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Schools Championship launch signals exciting era in English rugby
By Tom Parker
An exciting new competition is being launched this weekend that could reshape English schools rugby. Four teams will compete over six rounds over the next three months with the winners crowned inaugural champions of The Schools Championship (TSC).
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In this initial season, TSC will consist of one league conference of four teams, Millfield, Sedbergh, Wellington College and Whitgift. In 2023/24 that conference will expand to six teams.
The first four schools (along with Clifton College guesting at the Sedbergh weekend) will showcase the possibilities of the TSC, both on and off the field.
TSC represents a new dawn for English schools rugby with every game streamed live, opening up the opportunity for fans around the rugby world to get a glimpse into the top young teams in England.
Schools rugby coverage in countries such as New Zealand, Australia and South Africa has grown exponentially in recent years and the TSC is an opportunity for English schools to become a global showcase for the best young rugby talent in the country.
The Schools Championship: A new era for Schools Rugby as The Schools Championship launches!https://t.co/ROduEDXbGq#SchoolsRugby #TheSchoolsChampionship #TSC@MillfieldRugby @TheBrownSSFC @Welly_Rugby @WhitgiftSport pic.twitter.com/9HAapcnmJi
— NextGenXV (@NextGenXV) September 8, 2022
The opening weekend of round one matches will be played at Sedbergh College in Cumbria this Sunday. To watch the matches live, click the YouTube links below:
Millfield v Clifton College (10.30am) – https://youtu.be/A7HLXMl8b7A
Sedbergh v Whitgift (12.15pm) – https://youtu.be/Cdv5kNY6Zy0
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Why have only those 4 been chosen? Does it smack of historical elite? Would a merit style not be more inclusive with perhaps a festival for winners over an end of season weekend at a premiership ground.? With the advent of video systems such as @veocamera more games could be streamed to greater demonstrate the talent throughout the country.
To be fair, that’s a pretty meritocratic selection. Even before reading the article I’d have had Millfield, Sedbergh and Whitgift as the schools I’d have thought of if asked to pick the strongest in English schools rugby right now.
It would be good to involve more teams - and that’s clearly the longer term intent - but as a first toe in the water that’s a selection that should produce 12 compelling, competitive games with a high standard of skill. And that’s exactly what a tournament like this needs to get traction in a crowded market.
well if nz is anything to go by , its a good way to kill off rugby in the rest of the schools that play it