Enniskillen Royal will travel to Belfast this Saturday hoping to secure a place in the quarter final of the Schools’ Cup.

The Fermanagh side topped their group in the league phase of the competition and have been rewarded with a last 16 tie against Grosvenor Grammar School.

Captain Robbie Mills was delighted to have missed the tournament big guns, and he is hopeful they can extend their unbeaten run in the competition.

“It’s the Schools’ Cup so everyone is determined to be on top form,” said Robbie.

“It was one of the better draws we could have had. We managed to miss the top six teams and now we are going to go in and prepare the same way that we would have for any team, and hopefully go up to Belfast and get the win.”

The captain’s confidence has been boosted by the team’s form this season.

They emerged unbeaten from their School’s Cup group and have also claimed some illustrious scalps in recent months.

“It has been a strong year right from the beginning and we have had a few good results,” said Robbie.

“The first schools cup game against Portadown when we won 83-0 was good and we were very up for that game.

“The result against Campbell down in Enniskillen as well. It’s the first time we have had a fixture against them in a long time so that was good. Against the strong RBAI we got the win against them up in Belfast and that doesn’t happen that often.

“Every result we are just trying to pick out a couple of things to work on and get better for the next week. We have been working hard from early on and that has been carried on right through the Christmas break and into the last couple of months.

“We are just trying to fine tune a couple of things and maintain the strength and conditioning we have done.”

Grosvenor will bring an unfamiliar challenge for Enniskillen and Robbie acknowledges they are an unknown quantity.

“I have never played Grosvenor during my whole time at the school,” he admitted.

“I don’t know anything at all about them, and the last time we played was when Portora played them in the final of the bowl.

“They finished second in their group behind Sullivan who are a very strong side, and they qualified into the last 16 as one of the best runners up. Other than that we don’t know a lot about them.”

Regardless of what the opposition can throw at them, Enniskillen’s inside centre believes they have strength in all areas of the pitch to combat whatever Grosvenor throw at them.

“Our pack would be smaller than some of the big schools but they work very, very hard and if they are not going to be able to go through them then they will try to go around them. Callum Smyton at number eight is very talented, but we have the strength out wide as well to try to stretch teams to try to get through them.”

The game kicks off at Grosvenor at 11am on Saturday, and the team are hoping a large travelling support will be there to cheer them on.

“It’s going to be harder having to play away from home because those big schools will have a lot of support, but hopefully we will have a big support as well,” said Robbie.

“It definitely makes a difference. For the previous schools cup games there was always big support and it gives you a bit of a lift. If you are doing well and you are on the front foot it gives you the momentum and maybe if they can give us a bit of support and do us some favours on the day.”

Victory would take the school into the last eight, and Robbie is hoping they can make 2020 a memorable season.

“We are always dreaming that this year might be the year, especially for me and the boys in Upper Sixth. It’s the last bit of schools rugby we are going to play and we are trying to get as far as we can and do everyone proud that has supported us.”