Berkhamstead receives the SOCS Daily Mail Schools Trophy 2021

The triumphant Berkhamsted team lines up for the 2021 SOCS Daily Mail Schools Trophy presentation.

Captain Oliver Webb received Hamish Webb’s trophy from the Daily Mail at a special ceremony at the school in Hertfordshire.

The presentation was the culmination of a hard-fought competition that was fought by more than 100 schools in the fall.

Sponsored by the school’s system company SOCS, the Trophy was launched in 2013 and is administered according to the merit table rules and takes place regularly between the teams.

Berkhamsted improved quickly over the run, finishing at the top of the table on the final weekend by beating Dulwich 24-3 to secure the title.

It was Berkhamsted’s eighth win of the fall, giving them an average of 6.44 merit points per game, ahead of Sedbergh at 6.22.

Just behind the top two came St Benedict’s of Ealing (6.20), Millfield (6.13) and fifth-seeded Clifton (5.90).

Sedbergh looked poised for a third title until last month when they drew against Wellington and lost to Millfield at home.

Berkhamsted’s triumphant team lines up for the trophy presentation

Berkhamsted kept his consistency the whole time to reward a squad that had most of the players together for the past six years.

Head coach Ben Mahoney said: “It’s been a big effort from the team where everyone has joined forces.

“In recent years we have improved our rugby at school and this is a reward for all the hard work of many coaches and players.”

Berkhamsted’s best wins came over Abingdon (54-0), Eton (43-0), Northampton School for Boys (54-19) and Haileybury (43-23). The only setback was a draw against Harrow, 10-10.

The Daily Mail Trophy Merit Table | The schools’ rugby website (schoolsrugby.co.uk)