Danske Bank Schools' Cup Semi Final Preview: Wallace High School

Ahead of the penultimate stage of the cup, we’re taking a closer look at each of the 4 teams in contention this season.

Campbell College v Wallace High School, Wed 2nd March, 2:30, Kingspan Stadium

Wallace High School are the current joint-holders of the Danske Bank Schools' Cup, after 2020's final with Royal School Armagh had to be cancelled due to Covid-19.

It would have been their 6th appearance in the final, after the previous five saw Wallace finish as runners-up.

In 2003, 2007, and 2015, they performed well in each appearance at Kingspan Stadium, but were beaten by RBAI.

2020 should have seen current Ulster scrum-half Nathan Doak play alongside his younger brother, loosehead Cameron, who's been involved with Ireland U19 training camps.

Doak has been impactful for Wallace in this season's Schools' Cup campaign, and it was his early try in the 4th round that sent them on their way to a win over Royal School Dungannon.

A penalty try extended the Wallace lead, and the boot of Matthew Halliday kept the scoreboard moving with 2 penalties.

Wallace closed out the game when Aaron Bailie touched down and Halliday added the extras to make it 27-7.

This win set up a meeting with Ballymena Academy in what proved to be one of the most closely-contested games of this year's competition.

The influential Cameron Doak scored twice for Wallace, with Halliday converting one of them to give Wallace a 12-7 win.

Ahead of their upcoming semi-final meeting with Campbell College, Wallace High School Director of Rugby Derek Suffern said: "Our performances have been inconsistent due to injuries and a large turnover of players. However, the players and coaching staff stuck to a hard fixture list and endured some tough results."

"There have been some massive learnings through defeats and this has led to performance improvements post Christmas."

"We have played two seeded teams in Royal School Dungannon and Ballymena Academy and our performances have been solid. The players have continued to work hard and improve while playing under cup rugby pressure."

"We have no stars this year and have a real hardworking team ethos."

"Campbell beat us comfortably back in September. They have good players and strong depth in their squad with a large number of representative players. They are well coached and well drilled."