Sullivan Upper v Down High School
Saturday 24 January, kick-off 10.00am, Sullivan Upper School
Sullivan Upper enters the Schools’ Cup as a seeded side with high aspirations, looking to build on their impressive run last season where they progressed deep into the competition before being edged out in a quarter-final thriller. While they bypassed the group stages, Sullivan has remained sharp through a challenging fixture list, including notable early-season performances against top-tier opposition. They face a formidable Down High School team that dominated Group B with a perfect record, racking up 143 points and conceding only 27 across four matches. Down High will be eager to prove their clinical group-stage form can translate to the knockout rounds, while Sullivan will look to use their fresh legs and tournament pedigree to secure a place in the quarter-finals. This clash sets the stage for a compelling encounter between Sullivan’s tactical structure and Down High’s significant match sharpness.
Royal School Armagh v Wallace HS
Saturday 24 January, kick-off 10.30am, Royal School Armagh
In a highly anticipated highlight of the Round of Sixteen, Royal School Armagh and Wallace High School meet in a blockbuster clash that serves as a direct repeat of last year’s Schools’ Cup final. As top seeds, both sides bypassed the group stages, entering the competition this weekend with fresh legs and the weight of high expectations. This fixture offers Armagh an immediate opportunity for revenge after falling just short in last year’s decider, while the defending champions, Wallace, will be determined to prove their clinical edge remains sharp as they begin their quest to retain the trophy. With no group-stage form to separate them, this encounter rests on which side can best handle the immense pressure of a cup final atmosphere in the very first knockout round.
RBAI v Coleraine Grammar School
Saturday 24 January, kick-off 10.30am, RBAI
RBAI enters the competition at the Round of Sixteen stage, bringing their storied history and pedigree in the Schools’ Cup to this knockout encounter. They meet a battle-ready Coleraine GS side that progressed as winners of Group D, having finished the group stages as the highest-scoring team in their pool with 110 points. Coleraine displayed impressive versatility throughout the autumn, bouncing back from a narrow defeat to Friends' School to secure a dominant 35–13 win over Larne GS in the final rounds. While RBAI will look to utilise their fresh legs and tournament experience, Coleraine will aim to leverage their significant match sharpness and the scoring threat they developed during a successful group campaign to secure a place in the quarter-finals.
Friends' School Lisburn v Methodist College Belfast
Saturday 24 January, kick-off 10.30am, Friends' School Lisburn
Friends’ School Lisburn heads into this weekend’s Round of Sixteen having shown immense tactical discipline to progress from a tightly contested Group D, where they secured three gritty victories including a standout 19–14 win over Coleraine GS. Their campaign was defined by their ability to win close games under pressure, epitomized by a narrow 9–7 victory over Enniskillen Royal GS that ensured their advancement to the knockout stages. They face the ultimate Schools' Cup litmus test in Methodist College, who enter the competition at this stage as one of the top seeds and perennial heavyweights of the tournament. While Methody brings a reputation for expansive rugby and a history of success in the final rounds, Friends’ School will be hoping their battle-hardened defensive resilience, which saw them concede only 55 points in the group stages, can cause a major upset against the Belfast giants.
Belfast Royal Academy v Campbell College
Saturday 24 January, kick-off 10.30am, Roughfort
Campbell will be looking to redeem last year’s result after failing to make it out of the Round of Sixteen after losing out to rivals RBAI, in a very close 17-19 game. Campbell have had a strong start to the season, with strong performances against sides like Sullivan, Methodist College and BRA. BRA will be up for the challenge on the back of a successful performance in last year’s cup, making it to the semi-final to be pipped to the post by Wallace, who went on to win last year’s cup.
Royal School Dungannon v Rainey Endowed School
Saturday 24 January, kick-off 10.30am, RS Dungannon
Royal School Dungannon enters the Round of Sixteen in formidable form, having swept Group C with a perfect four-win record and a powerful offense that racked up 116 points. Their resilience was tested in a narrow 16–14 victory over Portadown College, but they proved their clinical edge by finishing the group stages with a dominant 36–16 win against Banbridge Academy. They face a Rainey Endowed side that secured their spot as runners-up in Group B, showing great character to bounce back from a defeat against Down HS to edge out Limavady GS 20–17 in a crucial late-season clash. While Dungannon holds the momentum of an unbeaten run, Rainey’s balanced performances and ability to win tight games away from home suggest they will be a significant threat in what promises to be a high-intensity knockout encounter.
Regent House School v Ballyclare High School
Saturday 24 January, kick-off 10.30, Regent House School
Ballyclare High School will look to carry the momentum of topping Group A into this weekend’s clash, having showcased a potent attack that averaged nearly 37 points per game. Despite their high-scoring form, they face a significant psychological hurdle in Regent House, who handed Ballyclare their only defeat of the competition so far with a clinical 26–10 victory in November. Regent House enters the Round of 16 on the back of a disciplined group stage campaign defined by the best defensive record in the pool, conceding only 67 points across four matches. While Ballyclare holds the higher seeding, Regent’s previous head-to-head success sets the stage for a physical and tightly contested rematch with a quarter-final spot on the line.
Ballymena Academy v Portadown College
Saturday 24 January, kick-off 10.30, Ballymena Academy
Ballymena Academy enters the competition as a top-seeded side with high expectations, having consistently reached the final stages of the Schools’ Cup in recent years. They begin their campaign with a home draw against a resilient Portadown College side that navigated a challenging Group C to secure their place in the knockout rounds. Portadown proved their mettle by pushing unbeaten group winners RS Dungannon to the limit in a narrow 14–16 defeat and securing a vital high-scoring victory over Dalriada. While Ballymena Academy will look to exert their clinical efficiency and tournament experience from the outset, Portadown College will be hoping that their hard-fought group-stage battle and the confidence gained from their offensive performances can help them cause an upset in this Round of Sixteen clash.