Highlights: Daily Mail Schools Rugby Trophy - Warwick vs Sedbergh

Warwick School 20 - 14 Sedbergh School

In the run up to a prestigious fixture such as this it is hard to resist having a look at the form book so that one might have some sense of each sides season thus far and how they might fare on the day. The form book very much suggested that Sedbergh were strong favourites having won ten of their twelve fixtures thus far and possessing a Daily Mail Trophy ranking of third. This was compared to Warwick's five wins from ten and a significantly lower ranking at this stage of the season. Statistics can, as we all know, be misleading sometimes and so it proved to be as Warwick claimed a notable scalp from the North of England on a bright but bitterly cold and ferociously windy day.

Finding themselves kicking off with a stiff wind at their backs, Warwick were immediately in a solid attacking position winning a line out close to the visitors five meter line. Only solid defence kept the home side from scoring and Sedbergh were able to clear their lines from the resulting penalty. However, the tactic of playing the corners was to be the story of the half as Warwick played deep within Sedbergh territory. Picking and driving close to the ruck to suck in defenders eventually gave Warwick the opening score as a gap in Sedbergh's robust defence eventually appeared. The extras were added by the Warwick fly half for a seven point lead which was added to shortly after when the Warwick hooker found himself in a huge amount of space and calmly trotted over as once again keeping the ball close and recycling quickly produced the overlap. This time the conversion was missed for a ten point lead. To Sedbergh's credit they were contributing to what was fast becoming a fascinating game and were attempting to be expansive whenever possible. Were it not for some handling errors out wide the score would undoubtedly have been much closer. Huge credit must go to the Warwick defence, however, for being so well organised and the speed at which they got to the gain line to shut down attacking opportunities was impressive. Indeed, it was defensive line speed that produced a huge tackle in midfield that saw the ball spilled by Sedbergh, Warwick capitalising and running from a full fifty meters only for the winger to be pulled down and held up over the line. The resultant scrum saw the Warwick back row pick the ball up and after a few quickly recycled close phases, the third home try was scored. Unfortunately the extras were missed again. However, shortly before the break Sedbergh did manage to produce a rare gap after a sustained period of possession and their pacey full back sprinted through to score. The conversion was added by the fly half to send the teams into the break at seventeen points to seven.

The second half saw the early establishment of a pattern that was to last throughout the remainder of the game. Warwick kept the ball very close to the breakdown area, sucking in defenders around the fringes and patiently waiting for an overload in numbers out wide. Sedbergh on the other hand had moved into another gear and close phases were kept to two or three before the backs were unleashed. Again, handling in the wind was a problem and the marauding home defence made life incredibly difficult for the visitors to find any sustained periods of possession and space in which to run. A misdemeanour in the middle of the pitch near the twenty two from Sedbergh saw the Warwick fly half add three points to stretch the lead to thirteen. The game then became a series of thrusts and counter thrusts from both sides which eventually lead to a superb opportunists try from the Sedbergh fly half, capitalising on his scrum half's quick tap near his own goal line. He ran a good eighty meters to score under the posts and his own conversion left the game poised delicately as the final minutes ticked by. Unfortunately for the visitors the clock finally elapsed and the ball was kicked to touch for the final time as the referee brought an exhilarating game to a close.

Warwick should be very pleased with their defensive efforts and the clinical nature of their finishing whereas Sedbergh, although certainly disappointed, can know that had their handling been slicker the result might have been different.

WARWICK SCHOOL V SEDBERGH SCHOOL - DAILY MAIL SCHOOLS SPORTS RUGBY TROPHY from Create Broadcasting on Vimeo.