Quiz buffs shine to retain Eric Cunnell Cup

April 9, 2019

William, Alfie, Charlie and Gwyndaf were outstanding in the Junior Schools’ Challenge.

A team from Monmouth School for Boys retained the Eric Cunnell Cup after winning the local round of a keenly-contested inter-school general knowledge quiz.

William, Alfie, Charlie and Gwyndaf were outstanding throughout the South Wales and Borders section of the Junior Schools’ Challenge.

Schools’ Challenge is the national general knowledge competition for schools in the UK and uses the same quiz bowl rules as University Challenge. It was founded by Colin Galloway in 1978.

Monmouth School for Girls hosted the local round which included two teams of Year 7 and 8 pupils from the the girls, one from the boys and a mixed Haberdashers’ Monmouth Schools’ team.

Despite solid victories against Rougemont and Croesyceiliog in the heats, the girls’ teams narrowly missed out on a place in the semi-finals.

However, the boys’ and the mixed teams progressed with William, Alfie, Charlie and Gwyndaf then coming up against Hereford Cathedral School in the final.

Only a few points separated the two finalists after 20 minutes. However, the Monmouth boys then showed lightning speed on the buzzers to storm to a 400-230 triumph.

The team, captained by William, can now look forward to competing in the regional round of the Junior Schools’ Challenge after Easter.