Cambridge and Academy face Schools’ Cup trips on Saturday

TWO Ballymena schools aim to take a step towards the last eight of the Northern Bank Schools’ Cup this Saturday.

Both Cambridge House and Ballymena Academy are involved in fourth round ties, knowing that a date in the showpiece Ravenhill final is potentially just four matches away.

For Cambridge House, it is largely unchartered territory to be involved in this stage of the main competition - a reward for victories in the second and third rounds against Lurgan College and Wellington College respectively.

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“If I had a pound for every time this week that I’ve been asked if this is the furthest we’ve ever gone in the Schools’ Cup!” laughs Cambridge House coach Rab Gregg.

“I’m not honestly sure but it’s certainly nice to be involved at this stage and it has created a real buzz around the school.”

Cambridge House travel to Banbridge Academy (11am) with Gregg admitting he doesn’t know an awful lot about his side’s opponents.

“They’re not a school we generally play against on a regular basis so I’ve been making a few phone calls to see what I can find out.

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“Banbridge would generally expect to be in the fourth round and I’m sure they probably thought the draw was quite favourable for them but we will try to give them a surprise,” added Rab, who will check on the fitness of scrum-half Philip Smyth, who sustained a blow in the kidney area during last week’s win over Wellington College.

For Ballymena Academy, as one of the top-seeded teams in the competition, Saturday is their first hurdle in this year’s tournament and they face a potentially tricky trip to Coleraine Inst.

“It’s a long time since the schools have met in a competitive game - I think it was round about the Ian Humphreys era - so it will be eagerly-awaited,” said Academy coach John Andrews.

“We have beaten them twice this season and we will probably start as favourites but last year’s experience tells us that things don’t always go to plan on the day,” said Andrews.

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That was a reference to the Academy’s exit at the first hurdle at Armagh last season, having famously won the trophy in 2009.

Remarkably, seven members of that cup-winning panel are still in the Academy squad, with Andrews adding: “Those boys have really experienced the highs and lows of Schools’ Cup rugby in two years and it’s good that they have that experience to draw upon.”