In a storming first-half at Aylesbury RFC, St. George’s scored two well-worked tries to lead 12-8 against King’s School, Gloucester at the break, an advantage they extended to 17-11 soon after the restart.
But a late fightback from their opponents saw the Surrey outfit fall to a late 23-17 defeat following two late tries to deny them a chance to play at the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham.
“I’m devastated for the boys. They’ve put so much time and effort into this cup run. It’s been fantastic for them,” said former England international Johnston.
“We gave a good account of ourselves on the pitch and to come so close is obviously heartbreaking for them.
“But I’m really proud of what they’ve done and what they’ve put into this season.”
It was a journey that started long before this isolated cup run, with the squad first beginning to gel when they joined the school in year seven.
Johnston believes that bond that will be the biggest takeaway from the competition, despite just falling short of a place at Allianz Stadium.
“It started when they were U12 and they have become such a tight unit over the last seven years,” he added.
“They’ve been so welcoming of the lower sixth, and in turn, they’ve complemented the upper sixth. As a group, they’re so tight.
“The journey’s been brilliant for them. They enjoy each other’s company. They enjoy getting on the pitch and playing rugby together.
“For me, that’s what rugby’s about. There’s always going to be a winner and a loser. It’s how you deal with those setbacks.”
The RFU Continental Tyres Cup is foundational to age-grade rugby in England, enabling students from across the country to compete against one another and the best the game has to offer at schoolboy level.
Despite narrowly missing out on the opportunity of playing at the home of rugby, St. George’s got their own taste of a neutral venue in front of strong travelling support in Aylesbury, as well as England star George Furbank.
“[Playing on 4G] is great, especially this time of year. It suits us. We try and play an expansive game,” said Johnston.
“The boys have loved playing here and they’ve been looking forward to this for a long, long time.”
The Continental Tyres Schools Cup is an important part of the age-grade rugby landscape in England, with schools’ rugby often where players fall in love with the game for the first time. For more information visit the Continental Tyres Schools Cup section of the England Rugby Website
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