FELSTED School's First XV have made history after booking a spot at Twickenham for the Daily Mail Vase final.
They will become the first team from the independent school to play at Twickenham on March 23 after a narrow 31-27 win over St Ambrose College on Sunday.
Felsted raced into a 31-3 lead in the clash at Broadstreet RFC in Coventry, but ended up clinging on to seal their spot at the home of rugby by four points.
Director of Rugby Andrew Le Chevalier said: "It's a truly amazing feat for Felsted rugby.
"We've really tired to instill an expansive game, an exciting style of rugby. We go in there to use our strengths and play decent schoolboy rugby."
Felsted fell behind to an early penalty from their Manchester-based opponents, but led after 14 minutes when Max Malins dived over to score a try which he then converted.
Felsted continued to push forward and stunned their opponents with four more tries, coming from lock James Seager (2), wing Miles Singleton and centre Ben Latham, supported by the kicking of Malins and his brother Will.
But despite a sizeable deficit, St Ambrose refused to give up, and they narrowed the score with two tries early in the second half.
Alarm bells were well and truly ringing for Felsted when Seager was sin-binned 11 minutes from time – and St Ambrose took advantage to run in two more tries – both converted – and move to within another try of Felsted.
But that spurred the Essex school on and they held on to book their final berth.
Le Chevalier, a former Wasps player, added: "I've played there four times, so I know it's an emotional time for them.
"It's going to be an experience of a lifetime. But I'm sure some of these boys will step back on that field though, whether it's with Felsted, at University or as a professional."
Felsted will now take on Yarm in the final at Twickenham – and there could be yet more good news for the school this weekend when the U15 side travel to Broadstreet looking to book their place in their own final, which would make Felsted the first school to have two teams at the national finals of the competition.
