Schools—Brian David (Chairman)

Phil Crowley – President 

Robert Davies (Secretary)

Graham Wood (Treasurer)

Hugo Corbett—ESRFU rep

To contact officials please use “Get in Touch” form

Links

English Schools RFU newsletter

Schools Rugby

England Rugby Schools (englandrugby-schools.com)

Cheshire Schools Rugby Report 2022-23

Sale Sharks U18 Cup

14 teams entered. All games adhered to the play in weeks set by the age grade calendar (AGC). Maximum of 4 rounds.
The final was held at Wilmslow RFC under lights on November 30th, a close game between The King’s School, Macclesfield and Wirral Grammar School for Boys watched by a large crowd. The King’s School, Macclesfield winning 26-3.

Sale Sharks U16 Cup

9 teams entered. All games adhered to the play in weeks set by the age grade calendar (AGC). Maximum of 4 rounds.
The final was held at Chester RFC under lights on December 1^st (re-arranged from Wilmslow RFC due to rain. A superb game of school rugby that saw St. Ambrose College emerge 12 – 10 winners against Sandbach School

Both venues were superb hosts and both occasions were a real showcase for schoolboy rugby within the County and the number of spectators really showed the support that there is for the game at school level.

Sale Sharks U16 Shield
6 schools entered. Final was rearranged from Wilmslow RFC due to rain to Chester RFC and played on Wednesday 30^th November. Birkenhead School winning 29-14 against Wilmslow High School.

Schools 7’s
The CSU planned 7’s tournaments for U12, U13, U14, U15 & U18.

Unfortunately, the U12, U14 & U15 tournaments had to be cancelled due to bad weather. It was tried to re-arrange them but other pre-arranged tournaments that this was not possible. The plan had been to run Tier 1 and Tier 2 tournaments at U12, U13, U14 & U14 age groups to provide schools with appropriate playing opportunities.

U18’s (14 schools) was a one tier competition hosted by St Ambrose College at Altrincham Kersal RFC, in the snow. Many thanks to all their staff for their help. Competition was won by The King’s School, Macclesfield.

The Schools’ 7’s in numbers (if they had all gone ahead):

25 schools

U12        21 teams             252 players

U13        19 teams             228 players

U14        20 teams             240 players

U15        20 teams              240 players

U18        17 teams             144 players

In total:

25 schools

97 teams (80 in 2022)

1,164 players (960 in 2022)

As you can see from the above table the decrease in the number of schools entering the 7’s completions is still not back up the numbers that we saw ‘pre-covid’. The number of schools in the Tier 1 competitions has not altered but Tier 2 entrants has seen a real drop off. This is a major ‘red light’ that needs to addressed jointly by the CSU and the CB. There could be a number of factors, including increased fears of concussion from parents and staff, lack of qualified staff to deliver in schools, lack of playing opportunities, lack of support from SLT.

Areas of concern:

• The number of state schools playing rugby is on the decrease. This includes in both curriculum and extra-curricular time.
• Lack of playing opportunities for state schools.
• Decline in staff willing to do extra-curricular sports fixtures on Saturday mornings.
• Whilst the game may well be surviving in independent schools in definitely seems to be under threat in state schools across the CB.

The success of Sale Sharks this season has greatly raised the profile of rugby within the County and I am pleased to say that the club is acutely aware of the decline in rugby in state schools across the County. I had a meeting with Sid Sutton, Sale Sharks CEO, and he is firmly behind arresting this decline. I have met with Vicky Irwin from Sale Sharks regarding a number of exciting initiatives for both the girls and boys game, that we are looking to have in place for next season, covering touch, contact and mofified versions of the game.

If rugby is to flourish across the schools in the County and no to continue to decline then I feel that is it essential that the CB, CSU, Sale Sharks and schools all work closer together.

International Honours:

Frank Chatterton (England U18 & Stockport Grammar School)

Albert Bradshaw (England U18 & Stockport Grammar School)

Dominic Hanson (England U18 & Stockport Grammar School)

Toby Wilson (England U18 & Stockport Grammar School)

Cheshire Cup Draws 2023/24

Cheshire Cup U18 Draw 2023

Cheshire Cup U 16 Draw 2023

Cheshire Cup U 16 shield Draw 2023