More than 1,100 schools have swelled the entry for the Daily Mail Schools Rugby Cup to a record high.

Last week saw the start of this season's competitions for all those with lofty hopes of making the final at Twickenham on

April 1. The finalists will be anything but fools to make the U15 and U18 showpieces, by which time they will have hurdled eight rounds to claim their place at rugby's headquarters.

There were mixed fortunes for west London schools in the first round.

Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School, West Kensington, were decimated 50-0 by St Paul's, Barnes, in the U18 competition.

Their U15 fared no better failing to make it past the first round, easily dispatched by Merchant Taylors School from Northwood, 7-37.

Latymer Upper School, Hammersmith, came out of the competition in slightly better shape with their U18 side defeating Isleworth & Syon School 26-12 to set up a tie with St Benedict's School, Ealing.

Unfortunately, the Latymer U15 side also went out in round one against Teddington

School losing heavily 7-47. London Oratory School, Fulham, managed to get both of their sides through comfortably.

The U18 thrashed The American School in London 50-0, while the U15s learnt from Cardinal Vaughan's mistakes and beat Merchant Taylors 32-10.