Bright future for NSB Under-15s as they claim national glory

NSB Under-15s secured a 22-5 victory against Lord Wandsworth College in the RFU Continental Tyres Schools U15 Cup at Trailfinders Sports Ground.

After an even first half, NSB scored a flurry of tries inside the final 10 minutes to secure their second trophy in just three years.

And while the school's pedigree in rugby ranks them as one of the country's historical powerhouses, Bradbury was delighted to see his charges live up to expectation.

“It feels amazing,” said Bradbury. “It's something the boys have wanted for so long now and that comes with a bit of pressure and for them to deliver those expectations makes me chuffed for the lads.

“Lord Wandsworth were a really physical team, brilliant over the ball and special credit to their 15 (Harry Barlow). He was in contention for man of the match across both sides. I thought he was fantastic.

"Their five (Harry Keirle) was physical and had a bit of pace and they posed us a lot of questions

“The scoreline with 10 minutes to go reflects how tight the game was and how much the boys had to dig deep.

“We worked hard to keep them camped in their half and we got the reward. That was our plan, to play in the right areas, and we did that in the second half.”

NSB captain and No.8 Harry White said: “The boys dug in really well and I'm proud of every single one of them.

“This competition means a lot to us. We've worked really hard at it, so winning is the reward for our hard work.

“After last year's semi-final loss, I'm very happy indeed. The boys are buzzing with it and we're looking forward to next season.

“I said to the boys to be as physical and dominant as possible from the start.

"We like to have momentum when we play so it was really good that we scored first and that continued across the whole game.”

The RFU Continental Tyres Cup is foundational to age-grade rugby in England, enabling students from across the country to compete against one another and against the best the game has to offer at schoolboy level.

And Bradbury added: “For us it's been an ambition for years. With this group of boys, we got together and set our goals and targets out and to now put Northampton School for Boys, a state school, on the map as two-time winners of the Continental Tyres Cup is outstanding.

“We've been here in the last three finals so bring on the next one.

“There's an unspoken pressure that you want to follow in those footsteps and deliver for the boys where their peers and friends have in previous years so I'm really pleased for the boys.”

The Continental Tyres Schools Cup is an important part of the age-grade rugby landscape in England, with schools’ rugby often where players fall in love with the game for the first time. For more information visit the Continental Tyres Schools Cup section of the England Rugby Website.