LAST week's victory by St Aloysius College over Strathallan at Millerston was more than just a cup win.
The notable 11-5 scoreline in the semi-final of the Brewin Dolphin Scottish Schools under-16 Cup not only sent last year's beaten finalists tumbling out of the competition, but did much to help raise the profile of west coast schools rugby.
After being the junior partner of east coast schools in Cup rugby for much too long, results like this are a welcome boost for Glasgow rugby. St Aloysius College's season at 1st XV level has been difficult, so they will go into the final against George Watson's College at Murrayfield a week tomorrow in confident mood.
Curiously, having achieved their place in the final, St Aloysius lost 14-12 to Glasgow Academy in the under-16 friendly match at New Anniesland on Saturday but there was success for St Aloysius in the 1st XV fixture that resulted in a 27-17 win over Glasgow Academy.
Next Saturday St Aloysius face Kelvinside Academy, who had a 41-14 win against Linlithgow Academy last weekend and whose next match is against St Columba's. Meanwhile, at Old Anniesland Glasgow High School returned to winning ways with a 15-10 victory over Marr College with tries from Eddie Allbutt and John Barnes, who also kicked a penalty and a conversion.
Marr are waiting to find out if they will face Hawick High School or Knox Academy in the quarter-finals of the Brewin Dolphin under-18 Plate: the Borders/East Lothian regional final takes place at Galashiels tomorrow. Hawick reached this stage by defeating Peebles High School 33-10 last Wednesday.
In the east, Royal High School invoked memories of their glory days by defeating Boroughmuir High School 28-26 in the Edinburgh regional Plate final, the difference in the end coming down to one conversion kick.
In friendly fixtures on Saturday, Stewart's-Melville College maintained their undefeated run outside the Cup with a 22-7 win over Dollar Academy, the Inverleith side scoring four tries, three of these by the Scotland under-18 squad flanker Fraser Christie and the other by Hamish Robertson. Scotland Under-18 squad scrum-half Andrew Manson converted one of his side's tries.
For Dollar Academy, who face Robert Gordon's College next Saturday, No.8 Charlie Thompson scored their only try converted by Scotland Under-16 squad stand-off Gregor Haldane.
At Goldenacre, George Heriot's School defeated North Berwick High School 27-5.
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