JONNY Mason, director of sport at King’s School Worcester, insists today’s Daily Mail RBS Schools Under 18 Cup local derby at Royal Grammar School, Worcester (2.30pm), is not a dress rehearsal for the meeting between the arch-rivals two weeks later.

Around 4,000 spectators are expected at Sixways, the home of Aviva Premiership club Worcester Warriors, for the annual meeting between the city’s rival schools on November 28.

There will be only a fraction of that crowd at RGS’s Flagge Meadow ground for the third round Midlands meeting, but King’s have their sights set on another long cup run having reached the semi-finals last season before they were beaten by eventual losing finalists Old Swinford Hospital School.

“We feel that we have got a good squad again this year and, after the experience we had in the Daily Mail last season, we would like another good cup run,” Mason said.

“We would like to have as long a run as possible in the Daily Mail so there is no way that we are looking at this as a dress rehearsal for our match against RGS at Sixways later in the month.”

RGS first XV head coach Phil Evans admits his side will be the underdogs after King’s won the last meeting 34-6, but insists that is a tag they will relish.

He said: “Our season so far couldn’t have gone better as we’ve won seven games out of seven — we have a good group of players and this is their second year together.

“This season, we have over-turned some pretty big results against sides who beat us last year, so we are full of confidence, but King’s will be the favourites.

“Both teams have been playing some outstanding rugby, it’s just a shame we have to meet so early in the competition — it would have made for a great final.”

King’s have lost former captain Harry Nuttall as a player this season but his two back-row colleagues from last season are still available — George Jeavons-Fellows, who has played for Canada under 17s, and Andrew Boyce, who was recently named in the England under 18 training squad.

He also appeared for Worcester Warriors in their pre-season friendlies against Rotherham Titans and Plymouth Albion.