Gryphiti: Schools' Cup 2019 Rd 3 - RHS vs BGS

Official Programme bangorgrammarschool.org.uk gryphiti.wixsite.com/home

Ballyclare Ballymena Banbridge

Antrim

Bangor Belfast High Programme Credits Editor: Simon Hull Columnist: Rhys Larmour Contributors: Conor Lusty

Campbell

Carrick

B.R.A.

Coleraine

Cambridge

Dalriada

Down

Find us online @GryphitiBGS

From the Gryphiti Archive...

Dromore

Foyle

Friends’

Larne

Limavady

Lurgan

Omagh

Portadown

Enniskillen

Grosvenor

Methody

2017 Schools’ Bowl Final Bangor G.S. vs Regent House

tinyurl.com/bgsrhs17 Highlights of today’s game and all this season’s matches will be posted to our Facebook & Youtube pages and the BGS Gryphiti website at the end of the season.

Rainey

Strabane Eliminated

Regent

Sullivan

Armagh

Wallace

R.B.A.I.

Dungannon

Wellington

Playing in Rd 3 Through to Rd 4

The team are very excited to get the Danske Bank Schools’ Cup underway.

Getting Regent, added to this excitement due to it being a local derby and a match we always look forward to during the year. This will attract plenty of support for both teams which always adds to the occasion.

This season we have had some great performances defeating teams such as Friends and Ballyclare, whilst putting in positive performances against the likes of Campbell and Armagh.

We hope to have a strong team for Saturday’s game and would like to thank all travelling support.

Rhys Larmour

1st XV Front Row Union Rankings POS SCHOOL RATING 1.

Methody 95.6 % 2.

Wallace 85.4 % 3.

Royal Armagh 81.1% 4.

Enniskillen 77.4 % 5.

Sullivan Upper 76.0 % 6.

Ballymena 71.3 % 7.

R.B.A.I. 67.7 % 8.

Campbell 66.1 % 9.

Portadown 65.5 % 10. Belfast Royal Ac 64.1 % 11. Royal Dungan’n 58.5 % 12. Rainey Endow’d 58,2 % 13. Dalriada 57.7 % 19. Bangor 46.3 % 20. Regent House 42.8 % thefrontrowunion.com

FOUNDED:

1924

PRINCIPAL:

Mr M. C. Carville

SCHOOLS’ CUP RECORD TITLES:

2 (1994, 1996*)

RUNNERS UP:

1 (2008)

* Trophy Shared

1st XV KEY PEOPLE 2018 / 2019 COACHES:

Mr N. Gamble,

Mr B. Poutney, Mr M. Tweed CAPTAIN:

Keir Edgar

CAMPAIGN SO FAR ROUND 2: Dromore 8-10 Regent ROUND 3: Regent vs Bangor KEY PLAYER Keir Edgar, Prop (below)

1856

:FOUNDED

Mrs E. Huddleson

:PRINCIPAL

SCHOOLS’ CUP RECORD (69, 78, 85, 86, 88) 5

:TITLES

(79, 81, 87, 95) 4 :RUNNERS UP 1st XV KEY PEOPLE 2018 / 2019 Mr C. Hunter

:COACHES

Mr D. Kennedy

Rhys Larmour

:CAPTAIN

CAMPAIGN SO FAR Bye :ROUND 2 Regent vs Bangor :ROUND 3 KEY PLAYER (below) Ben

McCrossan, Prop

After five months of friendlies and training, the Schools' rugby season reaches a crescendo with round 3 of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools' Cup - the second oldest rugby competition in the world.

No other competition in domestic rugby comes close to this, and its history is filled with incredible stories.

Regent House are two time winners of the Schools' Cup (well, one

outright in 1994 and one shared in 1996 to be precise). They last made the final in 2008, where they were beaten

by Methodist College.

in this year's Schools' Cup, grinding out a tight away win against Dromore High School in round 2, two weeks ago.

They are coached by former Scotland and Northampton Saints flanker Budge Poutney, who was part of the Saints' Heineken Cup winning side of 1999/2000.

Bangor Grammar School are five times winners of the Schools' Cup - (1969, 1978, 1985, 1986, 1988). Their last final appearance was 1995, when R.B.A.I. won 18-9.

Regent have played 11 matches so far this year, winning 5 and losing 6. They already have some experience

The BGS 1st XV is coached by Mr Kennedy and Mr Hunter with help from old boys Stuart McCloskey (Ulster) and Matthew Agnew (Ulster Academy).

Amongst the Bangor ranks is 18 year old Aaron Sexton, who has already played once for the Ulster seniors (earlier this season). He raised eyebrows for the Ulster As in the Celtic Cup, where he scored seven tries in six matches, and recorded the fastest ever speed for any player representing an Ulster team. He has also represented the Ireland U19s this season.

Sexton's speed is his golden weapon, he is the fastest school boy in Irish 100m history.

Elsewhere in the Bangor squad are forwards Ben McCrossan, Gareth Wells and Riley Westwood, who all have interprovincial age-grade experience (through the Ulster U18s and U19s).

Centre, Conor Lusty is the top Bangor Grammar scorer this season so far, with 13 tries in 16 starts. Not too far behind is Ben McCrossan with 11 tries in 12

starts.

The Bangor Grammar School captain is Rhys Larmour, whose kicking has secured 73 points this season.

Not helped by having players so frequently unavailable for selection, Bangor Grammar have had quite an inconsistent season, but there have been flashes of brilliance: the home & away victories over Ballyclare, the incredible match at Campbell were Bangor could have won if a late try hadn't been cruelly disallowed, and the 4729 win over Friends', to name but a few.

However, the profile of the Schools' Cup is such that previous results are quickly forgotten, and seasons are defined by only this competition.

Bangor Grammar and Regent House met each other last season at Gransha. On that day in history, skipper Zach

Kerr scored two tries, with Riley Westwood, Aaron Sexton, Cameron Stewart, Conor Lusty and Angus Christie all touching down as well. Rhys Larmour scored 5 conversions bringing Bangor Grammar's final total to 45 points without reply.

The most memorable match in recent years between these two schools came the previous season.

Bangor Grammar were knocked out of the Schools' Cup by Grosvenor Grammar in round 3, so had transferred to the Schools' Bowl competition, where Regent were the last team in their path to victory. Final score was 413 to Bangor Grammar.

If the form is anything to go by, this year’s match will be a very close match indeed!

Mr D. Kennedy, Michael McCreary, Ben C Chris Pyper, Conor Lusty, Cameron Stewart, Patrick Dobie, Kristen M Mr C. Hunter.

Sam Murray, Dylan Moore, Ben McCros Westwood, Aaron Sexton, Oliver Hamilton, James Mahood.

Cavan, Finn Ritchie, Angus Christie, Harry Angus, Scott Skelly, McNeice, Harry McCracken, Rory Wood, Robbie Grant, Lewis Hatty,

ssan, Gareth Wells, Rhys Larmour (captain), Adam Pritchard, Riley Photo courtesy of County Down Spectator

Season So Far - Points Breakdown per Match

Top Scorers - Points / Tries

Total Pts +/-

Most Starts

Scorers and starts graphics don’t include tour match vs King’s Hospital

TEN MINUTES WITH… CONOR LUSTY 3. Who are the biggest characters in the 1st XV squad?

CL: “The upper sixth players like Rhys, Aaron and Ben who have a lot of experience in the team. They always have good advice and we can look to them if we are unsure. ” 1. How have you found the season so far?

CL: “It’s been good, a few ups and downs with some matches we should have won but didn’t.

Overall, I think the team has really learned a lot and that should help us ahead of the cup. ” 2. You’ve been on an incredible try scoring run this season. What do you put the form down to?

CL: “It’s been a team effort. The forwards work hard striking up the field and there’s a lot of skill in the back line.

All that makes it easier to get under the posts. ”

4. What has been your highlight of the season?

CL: “Highlight of the season was when we beat Ballyclare with 14 men for most of the game. It showed the sort of character and fight we have as a team.”

5. Unfortunately you’ve been ruled out of the Schools’ Cup through injury. Can you tell us a little more about that?

CL: “Yeah unfortunately I broke my thumb at the Rainey game last weekend,

so that’s ruled me out of playing in the Schools’ Cup. It’s disappointing but I know the squad will put in a big shift throughout the Cup.” 6. How far do you think this side can go?

CL: “There’s a lot of talent and potential in the squad. I see us getting to at least the quarter final like last year, even pushing for a spot at Ravenhill.”

For more pictures, go to: gryphiti.wixsite.com/home/gallery

D A N S K E B AN K U LS T E R S C HOO L S ’ C U P F i r s t Ro u nd R es u l ts : Antrim Grammar Strabane Academy

10-24 21-17

Carrick Grammar Wellington College

1 5 / 12 / 1 8 1 5 / 12 / 1 8

S e c o nd Ro un d R e s u lt s : Belfast High Cambridge House Carrickfergus Grammar Dromore High G r o s v e n o r G ra m m a r Limavady Grammar Lurgan College

45-12 11-10 03-55 08-10 14-22 20-27 13-08

Strabane Academy Banbridge Academy Down High Regent House Friends’ School Larne Grammar Foyle College

1 2 / 01 / 1 9 1 2 / 01 / 1 9 1 2 / 01 / 1 9 1 2 / 01 / 1 9 1 2 / 01 / 1 9 1 2 / 01 / 1 9 1 2 / 01 / 1 9

Belfast High D a l r i a d a S c h oo l B a l l y c l a r e Hi g h Cambridge House Down High P o r t a d o w n Co l l e g e B an go r G ra m m a r Larne Grammar

2 6 / 01 / 1 9 2 6 / 01 / 1 9 2 6 / 01 / 1 9 2 6 / 01 / 1 9 2 6 / 01 / 1 9 2 6 / 01 / 1 9 2 6 /01 / 19 2 6 / 01 / 1 9

T h i r d Ro un d F ix tu r e s Belfast Royal Academy Coleraine Grammar Friends’ School Lurgan College Omagh Academy Rainey Endowed R e g e nt H o u s e R o y a l S c h o o l D u n g a n no n

v v v v v v v v

Defea ted tea m s w i l l en te r th e S ch o o ls ’ Bow l c omp eti ti on. Win nin g tea ms p ro g res s t o Ro und 4 . Ba ll ym ena Aca d em y , C a mp be ll C ol le ge , En nisk i ll en Ro ya l , M e th od i st C o l le ge , R.B.A.I ., R oya l A rma gh , Su lli va n Up p e r a nd Wa lla ce Hi gh en te r th e c omp eti ti on in Ro und 4 .

D A N S KE B AN K U L S TE R M E D A L L ION SH I E LD S e l e c t e d Th i r d R o u nd Re s u l t : Bangor Grammar 3 6 -0 7 Friends’ School 1 9 / 01 / 1 9 S e l e c t e d Fo ur t h R o u nd F i x t ur e : Methodist College v

B a n go r G r a m m a r

0 2 / 02 / 1 9

SUBSTITUTES

REFEREE: Robbie McGreer