The Front Row Union Sport - Schools Cup: What the Rankings Say

Schools Cup: What the Rankings Say – Round 3

Jan 25, 2019

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We’ve used our rankings to predict the winners and losers for the third round of the Schools Cup which will be played on Saturday morning.

Don’t be overly worried if our rankings say your school is going to get tanked. The third round is our favourite round because it’s the one that brings the most surprises – there is still everything to play for.

That lazy second row that’s cruised through the season resting on his teammates at the back of rucks could have the game of his life, your hooker might get his throw ins straight, your out half’s chip aheads might actually work and your winger that always cuts inside might actually wrongfoot an opponent. Stranger things have happened!

Ok that’s the disclaimers out of the way, here we go with the rankings predictions for tomorrow’s games. Teams current rankings are in brackets.

Belfast Royal Academy (10) v Belfast High School (26)
BRA by 30 pts

Coleraine Grammar (15) v Dalriada School (13)
Draw. Dalriada AET

Friends’ School (18) v Ballyclare High (14)
Ballyclare by 3 pts.

Lurgan College (24) v Cambridge House (21)
Draw. Cambridge House AET

Omagh Academy (16) v Down High (17)
Omagh Academy by 9 pts.

Rainey Endowed (12) v Portadown College (9)
Portadown College by 1 pt.

Regent House (20) v Bangor Grammar (19)
Regent House by 3 pts.

RD Dungannon (11) v Larne Grammar (20)
~~Dungannon by 18 pts.~~ [Change this – Ed]
Larne by 5 pts. #MHALL

The top game, at BRA, and the bottom game, at Royal School Dungannon, have the biggest difference between the rankings of the two teams and with the higher ranking sides also having home advantage it looks like it’s going to be tough mornings for Belfast High and Larne Grammar respectively. However, our editor, an ex Larne Grammar pupil from the previous century, says Larne Grammar have an extra 23 points in them if they don’t play like their Da’s, so we’ve adjusted their score.

The rest of the games look as though they will be really close with home advantage maybe enough to reverse some of those predictions.

Good luck to all the players taking part tomorrow.