Two teams from Oldswinford Hospital rugby squad have fought their way through to the quarter final stages of the Daily Mail National Schools rugby competition to keep alive a chance of running out at Twickenham.

The first team face their next challenge when they have an away fixture against Barnard Castle School who have been runners-up three times in the previous six seasons.

During their progress through the tournament, they have played many prestigious rugby schools such as Wellingborough School who they beat 34-4. Players of note on that occasion were Tom Levers and hooker Harry Wint.

The U15s next meet Manchester Grammar School, having also beaten some top rugby schools, including the famous Rugby School where the game was first played, by 20-17. A hard-fought match watched by upward of 150 supporters. The U15s are a talented group of players who hold much promise for the schools rugby future.

Head coach, Nick Tisdale, said: "This is the fourth year we have reached the quarter-finals at senior level and the second in the U15 Cup in the past six years, so it shows our preparation at all levels is having a positive effect on performance.

"We need to stay focused.

"The boys are aware that at this stage of the competition there are no easy games and our build up to the quarter finals will reflect that.

" What we are seeing is the culmination of countless hours of hard work from all our players and coaching teams at the school at all levels, our U14 and U16 teams have also been going well in the Midlands Cup competitions with semi finals for both of them to come in the next few weeks."

10:31am Thursday 7th February 2008

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