HEREFORD Cathedral School’s director of sport Richard Skyrme will be casting an anxious glance or two skywards over the next week.

The school’s Marches Sevens competition is set to take place on Sunday, February 24 and the Wyeside ground is currently holding up well.

“We don’t need any more very wet days like we had last Sunday, though,” said Skyrme.

“We are hoping and praying for a relatively dry week.”

The popular competition brings top schools and colleges from all over the country and this year will be no exception.

“Coleg Sir Gar, who are the holders, and Hartpury will be strong,” said Skyrme. “And Millfield will always be in the mix.

“But we have a very strong field - one or two schools are missing because it coincides with half-term but Brynteg are back in this year.”

The host school, who are in an initial group with Solihull, Bristol Grammar School and Cwm Rhymni, will nurture hopes of making progress in the competition.

“We will be stronger than we were last year,” said Skyrme. “But we have been hampered by the frozen and flooded pitches.

“We have been getting back into it, though, and we have been training hard.”

There will be 32 schools and colleges taking part, split into eight groups, with the action starting at 10.40am.

Wales international Garin Jenkins will be the guest speaker at a lunch on the day where tickets, at £30, are available by calling 07970 375874.

The finals in the respective competitions are scheduled to get under way around 4.45pm.