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Clifton College needed two second-half tries to break Marlborough’s hold on one of the sport’s oldest contests.
A 17-0 win earned Clifton the bragging rights in the 150th anniversary of the fixture and also maintained a push for honours in this season’s Daily Mail Schools Trophy.
When Clifton and Marlborough first met in 1864 the game was an unruly 20-a-side and the afternoon, according to reports, featured a mass brawl.
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A Clifton forward claims the ball from a line-out during their 17-0 victory over Marlborough
Marlborough won that contest but had to give way this time, following last season’s 22-10 win, as Clifton’s speedy backs settled the issue in the second half after a penalty by Fred Owsley had brought an early lead.
Tries by wing Will Slatton and centre Tom Costley broke Marlborough’s hold on territory and possession. Costley converted both tries.
To mark the 150th anniversary the main pitch at Marlborough was renamed ‘The Hamersley’ in honour of Alfred St George Hamersley, a former pupil and England international of the 1870s who was a pioneer of rugby in New Zealand after he emigrated to work as a lawyer.
Success for Clifton was a fifth win out of six this season and keeps them in the hunt for honours in this merit table-based competition organised by schoolsrugby.co.uk.
As half-term nears, four teams have broken away in the race to succeed Woodhouse Grove, the inaugural winners last year.
While Grove, rebuilding a new team, have fallen away in winning only three games from six, the Yorkshire flag has been taken up by unbeaten Grammar Schools of Leeds.
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