strong set piece helped Johnny Reynolds maul his way over for Oakham, but a flying finish in the right corner from Roma Matebalavu gave Trinity a 14-point lead.
Oakham needed to score before the break, and after dominating the latter stages of the half they crucially struck from a clever lineout move, finished off by Julius Timmermans.
And the lineout continued to be a potent weapon once again after half-time as they scored their third and Reynolds bagged his second after breaking from a maul.
Oakham held a one-point lead after Elliot Powell crossed on the left-wing following sustained pressure, and Trinity’s job got harder with flanker Eddie Brown being sent to the sinbin and captain Felix Pinder picking and driving from close range for Oakham as the game ticked into the final 10 minutes.
But with no Oakham conversions landed – as all the scores had come outwide – Trinity seemingly still had a chance until Oakham fly-half Ben Taylor finally landed a kick with a stunning strike from 45 yards, taking them two scores clear, before knocking over another penalty 15 metres in field on the 22 to all-but seal the victory.
Although Trinity scored one more try as Josh Bellamy’s crossfield kick was caught and finished off by Matebalavu, Oakham held on to jubilant scenes on and off the field.
Trinity coach Paul Roberts said: “Two teams properly went at it, I feel like both teams can be proud of how they played.
“Schoolboy rugby is pretty special, it means a lot to the boys and a lot of people, and hopefully people saw it as a good representation of that.”
Trinity: Kennedy (C), Matebalavu, Bailey, Medcraft, Farrell, Bellamy, Friday; Bampoe, Singh, Fleary, Opara, German, Brown, Peart-Smith, Marvin
Replacements: Asanbe, Wilkie, Nixon, Leon
Oakham: Bland, Powell, Cousins, Martin, Powell,Taylor (cc), Hopkinson; Marsh, Houston, Reynolds, Starkey (cc), Pinder, Timmermans, McEuen, Hoyles
Replacements: Germany, Fernandes-Smith, Wood, Jones
Star Man – Felix Starkey, Oakham School
For exclusive stories and all the detailed rugby news you need, subscribe to The Rugby Paper website, digital edition, or newspaper from as little as 14p a day.
