Will Hunter's spectacular try is highlight as Wakefield's Queen Elizabeth Grammar School reach RFU Continental Tyres Cup semis

The Wakefield-based school defeated Ellesmere 14-12 in an enthralling encounter that could have just as easily gone the other way, with Cook's side forced to withstand significant pressure at times from their opponents, writes ​Mohamed Hamza.

But it would be QEGS that emerging victorious at the final whistle, not least courtesy of a superb try from full-back Will Hunter as he went coast-to-coast.

“It was one of the best tries I’ve seen since I’ve been at the school,” said the assistant director of sport.

"We had a scrum in our own 22 and obviously there’s a load of pressure on us and we played to clear out of our 22 when our 10 gets in, plays out the back and kicks long.

“Will has spotted a bit of space and took off from his own 22, went around their 13 through the gap between the winger and left himself in a one on one against their full-back where he went in and back out again and then ran in from our own 22. An outstanding try.

"On another day I feel they could’ve probably won but we took points when we could and they didn’t.

“They had a couple of shots at goal they missed and another chance to kick some points near the end of the game and they chose to go for a kick in the corner and a driving maul which we held out in the end and the game could’ve gone either way really.”

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 represent the best the game has to offer at schoolboy level.

A date with Warwick School in the semi-finals now awaits Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, with Cook relishing the chance to renew acquaintances with such a familiar foe.

He added: “Obviously you go into games to try and win them. For us we’ve got to take every game as it comes, I know that’s a bit of a cliche.

“I believe the draw has come out and we’re going to get Warwick in the semi-final at Aylesbury and we know them quite well.

“Over the past 10 years we’ve met at U15s level and U18s level numerous times at finals at Twickenham so they’re an old nemesis for us.

"For us for the rest of the competition is game by game. We can’t really look past Warwick cos they’re doing really well this far.”

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.