Sherborne School 1st XV vs Canford (2nd Round National Schools’ Cup)

Sherborne 1st XV battled their way to a 29-12 victory over Canford in the second round of the National Schools' Cup, despite a slow start and windy conditions. Canford, refreshed after an exeat weekend, took full advantage of a strong wind at their backs and a sloping pitch to catch Sherborne off guard early in the match.

The Sherborne side struggled to find their rhythm in the opening stages, with a lack of depth in attack and several unforced errors stalling their progress. Canford capitalised on Sherborne’s missed tackles, crossing the line early to take a 5-0 lead.

Sherborne, however, fought their way back into the game just before the half-time whistle. After finally getting the ball wide, Albi R showed his class by slicing through the Canford defence with a clever dummy and shimmy, touching down to level the score at 5-5 as the teams headed into the break.

Half-Time Score: Sherborne 5 - 5 Canford

With the wind now in their favour, Sherborne came out with renewed purpose. Edwin L slotted a long-range penalty to give the visitors an 8-5 lead, and from that moment on, it became clear that Canford would struggle to play against the elements. Sherborne’s forward pack, led by strong carries from Ali RT, Alistair D, Will H and backed up by Ben D, laid the foundation for their win.

Debutant Harry N made an immediate impact, powering over from a pick-and-go beneath the posts after a series of punishing phases near the Canford line. Edwin L added the easy conversion to extend Sherborne’s lead to 15-5.

Straight from the restart, Edwin L launched a monster 22-to-22 kick, pinning Canford back deep into their own half. Though Sherborne coughed up possession a few times, Canford struggled to exit their territory, and it wasn’t long before Sherborne struck again. A turnover forced by the improved defence gave Sherborne another attacking platform. Albi R, continuing his fine form, delivered a quick offload to Jem L, who crashed over the line with three defenders trying to bring him down. Edwin L’s conversion made it 22-5.

Canford managed to apply pressure through a series of penalties, and they eventually exploited a gap behind the Sherborne line with a clever box kick. The Canford winger gathered it cleanly and went under the posts to make it 22-12, setting up a tense finish.

Sherborne, however, sealed the game with a piece of individual brilliance. After a deep kick-off, Canford’s clearance found its way to Albi R at halfway. Sizing up a disjointed chase, Albi set off on a stunning jinking run, leaving three or four defenders in his wake as he sprinted in for a magnificent solo try. Hamish K, with his first points of the season, slotted the conversion to wrap up the match at 29-12.

Full-Time Score: Sherborne 29 - 12 Canford

Sherborne’s second-half resurgence, coupled with standout performances from Albi R, Ali RT, Ben D and Will H, secured them a place in the next round of the National Schools’ Cup.

Looking ahead, Sherborne faces a busy schedule, with a home fixture against Taunton this Saturday in the "Pilgrims" match, followed by a mid-week third-round Cup clash versus Abingdon and a trip to the Merchiston Castle Festival in Edinburgh the following weekend.

Sherborne will be eager to carry this momentum into the upcoming fixtures.