Boys’ Rugby

1st XV

A challenging fixture list set by Mr Salter ensured there were no easy games and the boys had to be at their very best from the start of the season to gain any level of success. The opening matches started with two tough physical encounters at Llandovery and Sir Thomas Rich’s, where both teams stopped us getting the ball wide and made for heavy contact in the midfield. We learnt quickly from these challenges, ensuring we kept the width in our game, leading to exciting victories over Rugby in the Ryan Bresnahan Memorial Match. Local rivals Bristol Grammar School (BGS) and Cheltenham delivered tough matches but we finished the first half of the season in a positive fashion, having played well. The second half of term looked daunting, with a step up in competition, facing two unbeaten teams in Wellington and Millfield. The Wellington match day started with traffic jams on the M4, but good sporting conduct from our hosts accommodated a kick-off as late as the light would allow, enabling a comprehensive warm up and for the full 70 minutes to be played. The game was predictably tight with the lead changing several times but it was a Sam Worsley drop goal that sealed the win for Clifton, creating wild and jubilant scenes from the players and supporters, including an ecstatic Dr Greene who had wisely selected this away fixture for a historic win. We continued to make good progress in our remaining games against Marlborough, retaining the Governor’s Cup. Unfortunately, with only 70 minutes separating us from an unbeaten season, we faced a superb Millfield team in the same situation. It was a fantastic match during which both teams showed their class, but in the end Millfield came away victorious.

Danny Grewcock