TWO Stonyhurst pupils have helped the Irish Exiles' to an impressive victory over the newly formed Independent Schools Barbarians.

Phil Leonard from Longridge and Patrick Clancy from Berkshire, both six formers at the Clitheroe school, helped the Exiles to a 38-0 victory at Harrow School.

Outside centre Leonard played the full game and scored the second try of the match while flanker Clancy came on off the bench.

Both have represented Lancashire.

The Exiles players are drawn from state and independent schools from all over the UK. They were invited to be the first opponents of the Independent Schools Barbarians - a new organisation which was the brain-child of Roger Uttley, the former British & Irish Lion, who wanted to widen the opportunities for all young rugby players.

"It was a feather in their cap for the boys to be selected to play for the Irish Exiles and quite a coup for them to win so decisively," said Stonyhurst College Admissions and Marketing Manager Jonathan Hewat.

Now the pair will be trying to help Stonyhurst progress in the Daily Mail Schools Under 18s Cup.

Stonyhurst are in to the last 16 of the national tournament thanks largely to a summer team bonding tour to Australia - further evidence of the benefits of that well-established touring tradition.

"I would say we are probably over-achieving at the moment and this is a direct result of a three-week trip to Australia in the summer," says Master in Charge of Rugby, Simon Charles. "We played in Singapore, Cairns, Brisbane and Sydney and it was a great trip in every respect.

"We are a team without superstars, but with no weaknesses.

"They have a good work ethic and they are very fit. They are a credit to themselves and to team sport."

With only two defeats in 14 matches this season - 13-19 at home to Sedbergh and 18-17 at Bradford Grammar - Stonyhurst are enjoying one of their better campaigns, while success in the Daily Mail competition has been an added bonus.

"We only entered for the first time at Under 18 level last season and were beaten by St Ambrose College," said Charles. "Prior to that we felt that Cup games might interfere too much with our traditional fixture format and our coaching time.

"But we then decided that the lads would benefit from meeting the new teams and different venues that the Cup offers."

A 41-8 win at Ermysted's Grammar School, Skipton, winners of the Under 18 Vase last season, was followed by a 12-0 victory at home to Wilmslow High, beaten Vase finalists in 2007.

"The satisfying aspect of the Wilmslow win was the fact that we managed it in conditions that didn't suit us." added Charles. "We'd beaten Ampleforth comfortably in our previous game playing a expansive, running game, but we showed against Wilmslow that we can adapt."

Form lines are notoriously unreliable, but with RGS Newcastle having been beaten 19-13 by Sedbergh in Cumbria, an interesting tussle seems assured.

The North East team have also been beaten only twice this season - by Sedbergh and 22-10 at Barnard Castle - so the statistics point to a decent contest.