A legacy of opportunity, excellence and belonging
Rugby is the core boys sport of the Michaelmas term, with 13 teams (ranging from the U14Cs to the 1st XV) playing a very strong rugby fixture card throughout the Southeast. All boys are given the chance to represent the College. There is an open choice for rugby in the sixth form, and, typically 80 or more boys opt for rugby.
From Year 11 and beyond for those who wish to make rugby their sport of choice, provision is extended into the Lent term where we play fifteen, ten and seven a side version of the game. We also support those who wish to play rugby at the highest level through a year-round performance programme that supports aspirational rugby players on their journey. Players who aspire to reach the very top of their potential have gone on to represent sides at full international, premiership, championship, schoolboy international, schoolboy premiership, schoolboy divisional and county level. We support the whole range of the ability spectrum.
Staff
We are fortunate to have a team of highly skilled and experienced rugby coaches at the College, all of whom have RFU coaching qualifications ranging from Levels 2 to 4.
- Olly Torri – Director of Rugby. RFU Level 4 Coach. Worked within Harlequins DPP/PDG and RFU Performance Pathway at County and Divisional level.
- Jack Roberts – Performance Rugby Coach. RFU Level Three Coach. Worked within the Harlequins DPP programme. Coaches across all age ranges and offers 1-1 coaching with aspirational performers.
- Richard Siggs – 1st XV Rugby Coach. RFU Level Three coach. Former manager of the Harlequins Sussex DPP programme and RFU Performance Pathway, Chairman of Selectors and coach at County and Divisional level.
- Lee Gash – Sports Performance Coach, RFU Level 2 Rugby Coach
- Freddie Clarke – RFU Level 2 Rugby Coach and former Sports Scientist for Edinburgh Rugby
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Tim Holgate – RFU Level 2 Rugby Coach and Former RFU Development Coach
Alongside coaching, our player welfare programme is of the highest priority. We have physio provision twice a week during the season (and weekly in Lent and summer terms) and at home grounds every Saturday. We also have two paramedics, a rapid-response vehicle and staff who help deliver support to all our pitches. We also connect the physio to our Medical Centre and our Head of Athletic Development, in our state-of-the-art gym, for any rehabilitation required from injury as well as delivering necessary athletic programmes for specific rugby development. We have a Mind Gym run by Mr Roberts available with external sports psychology support.
Recent Successes
- 1st XV reached the final of the NatWest Bowl at the Stone X Stadium (2022)
- 1st VII reach semi-final groups in Rosslyn Park 7s (2017), quarter-finals (2016, 2019, 2022)
ALUMNI
- Jack Greig (Wargrave) – Harlequins U18
- Wilf Batham – Read (Powell) – Harlequins U18
- Oliver Wigman (Powell) – Canada U18
- Theo Bevaqua (Pennell) – Cardiff Blues, Wales U20
- Will Green (Gonville) – England, Wasps, Leinster
- Seb Nagle-Taylor (Gonville) – England 7s, Saracens, Gloucester, Jersey Reds
- Piers O’Conor (Gonville) – England, Bristol, Wasps, Ealing Trailfinders, Ireland U19
- Hugo Southwell (Wargrave) – Scotland, Wasps
- Maurice Trapp (Gonville) – former New Zealand RFU President 2017 – 2019
