We have our now traditional look at the runners and riders for the next round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools Cup. Once again we’re looking at their latest Rugby Rankings together with their last three ranking results.

 

Campbell College Belfast (6) v Ballymena Academy (5)

Saturday 17th February, 10:30
(Campbell College)

Campbell College 24 – 26 Ballymena Academy	Campbell College 24 – 26 Ballymena Academy
Campbell College 7 – 28 RS Armagh	Wallace High School 17 – 9 Ballymena Academy
Campbell College 50 – 0 Dalriada	Enniskillen Royal 10 – 28 Ballymena Academy

 

Campbell College go into this game with the second lowest win ratio over the season but they have also pitched themselves up against the highest ranking set of opponents the season. Their summary dismissal of Dalriada in Round 4 can’t be ignored as Dalriada had been enjoying a Top 8 season and were on an unbeaten run. It’s a hugely impressive result.

Ballymena Academy however, lift the competition up a notch and they have a win at Fox’s Field already in the bag in the not too distant past. The Ballymena boys have also been testing themselves against substantial opposition theirs being the third highest ranking opponents and they do have a substantially better in ratio.

The stats would point to a narrow win for Ballymena but I can’t get over those 50 points fro Campbell last time out and I’ll go for a home win.

 

Methodist College Belfast (3) v Bangor Grammar School (12)

Saturday 17th February, 10:30
(Methodist College)

Methodist College 32 – 10 Wallace High School	Omagh Academy 8 – 8 Sullivan Upper
Methodist College 14 – 10 Campbell College	Bangor Grammar 19 – 7 Omagh Academy
Coleraine Grammar 3 – 38 Methodist College	Bangor Grammar 17 – 3 Rainey Endowed

 

Everything points to a home win for Methody in this one. The Belfast boys come out on win ratio, opponent quality and that’s a pretty impressive run of wins above.

Bangor are the lowest ranked team in the quarter finals and while we did pick them out early to perform well this season this match should be a step to far. This will be a comfortable win for Methody.

 

Wallace High  School (2) v Royal School Armagh (4)

Saturday 17th February, 10:30
(Wallace High)

Coleraine Grammar 15 – 45 Wallace High	Coleraine Grammar 17 – 41 RS Armagh
Wallace High 17 – 9 Ballymena Academy	Campbell College 7 – 28 RS Armagh
RS Dungannon 5 – 38 Wallace High	Cambridge House 0 – 45 RS Armagh

 

Wallace High have been flying the flag for the non Belfast schools all season and I would have like to have seen them at home against one of the big three in the quarter finals. The have a better win ratio and have faced higher quality opponents than Armagh through the season but the boys from the Orchard County are not that far behind.

Both teams bring a similar style of rugby, there will be bags of commitment on display, and this one will be close. However, I think that Wallace have the slightly more sophisticated back line and I think this will be a home win but it will all depend on whichever team copes with the pressure of the occasion.

 

Royal Belfast Academical Institution (1) v Sullivan Upper School (10)

Saturday 17th February, 10:45
(RBAI)

RBAI 10 – 9 Wallace High	Friends School 3 – 34 Sullivan Upper
Bangor Grammar 0 – 19 RBAI	BRA 14 – 25 Sullivan Upper
RBAI 17 – 0 Ballyclare High	Sullivan Upper 20 – 13 Down High

 

Current champions, and champions elect in most people’s minds, RBAI have been given a kind draw in the quarter finals. They are unbeaten this season, and while some of their wins have been unspectacular they have always manage to grind out the result. the question remains, have they been playing well within themselves or have they been lucky?  😛

Sullivan have also been chugging along nicely and have hit a rich vein of form. Unfortunately, they just haven’t challenged themselves enough against the higher ranked teams and the level of rugby executed by their opponents at Fox’s Field is going to be something they haven’t encountered too often.

I’d have loved to have seen RBAI really tested away to Wallace or Armagh in this round but this one should be a run of the mill win for Inst.