Warwick School achieve successive semi-final doubles

Warwick School skipper Joe Blake leads from the front for his side. Picture submitted

With the under-15 team having already secured their NatWest Cup last-four berth with victory over Langley School (Norfolk), their older counterparts followed suit with a hard-fought 12-5 win at Stowe School.

It was an eventful afternoon with the referee taking the players off the pitch due to a hailstorm early in the match. He was forced to move play to an adjacent pitch 11 minutes from time after Warwick’s Harry Bassett was laid out on the pitch awaiting an ambulance.

Though the recent British winter has done little to allow for fast, free-flowing rugby it did little to stifle the attitude and commitment shown by both teams.

Warwick gained the upper hand in the first half with James Ainsworth awarded a try from a well-taken lineout drive.

With the wind at their backs Warwick controlled the half, scoring a second from another driving lineout - this time through hooker Will Priestley - duly converted by full-back William Stride.

With minutes left in the half Stowe turned the screws with their big pack making inroads.

Warwick sustained more than three minutes of attacks in the narrow channels before the referee blew for half-time and their resilience proved to be a defining moment of the match.

With the wind in their faces after the break, inspirational captain Joe Blake led from the front as Warwick’s tackle count mounted.

Scrum-half Harry Bassett squeezed every ounce of energy out of his tiring pack and got great returns from his polished box-kicking and running from the base.

Stowe did cross ten minutes in but it was to be their only reward as Warwick defended resolutely to secure their place in the last four.

Both semi-finals will be played on the 4G surface at Saracens’ Allianz Park, with the under-18s in action on March 8 and the under-15s on March 15.