Millfield are Bryanston are two of the strongest rugby schools in the country with an enviable range of sporting facilities and history of achievements. Millfield alumni include legendary Welsh scrum-half Gareth Edwards.

The JSA started strongly and kept possession for a number of phases. Playing with the wind, any mistakes by the opposition were punished and after only five minutes solid defence caused a turnover and Owen Giles was quickest to react by winning the ball on the floor. Scrum-half Harry Peck linked with James Cannon and received the return pass and darted his way over the line.

Harry Peck scores the first try

A lineout in the opposition 22 gave the backs quick ball to attack and from the resulting ruck number 8 Rob Milligan picked up and powered his way over. Chris Withers' conversion was once again successful and the JSA were ahead 14-0.

The pressure from the JSA was incessant and caused the opposition to give away a penalty which gave the forwards a lineout five metres out. Jack Sharp rose high to win the ball and set up a solid platform. Flanker Liam Neal, playing his first game for the JSA since October, controlled the ball at the back of the maul and the rest of forwards powered their way to the try line.

Jack Sharp dominates the lineout

The half-time score was 19-0 to the JSA but the players knew they would be playing into the wind in the second half against players who had lost only a handful of matches all season between them. Four changes were made which included a rest for hooker Joe Grey after successfully coming through his first match for 15 months after a serious knee injury.

The JSA’s next try came from Corey Rainbow’s supreme upper body strength, stripping his opposite number of possession. Then centre Grant Anderson dummied and sidestepped his way on a 70-metre run and was selfless in giving the scoring pass to wing Richard Jones.

Grant Anderson on the run

Millfield and Bryanston were a nuisance at the breakdown, spoiling any ball that wasn’t presented perfectly. The JSA were clinical in not sending too many players to the breakdown in attack and defence which meant we always had a solid defence line and numbers and width.

Replacement scrum-half Jack Marczewski marshalled the forwards as they drove to within five metres of the line and then fed Jon Joseph at 10. The JSA backs all ran different angles of attack and Joseph picked out Jones out wide who ran through the gap in the defence and under the posts.

With 10 minutes to go the Millfield and Bryanston openside flanker was sent off for abusive language to the referee, something which we hope never to see again. This ill-discipline punished his team as the JSA capitalised and further scoring opportunities came. A poor kick was gathered deep in his own 22 by full-back Greg Moore who counter-attacked with his wingers. Jones made the line break and the ball went through four pairs of hands before Milligan sprinted clear from the cover defence from inside his own half.

Rob Milligan beats the despairing tackle on the way to the line

The final play of the match was a replica of Jones’s second try. Joseph's feed sent Jones through the line, and the winger then linked with flanker Josh Ives and collected the return ball for his hat-trick score.

The contest was far tougher than the final score-line suggests (43-0). This was the most clinical and professional performance the JSA has produced this season and the understanding the players have of the game is improving all the time. We have identified and are developing leaders within the squad, and have a group of loyal followers backing them.

Your support of these future Saints will be greatly appreciated by the Academy coaches and players on Easter Saturday. We hope to see you there!

Junior Saints Academy - Moore; Jones, Greenhalgh, Anderson, Rainbow; Withers, Peck; Mitchell, Grey, Purbrook, Cannon, Sharp, Giles, Neale, Milligan.

Replacements (all used) - Warner, Ives, Newman, Lawes, Marczewski, Joseph.