The Chronicle January 2020

36 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

Rugby By Rob Cottrell, Master i/c Rugby

Ollie Corbett, William James and Ferdi van der Heiden in action for the 1st XV v Stowe

As a coach, one works tirelessly to develop the skills and techniques of players, watching them improve week after week, but it is a far tougher challenge to create a culture in which the players can thrive, in terms of both their hard skills on the pitch and their soft skills off it. The 1st XV have been exemplary here, embodying the values that we set during our pre-season camp, creating a bond and respect for each other that has been truly emotional and definitely the most profound seen in many years at Teddies. Whilst not necessarily a vintage year in terms of block fixture results, a 50% win ratio from 17 matches this season seems of little concern with such a positive ethos in the camp. An outstanding RFU National Vase run saw the team play five games on their way to a cruel 17-17 draw against Exeter School who went on to advance to the quarter finals on away team advantage, with outstanding victories against The Oratory and Gordon’s School along the way. The former match saw the team fight back from a 0-15 deficit to win the game in hideous conditions in the last stages with an incredibly well-worked team effort to move the ball from their own 22, with

captain Ferdi van der Heiden fittingly finishing it off with a try under the sticks. Other notable victories included Stowe, St Benedict’s and the season’s finale against Malvern, all games that were won with incredible team spirit and physical determination. Whilst it would be unfair to single out individuals given the strength of the collective effort, special mention must go to those who were awarded School Rugby Colours. Ferdi van der Heiden has been exceptional over the last two seasons, and has played every single minute of the past 32 games in the 1st XV which is an incredible feat in itself. His leadership and motivation have been truly inspirational, as have been his unbelievable work-rate and physical prowess on the pitch. Ferdi was ably assisted by Isaac Brennan as vice-captain; he came back from a broken leg after just six weeks to galvanise the team with lightning bursts of pace in the outside channels and rock-hard defence. Charlie Keen has been the ultimate stalwart in the front row alongside Gabriel Munro and together they have steamrolled opposition week after week. William James has been monumental

in the centre, winning and defending games almost single-handedly on occasion. Colts After a difficult first half of term where the Colts A played tough opponents, the boys performed well with wins against The Oratory and St Benedict’s and a draw against Uppingham. The St Benedict’s game was memorable for the way the boys offloaded like Fiji in the pouring rain. The Oratory game was another exciting one after the boys clawed back from a 0-17 deficit against a much larger opposition to win 21-17 with outstanding performances from Jake Ollerenshaw and Will Hearn. Of note this season: Simon Parkhouse for his tenacious running; Joseph Cairns for his tireless ball carrying; Ben Topping for his improving line-out throwing and breakdown work; Alex Horton for his excellent game management; and Andrew Rush for showing strong leadership by the end of the season. The Colts B have had a tough season having lost players to injuries and lots of promotions to the A team. For all that, however, there have been some stalwarts who have kept the team