BY THE end of the month a school rugby team could be within touching distance of a national cup final.

Colfe's School, Horn Park Road, Lewisham, beat Dartford Grammar School 29-12 last month to reach the final 16 of the Daily Mail under-15s Cup Competition.

On January 26 the original entry list of around 500 schools will be whittled down to just eight and Colfe's are playing Epsom College for one of those highly prized spots.

Should Colfe's under-15s, who are unbeaten in three years, reach the final on April 5 they will grace Twickenham somewhere the school's director of sports knows well.

John Gallagher starred in New Zealand's All Blacks from 1986 to 1989, playing 41 matches, scoring 251 points and winning a World Cup medal in 1987 aged just 23.

Now the 41-year-old, who lives in Eltham, has a new band of players beneath him and he is quick to deflect any congratulations aimed at himself on to the team.

He said: "We have about 70 boys we can pick the team from and we have been lucky to have so many quality players among them.

"Outside of school the boys play in teams for Blackheath and Sidcup so there is a lot of healthy rivalry which has built an excellent team spirit.

"Success builds on success and we're fortunate to have very supportive coaches and parents."

Gallagher, who, save for two years playing with Harlequins, has been at the school since 1994, singled out team coach Simon Gent for special praise.

He said: "Simon has worked with the team for two years and he is representative of the great set of coaches we have here.

"A lot of credit should go to him as we're taking on and beating some big grammar schools who have as many as 300 boys to choose from."

To reach this stage of the Daily Mail Cup organised by the England Rugby Football Schools' Union Colfe's beat Dulwich College 24-13, St Dunstan's College 53-0, St Olaves Grammar School 15-3 and St Bede's School in Sussex 32-6 before meeting Dartford in round four.

In between times Colfe's beat Tonbridge-based Judd School 36-5 to claim the Kent Cup so maybe the All Black has instilled some of his winning ways into the team.

Gallagher said: "I try and make the sport as fun and relaxing as possible for the boys.

"Rugby is not rocket science and we have been lucky with quality coaches and players."

The father of two boys Alex, 13, and Matt, nine, who both play their father's sport has a illustrious career from which to draw words of wisdom but what are the highlights?

He said: "Winning the 1987 World Cup was probably the biggest one.

"I had left Lewisham in 1984 and three years later was jettisoned onto the world stage with arguably one of the most successful sides in All Black history.

"In my four seasons with the team we won 40 and drew only once, against Australia, and there are so many highlights it was fantastic."

The centre added: "The All Blacks have been so dominant because rugby is their sport.

"They have the enthusiasm and genetics and can choose from a wide base of south east islanders, as well as one Lewisham boy.

"The whole New Zealand set up is rugby orientated and it dominates every aspect of society. If you look at Brazil and football it will give you an idea about New Zealand and rugby. "