St Edward's 150 Years - by Nicola Hunter

St Edward’s: 150 Years

Chapter 7 / Sport and Outdoors

Below: The 1988 Rugby XV – A. Conner and P. Rawson.

RUGBY The St Edward’s Rugby Club has provided the pupils of the School with an opportunity to train and play rugby against some of the best schools, Oxford colleges, an array of Old Boys XVs, Invitation XVs (which often included Internationals and Blues) and local adult clubs. The first game was in 1872 against Cowley College, a military school, and was won by one goal and one touchdown to nothing. 1874 was the first recorded game against another peer school, and that was also a game we won by one goal to one touchdown. In those days the scoring of a try afforded you the opportunity to ‘try’ for a goal. The process of kicking the goal was more significant than the try – how times have

changed. Kenneth Grahame, author of The Wind in the Willows , was a member of the School XV in 1874 and was the first of numerous famous OSE to play for the School. These include Sir Douglas Bader, who was a formidable sportsman, tenacious and determined. Ben Ryan coached the XV from 1988 to 2003 in a very successful period for the School. Ben is, at the time of writing, the England 7s coach, and his creative and maverick style is very much a hallmark of the England 7s team, as it was of the St Edward’s XV during his tenure. Although the XV currently play in royal blue ‘peacock’ shirts, in 1875 the XV adopted red and blue hooped shirts and had caps with tassels to match! It wasn’t until the 1940 season that the XV adopted the royal blue shirts that are now so synonymous with the St Edward’s XV. In the early years of the Rugby Club it mostly played against Oxford colleges. These were often very hard, uneven contests against much larger players. Rugby was essentially quite localised. Initially it meant that different forms of the game were played by different clubs and schools. It was not until the formation of the Rugby Football Union on 26 January 1871 that the national governing body produced a set of rules and regulations to govern the

game, although it did take some time for these rules to find their way to all the rugby-playing schools in the country. The 1872 School XV played three matches that we know of and won them all. The 1875 School XV fared equally well. In 1960 the XV recorded ten wins and one draw and in that season the 2nd XV were unbeaten, thus being the only time in the School’s history that the 1st XV and 2nd XV have both gone unbeaten. In 1975 the XV won all their nine games with wins over the following sides: Old Dragons, Bedford, Marlborough College, Abingdon, Harrow, Wellington College, Oundle, Radley and Pangbourne. This side, captained by R.A. Wilson, was the last unbeaten team, but we hope there will soon be another. The 1996 XV (captain N. Obolensky) and 1997 XV (captain J.F.A. Lawrence) both partly coached by J. McPartlin, won the most matches ever in a season, both winning 16 of the 19 matches played (some on tour). The 1996 XV scored the most points ever in a season, 630, and the 1980 XV (captain N.A. Friend) played the most matches in a season, 20, of which they won 15 and drew one. The XV have had a number of very knowledgeable and talented coaches. Joe McPartlin was undoubtedly a key coach

Top:Earlyseasonrugbymatchbetweenthe School and theMartyrs on the Lower Fields in1982.PeterMallalieu,theHousemasterof Apsley (1981–92), is the referee standing at the end of the line out. Above: A St Edward’s player dives to secure the ball vs Wellington College, 1957. Left: The 1932 Rugby XV in action.

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