LIVE RUGBY: KCS WIMBLEDON V CATERHAM - U18 SCHOOLS CUP PLATE SEMI FINAL HD

The NextGenXV Live Stream cameras will head to KCS Wimbledon on Wednesday to take in their U18 Schools Plate semi final against Caterham. Kicking off at 2.15pm the winner will face either Stowe or Stockport Grammar School in the U18 Schools Plate final in a couple of weeks time, those two meet at Stowe at 3.10pm on Wednesday. The route for KCS has been fairly traditional, a big win over Emanuel was followed by a win over Langley Park, a walkover at Davenant, and then that excellent quarter final at Marlborough College. For Caterham the road to this point has been punctuated by gaps, two byes in the opening two rounds before that 20-15 victory at Wimbledon College. They then faced Henley College in the quarter finals, a game that we live streamed. Henley won 31-6, but have since been disqualified, meaning Caterham ended up progressing anyway. They are used to breaks and twists and turns and with a long gap since either of these two sides last played, that may work for them. On the Henley College disqualification, it would be wrong to preview this game without addressing that elephant in the room. Despite requests from the RFU for information the only line currently is that they, and indeed Hills Road 6th form College in the U18 Bowl, have “been disqualified from the Schools Cup competitions due to a breach in the competition’s regulations.” Anything further without official confirmation would just be speculation and rumour at this point in time, however these are increasingly becoming the only means of spreading info on the schools and age-grade international game currently as the communication strategy from the RFU continues to come across as highly, and needlessly, secretive. Post-cuts staffing shortages have undoubtedly made communication outwardly much more challenging at the RFU, but when information is not forthcoming, nor indeed reasons for it not being forthcoming, despite requests, that excuse no longer washes. It is time for serious change. That should not detract from matters on the field though, and Wednesday afternoon is going to be a magnificent occasion. KCS have enjoyed one of their finest seasons in a long time. They have lost just twice, and to top class opposition, Hampton in the first round of the Cup (which was the result that sent KCS to the Plate), and to Trinity, whose form has been so impressive that they are in Sunday’s Schools Cup semis. Besides those two, it has all been rosy for KCS this year, led by prop Kasper Pitblado. Twelve victories from their fourteen games, including passing the 50 point mark five times in total, against Reed’s, London Oratory, St George’s, Emanuel, and Tiffin. As a result they reached our Top 5 School Teams of the Weekend on three occasions. The key for KCS though has been that when the pressure has come in they have delivered. After that Hampton defeat they had to bounce back quickly for arguably their two key games of the season – both away – great rivals Wimbledon College and the su