Uppingham School’s under-18s side deserve their place in history despite defeat in the Continental Tyres Schools Cup final, according to director of rugby Ian Smith.

Smith, who previously taught at Uppingham in the 1980s and 90s before returning to the school last year, presided over his side’s narrow 15-7 defeat to Newman College in the under-18s Plate final.

Roared on by huge swathes of support, Uppingham came close to a titanic victory but Smith insists they had already done their school proud.

“You can see what it means to the school,” he said. “The headmaster kindly allowed if not the whole school, virtually the whole school to come down and that support helped the boys through the semi-final.

“They were the 16th man in the semi-final and we held a very powerful Newman’s side to 5-0 at half time with them having created several chances that we all would have expected them to take.

“Then to come out and pound the line and creep into the lead was fantastic. They exerted that extra bit of size and weight and secured victory ultimately but I, like all Uppinghamians, are exceptionally proud of what they’ve achieved.”

Despite a well-worked try for full-back Ben Bowman, Smith’s side were eventually overcome by Newman’s superior size and power.

But the departing first XV have already secured their place in school folklore.

“The headmaster informed the school in chapel the other day that this is the first rugby final Uppingham have been in since Rosslyn Park in 1941,” said Smith, who has previously coached England age-grade teams.

“I say to many different generations that the experiences they have at schools like Uppingham and in school rugby is second to none.

“My sons all played first teams at their schools and when they return to their schools they have hairs on the back of their neck. Lewis Moody will tell you his school rugby days were the best days of his life and he won a World Cup.

“The boys had various messages of support sent to them from Old Uppinghamians and some rugby greats which they were particularly pleased to receive. I think it will be a while before it all sinks in for some of the boys.”

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