VICTORIA College under-16 rugby team retained the Lord Jersey Schools Cup by beating De La Salle 20-14 yesterday.

Sir Clive Woodward, who masterminded England to win the Rugby World Cup in 2003, presented the trophy to the team after the final held at St Peter yesterday afternoon.

Sir Clive said that he was glad to be in the Island and that he was taken by surprise by the high standard of play, playing tribute to a Vic College side which won thanks to a hat-trick of tries from Michael Medway (three) and one from captain Aidan McGuire.

De La Salle, trailing 15-0 in the early stages of a 20-minute final, can take credit for the way they came back as first centre Paul Phelan darted around the full-back to touch down for a converted try, following which winger Sam Fuller made it 15-14. Phelan converted both De La Salle scores.

Before then, however, Medway, a ‘converted’ winger (normally second row), had put Victoria College in front with his strong, incisive running, with a further score by Aidan McGuire. In the final stages Victoria were dominant, but before then De Le Salle surprised the 60 spectators by coming back from a game that most observers thought was long lost.

• Picture: De La Salle’s Scott Vandervliet bursts through the Guernsey Select defence (00649080)
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