The pitches on the day of the cancelled Cheam fixture…. Thankfully looking much healthier today!
Tomorrow we have a block fixture with Cothill, near Abingdon.
At home are the U13 A (Year 8), all the Colts (Year 6) playing across four teams in straight fixtures and all Under 9s (Year 4) in a festival format with Cothill’s single team.
Away at Cothill is the U12 A & B (Year 7) rugby. Also away are all the Foals (Year 5) – please note there are three teams A, B and C at Cothill with another B team at a festival at Oakwood School near Chichester.
Also to note, the hockey 1st and 2nd VIIs (all Year 8) are playing Cothill at Radley College. It will be best to use the Kennington Gate entrance which is just a couple of hundred metres to the right of the main entrance.
With Games sessions tomorrow and collection from 1530 is touch rugby (seniors).
On Thursday starting at 1330, the Under 8 and 9 A teams are in a festival at Boundary Oak School, near Fareham.
On Saturday morning, teams of runners in Years 3-6 are competing at Stroud School, Romsey. There is still space if your son would like to volunteer to run in a B level race (mixed ability, enthusiastic participants) at Stroud on Saturday 18th March, please contact Mr Short. Confirmation candidates or Chamber Choir members can’t run, unfortunately. Please see SchoolPost letter of 3rd March here for further details. B runners who have already applied are published on SOCS.
On Saturday afternoon, we are holding our junior (Years 4 & 5) and senior (Years 6-8) Inter-Set Touch Rugby competitions. The junior event is from 1300-1400 and the seniors from 1415-1515. Following both tournaments, there is parents’ match tea served in the Octagon whilst you wait for your young players to shower and change before signing out for the weekend.
On Monday afternoon, cross-country runners compete at Farleigh School, starting at 1330. For each year group racing commences at: Year 3 Boys: 2.30pm; Year 4 Boys: 2.50pm; Year 5 Boys: 3.10pm; Year 6 Boys: 3.30pm; Year 7 Boys: 3.50pm; Year 8 Boys: 4.10pm.
Our Years 5 to 8 year group series of water polo meetings with Twyford came to an end yesterday evening with the Year 8 A & B teams.
It’s been good to keep in touch with the sport whilst we continue to wait for the College development to complete, and all players have adapted well. Here’s a clip of Olympic highlights – the athleticism of these players is quite something. Look how high the players get out of the water to shoot or defend and try and spot the eggbeater leg kick – alternating leg movement – to help achieve that.
Also, the men’s World Cup is on at the moment… see here.
Match Reports
Wednesday 8 March
Cheam fixtures cancelled due to snow
Wednesday 1 March
Foals B VIII vs Boundary Oak
Won
An excellent afternoon of rugby where both teams offered an attacking feast of running rugby. The passing and speed of the game was a step up from previous weeks and both teams gave an excellent account of themselves. The defensive structure of both teams was evidently strong and as such, the game was a delight to referee and watch. Pilgrims’ running was to prove the decisive factor and while the score appeared one-sided it did not reflect the effort of an excellent afternoon. TWR
Foals All Blacks VIII vs Boundary Oak
Draw 10-10
We arrived at Boundary Oak with clear intent to play some good rugby. We focused on what we could focussing on a simple game plan - using speed and agility. There were some great pieces of play involving the whole team. It was neck and neck the whole game, finishing with a hard-fought 10-10 draw. BC
1st VII at FSM before half-term.
Let’s hope the sunshine holds for tomorrow.
Cross-Country News
Hampshire County Championships
Having five Year 7 runners qualify for this event was an outstanding achievement in itself. Sadly, Edward B could not participate due to a football injury. The other boys ran excellently in a tough field of 100. Arthur H, Bertie W and Olly P placed well, and Fraser N ran his absolute socks off to come in 16th with the chance to qualify for the National Championships.
Our only Year 8 to qualify got off to a cracking start and was leading for half of his first lap before settling into second, having a battle between 3rd and 2nd until he showed his strength to pull away to clearly secure 2nd place and within striking distance of the winner. This makes Seb the 2nd best runner in the whole of Hampshire! An incredible achievement!!
We wish him well as he progresses to yet another National final this time at U14. Next Saturday he represents Hampshire at a national level in the club version of the National Championships (U15) and the weekend after he races in Nottingham at the English School's National Championships (U15).
STOP PRESS: Sebastian was the first placed Hampshire runner to finish at his first National Championships of the closing weeks of term, in 7th place – a fantastic achievement. Well done Seb and good luck in Nottingham!
Andrew Short
Director of Sport
