Monmouth Haberdashers climb to the top of the 2026 SOCS Daily Mail Schools Trophy as the competition heats up across the country.
The momentum is unmistakable. Under the guidance of former Welsh international Richie Rees. Monmouth Haberdashers have surged to the front of the 2026 SOCS Daily Mail Schools Trophy. securing four straight victories to claim the current lead. It is a striking turnaround from a season that yielded only a single win. now replaced by a campaign defined by grit and attacking ambition.
Rees. who transitioned into his role as director of sport in 2024 following a nine-cap playing career. has instilled a clear philosophy: “We like to give it a go.” That mantra was tested in narrow. high-stakes encounters. including a 27-22 win over Bromsgrove and a 38-25 victory against Sir Thomas Rich’s. a side that dominated the top of the standings last year. The squad now braces for Saturday. when they will face RGS Worcester in a fixture broadcast live on Schools Sports TV at 1.30pm. The challenge carries added weight as the side prepares for a half-term tour to South Africa at the end of October.
Success has been built on a foundation of experience. Lock Olly Beynon. part of the Dragons academy. leads the forward pack. while fly-half Elliot Young—currently on the books of the Irish Exiles—provides the spark. When Young was away on Exiles duty last Saturday. centre Jack Lawrence stepped into the No10 jersey. proving the depth within a group that blends senior leadership with talented lower sixth-formers.
Elsewhere, the Trophy landscape is crowded. Guildford RGS has set the pace as the first side to record five wins. defeating The Judd (33-0). Wimbledon College (66-0). King’s Wimbledon (35-7). Hurstpierpoint (29-17). and St Paul’s (24-10). Radley, currently second, remains a formidable threat with four wins, including a commanding 60-0 demolition of Epsom College. Clifton College. the 2024 champions. are pushing hard with wins over Harrow and Sedbergh. while Brighton College has stayed perfect through the efforts of captain Hugo Bressard. who has tallied four tries in four games. including a comeback victory over Tonbridge.
Some results carry history far beyond the scoreboard. At John Fisher School in Croydon. the atmosphere reached a fever pitch as the squad secured their first win over local rivals Whitgift in 17 years. “A long time to wait but certainly worth it when it came,” said James Gillespie of the 23-14 result.
Early leaders Seaford College are finding their rhythm again after a loss to Northampton School for Boys (NSFB). securing a 31-14 victory over Epsom College thanks to a hat-trick from full-back Harrison Lane. Meanwhile. NSFB has recovered from early defeats to Mill Hill and Ipswich to post a 43-33 win over former winners Berkhamsted. As these sides jockey for position. the hierarchy of the Trophy remains in flux. leaving little margin for error in the weeks ahead.
Monmouth Haberdashers Daily Mail Schools Trophy SOCS schools rugby Richie Rees RGS Worcester rugby