2011 SCHOOLS CUP

[Beattiespastie]

Bigtruck..much respect mate..I hear Regent have a fine young team with plenty of threat all over the park so good luck to them. My son is going through Medallion this year and its a lottery with results all over the place but from what I have witnessed the province is in good shape for years to come...Ulster has to be the winner in developing the youth and having watched various age levels this year at Pirrie there are some exceptional young players coming through from schools all across the country.

[adamj11]

Regent House 1st XV have much the same squad as when they were robbed of the Medallion Shield in 2008, the whole way up school this Regent year had been the number one team. This season the team has been plagued by injuries and bad form, playing at roughly 60% of their potential. Therefore i would be right in saying extreme dark horses will be regent house. Bearing in mind this squad has only ever lost once to Inst and Methody and has comfortably been the best team in the country the whole way up school, I wouldnt write off regent. Regent narrowly lost to Ballymena last weekend and were much the better team and i can only see a very unlucky draw knocking Regent out of the Cup this year.

How often do Regent play the big schools? Aren't they a tier C school meaning they don't play the tier A schools outside of cups unless it's a traditional fixture.

I remember Down High being undefeated coming into the first round of the Medallion Shield a few years back with a team that hadn't lost a game since first year, they got humped by 70 in the first round by Inst after going on about how it was their year, they were undefeated etc.


Now I'm not saying you are a bad side but don't build yourselves up for a fall.

[DHK]

Regent House 1st XV have much the same squad as when they were robbed of the Medallion Shield in 2008, the whole way up school this Regent year had been the number one team. This season the team has been plagued by injuries and bad form, playing at roughly 60% of their potential. Therefore i would be right in saying extreme dark horses will be regent house. Bearing in mind this squad has only ever lost once to Inst and Methody and has comfortably been the best team in the country the whole way up school, I wouldnt write off regent. Regent narrowly lost to Ballymena last weekend and were much the better team and i can only see a very unlucky draw knocking Regent out of the Cup this year.

How often do Regent play the big schools? Aren't they a tier C school meaning they don't play the tier A schools outside of cups unless it's a traditional fixture.

I remember Down High being undefeated coming into the first round of the Medallion Shield a few years back with a team that hadn't lost a game since first year, they got humped by 70 in the first round by Inst after going on about how it was their year, they were undefeated etc.


Now I'm not saying you are a bad side but don't build yourselves up for a fall.

Regent always play the big schools every year

[adamj11]

The only time I remember playing Regent was in the 2nds cup.

[fox]

Regent are definitely a tier 1 team. Occaisional weak sides like every school (other than mcb + inst) but generally always there and there abouts. That said not sure about the 'robbed in 08' From my aging memory i think they won the semi with a dodgy last minute penalty try in a game the ref had lost control of, then had a kick to win the final which the 10 refused. Hardly robbed.

[adamj11]

I doubt they are a tier A team tbh, UR have it set in 3 tiers where you can only play sides within one tier of you, so you don't get the small teams demoralised by the big tier one sides who invariably will have a better team.

Tier A is Inst, MCB, Campbell, BRA, Ballymena, Armagh, Coleraine, Wallace, Dungannon iirc, or well it was a few years back.

[DHK]

I doubt they are a tier A team tbh, UR have it set in 3 tiers where you can only play sides within one tier of you, so you don't get the small teams demoralised by the big tier one sides who invariably will have a better team.

Tier A is Inst, MCB, Campbell, BRA, Ballymena, Armagh, Coleraine, Wallace, Dungannon iirc, or well it was a few years back.

Changes from year to year, depending on the strength of the sides in a given year. So for example Regent were in the top tier the past two seasons but not this season...all goes on form, not history

[byrne]

Just watched Regent play Limavady. Judging by that performance I'm afraid they're not goin to win any cups this year!

[HwoodMike2umate]

If i'm in the mood it looks like i might trundle along tomorrow morning to either

Regent v Campbell
or Belfast High v Sullivan

Have i got the home & away teams right and what time is kickoff?

Neither game at Ravenhill so i presume you don't have to pay £10 to watch - although with Ulster rugby these days who knows.

[brianc]

Belfast High v Sullivan

10.30 ko at Belfast High. Very sadly this will be followed by young Ben Robinson's funeral nearby in carrickfergus, think couple of UR players going, which would be a nice touch.

[Ithryn]

Im heading to RBAI to cheer on Dalriada in the morning, very tough draw we got.

[fermain]

in with a chance though

[Rob6]

Armagh beat Ballymena 6-3 in a tight match!!!!


Floreat Armachia!!!!

[cjp]

Northern Bank Schools' Cup fourth round results

Saturday 5 February


RBAI 23-6 Dalriada

Regent House 0-31 Campbell College

Coleraine Inst 15-13 Grosvenor HS

Wallace HS 19-20 MCB

RS Armagh 6-3 Ballymena Academy

Bangor GS 8-24 BRA

Belfast HS 16-27 Sullivan Upper

Down HS 9-10 Ballyclare HS

[Ithryn]

Dalriada were 6-6 against RBAI after 50 mins, and had them rattled, but failed to score points during the three to four visits to their 22. Not helped that when we went wide from a couple of 5meter attacking scrums RBAI went for intercepts and knocked on, one of the three times they did that at least should have been ruled intentional, we had over laps and they slapped it away.

We had another chance to score from a kick and chase which ended in a foot race, which our player and the lines man that side thought we scored, but ref gave a 22 and then after protests a penalty.

Last 15 minutes or so we tired and they scored a good try, and then in desperation to score back we took risks and conceded again.

Oh well, hard draw for us, which was a pity as we had a good team again this year.

Methody got very lucky by the looks of things.