Watch: Campbell College v RBAI – Schools Cup Rugby 2026 Final

The schools cup rugby 2026 final pits Campbell College against RBAI on St Patrick’s Day at Affidea Stadium (Ravenhill), a match that featured multiple tries, conversions and a late penalty swing as the two Belfast rivals renewed their rivalry.

How The Final Unfolded

Campbell started quickly with James Wells scoring after a break created by Rus Lovo. The contest stayed open and physical: Campbell took the lead when David Nelson crashed over from a maul and Jack Best converted, while Adam Millar later raced over to level the scores following slick passing from RBAI.

RBAI moved ahead at the break, and Cian McClean crossed for two tries in the match, with Charlie O’Connor converting on at least one occasion. A penalty from Charlie Connor put RBAI back ahead in front of the posts at a later stage. Rus Lovo again created space that allowed Harry Wells to score, a score that was shown making it 19-19 in the coverage, and Jack Best landed a tricky conversion to level the game earlier on. At one point a Cian McClean try was initially ruled out before he crossed and the conversion was taken.

Where To Watch: Schools Cup Rugby 2026

The final is held on St Patrick’s Day, on Tuesday, March 17, at Affidea Stadium (Ravenhill). The game will be shown live on iPlayer and Sport NI website. Fans searching for schools cup rugby 2026 coverage can access full match footage and highlights on those platforms.

Repeat Stakes: The Rivalry And Recent Meeting

This meeting is a repeat of the 2023 decider when RBAI beat Campbell 20-17, adding extra edge to a final already rich in momentum swings and key individual scores in this edition.

Expect live coverage and highlight packages to capture the key moments listed above, including the early Campbell break, Nelson’s maul try, McClean’s double score, the late penalty and Harry Wells’s 19-19 score shown in match coverage.