Bicton College book AASE final place

Exeter Chiefs Academy base Bicton College will play in their first-ever AASE Final after they won 22-18 at home to St Paul’s Catholic College (London Irish AASE) in their last group game.

The two sides went into the game knowing the winners would end up in the final, which takes place at Saracens’ Allianz Park on Wednesday (5pm).

It was a tense and close-fought affair that saw both sides lead at various stages of a match superbly controlled by officials Simon Lane, Sara Cox and Premiershp official Luke Pearce.

Picton played up the slope and into a strong wind in the first half, but it was St Paul’s who dominated territory and led 15-0 at the break.

Bicton, however, hit back in the second half, scoring two quickfire tries from Louis Groves and Jed Kerkin. Fly-half Harvey Skinner converted the latter, as well as adding a penalty, to give the home side a 17-15 lead.

A superb 70-metre chase by Bicton winger Joe Clark prevented an interception try for the visitors, but a penalty in front of the posts did result in St Paul’s reclaiming their slender lead with just five minutes of the contest remaining.

Rob Gibson’s side, though, were far from finished and with one last throw of the dice, they claimed the match-winning score when Skinner’s clever cross-field kick found Josh Mackin to score.

It will be a third final in as many years for Bicton, who won the BCS Under-19 National competition in 2013 and the AASE Plate Final in 2014.

On Wednesday, though, they will face another stern test when they come up against Hartpury College, who have won every single AASE League since the competition’s inception.