JUST 80 minutes stand between St Peter's School, York, and an historic trip to the home of English rugby, writes Tony Curtis.

The school's rugby team travel down to the Rugby Football Union's development centre at Castlecroft, Birmingham, today before lining up for the crunch semi-final of the Daily Mail Schools Under-15s Rugby Cup tomorrow.

But before the 22-strong squad can start dreaming about following in the footsteps of Martin Johnson and Jonny Wilkinson and running out on to the famed Twickenham turf, they must first deal with Millfield School, from Street in Somerset.

St Peter's have proved to be one of the form teams in the competition, with their ability to grind out results proving vital in the latter stages of the prestigious event.

"We are quietly confident we'll perform," said director of sport Mike Johnson. "Millfield are a well-known sports school, but we are confident.

"I don't think the occasion will sink in until after the match - when they have either won or lost.

"Everyone wants to play at Twickenham, it is a defining moment."

On their arrival in Birmingham, the boys will have a light run out at Castlecroft to help them adapt to the pitch and to calm the nerves.

The party will then stay overnight in a hotel, before returning to Castlecroft to watch the second half of the first semi-final and then prepare for their match which kicks off at 1pm.

This is the second time the school have reached this stage and they will look to exorcise the ghost of that defeat.

However, cruel disappointment has struck one of the St Peter's squad.

Joseph Bucklow has had to withdraw from the original 22 to travel with injury. He is replaced by Jamie Knox.

Pictued: St Peters School Under-15s from left to right (back) Maurice Montieth, Thomas Woolsey, Alastair MacLeod, Jason Burton, Rory Robertson, Ben Hough, Jake Troughear; (middle) Robin Johnson, Peter Stower, Michael Miller, James Pang, Marcus Denison, Peter Whackett, Will Butler, Eddie Hilling; (front) Mark Jagger, John Ramsden, Richard Thomas, Mick Morris (capt), Andrew Slingsby, Duncan Watt and Charlie Parry

Updated: 12:00 Friday, March 08, 2002