St Edward's 150 Years - by Nicola Hunter

St Edward’s: 150 Years

Chapter 7 / Sport and Outdoors

Gabriel Lowe passing the ball while playing for the XV vs Rugby School, 2006.

Right (above): Rugby XV vs Wellington College, Upper One, 2000. Right (below): Oliver Hargreaves steering the Teddies XV driving maul on Upper One vs Stowe, 2007.

Below right: J. Forrester playing for Gloucester. Below left: The second unbeaten XV, 1975.

in the School’s history, 1968–98 with some gaps, and as such he was the School’s longest-serving coach, much admired and appreciated by his players and a wonderful writer in the Chronicle . Likewise Arthur Tilly was a long-serving, very emotional coach often at odds with his captain and needing the tactful intervention of his No 2, George Mallaby, to calm things down. Derek Henderson and Brian ‘Gusty’ Gale were also a very well-respected double act and successful in their own right as well. Each generation has its own favourites. There have been 30 young men who have either trialled for England, played for England or been capped internationally at rugby. The most recent, James Forrester (A, 1994–9), also known as ‘Jango’, won two caps in the 2002–3 season and probably only injury prevented him from going to the 2003 World Cup and winning more caps. This is a far cry from H.M. Ingledew (1877–94), who played for Cardiff and Wales. There

SOME RUGBY FACTS

the boys’ skills, decision making and tactical awareness. Now we train to beat the opposition at the basic skills. With the advent of professionalism in the game the Rugby Club has also moved with the times. A large number of the coaches within the School are professionally qualified at one level or another and there is a very high level of enthusiasm and dedication amongst the teachers involved. Physiotherapists and strength and conditioning coaches monitor the physical side of the game, and video analysis helps players reflect on their performances long after the final whistle has gone. Rugby flourishes beyond the School for St Edward’s pupils. In 1884 the OSE Rugby Club (later the Martyrs) formed and ever since has been providing rugby for OSE. Upper 1 has been the backdrop for numerous epic games that have illustrated the bravery, courage and passion of Teddies boys. For many the thrill of playing on Upper 1 to a packed crowd is still their proudest and most exhilarating rugby moment. The pitch, cared for by Bob Bowerman for nearly 40 years, is the envy of many schools, and when England trained here under Martin Johnson, Jonny Wilkinson remarked, ‘This is a good pitch.’ Rugby offers the pupils of St Edward’s more than just a game. It provides them with an opportunity to experience leadership, camaraderie, team work, pride and passion in the long-standing tradition of rugby at Teddies. Mark Hanslip Master in Charge of Rugby

was no World Cup in his day, though he was the first Teddies’ International rugby player. There has for a long time been a very favourable and amicable relationship with Oxford University Rugby Club and its light blue rival. Even to this day the Common Room has four former Blues and St Edward’s’ has contributed 33 players to the Varsity Rugby game at Twickenham over the years. As time has passed the ethos has changed from one of organisation and planned moves to developing and enhancing

1875: School XV adopted red andblue hooped shirts – caps with tassels to match! 1884: First OSE Rugby Club (later the Martyrs) formed. Based in London. 1893: First Senior Rugby Football Cup presented by Warden Hobson and his sisters to be competed for by senior boys in the Tutorial Sets. 1902: First Junior Rugby Football CuppresentedbyH.K. Richards KC for junior boys in the Tutorial Sets. 1911: Upper 1 procured for the School (freehold) 1913: Five OSE played for the all-conquering Harlequins XV including the captain Noel Hudson. In a match against the London Irish, the whole back line and the full back were OSE. 1924: First Oxford OSE Rugby Club formed. 1925:BoardingHousesreplaceTutorialSetsandbeginmanyeras of keenly contested House matches. 1936:FoundationofStEdward’sMartyrs,amalgamatingallsports under one banner. 1940: Adoption of Blue shirts, black shorts and yellow socks as 1st XV colours. 1960: Both 1st and 2nd XV go through a season undefeated – a record never surpassed. 1975: 1st XV undefeated. 1980: 1st XV win Douai Tournament for the first time.

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