King's School Worcester retained the Modus Challenge Cup, with a three try victory over Royal Grammar School at Sixways.
A first-half score from Alfie Pritchard gave King’s a 5-0 lead at the break with Sam Hughes unable to kick either of his two penalties for RGS.
King’s added two more tries after the break with Sam Lowe and Dion King scoring to give them a comfortable lead. However replacement George Cook pulled one back for RGS with a powerful try with ten minutes remaining.
But Kings's, who have dominated the clash in recent seasons, hung on to claim the trophy once again.
A frantic opening saw possession dominated by RGS but full-back Hughes was unable to turn their advantage into points with an early penalty miss.
King's soon took the lead through Pritchard who scored after diving blindside, but the fly-half couldn’t convert his own score.
King’s continued strongly with a period of possession with both Angus Guthrie and Pritchard gaining yards with strong breaks.
RGS fought back and ended the half the stronger of the two sides, winning a number of scrums and penalties inside the King’s 22.
However they weren’t able to come away with any points in the first period despite a late yellow card for King’s winger Matt Tolley.
King’s increased their advantage ten minutes into the second-half with captain James Smalley making a powerful run before offloading to winger Lowe, who applied the finish in the corner. Pritchard was unable to add the extras from out wide.
And King’s added their third score of the evening after King darted across the line from short-range.
But spurred on by vocal support in the West Stand, RGS mounted a wave of attacks of their own with Rob Aikman bursting through on more than one occasion. However the King’s defence held firm.
RGS did get a try to show for their efforts though with replacement Cook crossing for a fine finish – the back-row shaking off opposition defenders to pull his school back to within ten points.
But despite Will Revill receiving his school’s second yellow King’s were able to hold on to their third successive victory in the annual Sixways clash.
RGS | 15 Hughes, 14, Hammond, 13 Aikman, 12 Hughes, 11 Matthews, 10 Wheeler, 9 Nott (C), 8 Heeks, 7 Mann, 6 Harper, 5 Williams, 4 Griffiths, 3 Paley-Battersea, 2 Williams, 1 Nelson
Replacements |Challoner, Neale, Murray, Berry, Hawkes, Elsey, Llywelyn, Selby, Cook
Kings | 15 Guthrie, 14 Tolley, 13 King, 12 Austin, 11 Lowe, 10 Pritchard, 9 Martyn-Smith, 8 Harriot-Davis, 7 Bates, 6 Smalley (C), 5 Connor, 4 Duton, 3 Drew, 2 Arnold, 1 Wong.
Replacements | Revill, Roswall-Stanley, Green, Pillman, Lunn, Summerwill, Ashton, Kemp
Timeline:
8m | Try Pritchard 5-0
45m | Try Lowe 10-0
48m | Try King 15-0
63m | Try Cook 15-5