The 38th Annual St Joseph’s College National Schools Rugby Festival took place this weekend with sixteen top teams from England, Ireland and Scotland competing for the prestigious De La Salle Trophy.

In 2023, our Senior squad reached the Trophy final, only losing out to Kirkham Grammar in the final moments of the game.  This year our squad consisted of many of the same players alongside regular 1st and 2nd XV players from Year 11 and 12.

Our squad arrived unbeaten this year and in flying form ready to take to the pitch against our Group 3 opponents, Denstone College, QEGS Wakefield and Brighton College and finished Day One top of the group having superbly maintained their unbeaten status.

Day Two kicked off at 10am with the Trophy Quarter Final game against the hosts, St Joseph’s, which saw us through to the Semi Final against Wellington College, also unbeaten in the competition.  A win in that game took us to the Final against newcomers and Saturday’s inaugural U15 winners, St Michael’s College, Dublin.  Our unbeaten run sadly coming to an end against formidable opponents and worthy winners, we finished the competition in second place for the second year running.

When interviewed by Next Gen XV after the final, our sole Year 11 team member, Malachi, summed it up perfectly, “The way that we play and the heart that we show is unmatched.”

We are hugely proud of the entire squad’s performance and will be back at St Joseph’s in 2025.

1999 Champions, 2012 Plate Winners, 2021 Bowl Winners, 2023 Trophy Finalists, 2024 Trophy Finalists.