SCHOOLS' CUP RUGBY: BRA ease past Rainey Endowed to quarter-finals

BRA's Jack Burton in action with Rainey's mark Mullholand

Belfast Royal Academy were in rampant form as they dispensed of Rainey Endowed in the fourth round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup.

The Belfast side now face a trip to Lisburn in the quarter-finals where they will meet surprise package this season, Friends’ School. Rainey go into the Subsidiary Shield and a quarter-final meeting away to Grosvenor Grammar. Both ties will be played on Saturday, February 18.

With Matthew Dalton, Tom Stewart, Tom Gilpin and Bradley Luney ensuring BRA was producing a lot of quality possession the Academy captain, Conor McAuley, ensured his team was on the front foot.

Lewis Davidson, the Academy centre, impressed with his ability to break the Rainey defensive line on regular occasions.

Eleven minutes into the game Jack Burton charged a Rainey kick down. gathered the ball, beat one defender and off-loaded to Sam Osborne who finished with an unconverted try

Six minutes later this became 10-0 when Cormac McCracken finished off a well-organised post lineout driven maul with an unconverted try.

Stewart then got rewarded for his hard work with an unconverted try after 25 minutes to put the Belfast boys into a 15-0 lead.

Just before the break the Magherafelt side had a rare sortie into BRA ‘22’ and a penalty kick went to the 5m line and, from the resultant lineout, Bryn Davis ran in for a deserved try. Adam Hunter added the conversion to see the halftime score reading 15-7.

Now playing with the wind in their backs, BRA spent long periods of time in the second half in the Rainey ‘22’.

Eight minutes into the second half McAuley converted a penalty opportunity to put BRA into an 18-7 lead. Jude Cowley, was on hand to score an unconverted try which increased the to 23-7.

Jason Stubbs, just on as a replacement scored a try with his first touch of the ball. McAuley added the extras and the contest was over.

With five minutes of the game remaining Stewart scored his second try of the game. McAuley was successful with the conversion to increase the BRA lead to 37-7. The game finished when Abdullah Sabri ran in for a try, which McAuley converted.