The King Edward’s School 1st XV rugby team has secured their place in the Continental Tyres Schools Cup U18 Vase Final, a momentous occasion for the school and its talented players.
The final will see King Edward’s School take on King’s School, Gloucester at Twickenham, the home of English rugby, with kick-off at 1pm.
KES has not been to a Twickenham final since 1993, when the U15s secured victory in the Daily Mail Cup Final, making this week’s match all the more eagerly anticipated as the boys prepare to represent their school and city in the UK’s most prestigious school rugby competition.
The team’s journey to the final has been nothing short of outstanding, with their most recent victory coming in the semi-final when they secured a 47 – 24 win over Ampleforth College at Aylesbury Rugby Club on Saturday 1 March.
Hundreds of pupils, staff, parents, governors and Old Edwardians are now preparing to journey south to the Allianz Stadium (Twickenham) on Thursday 13 March to cheer the team on.
The strength of the rugby programme at King Edward’s School is reflected in the number of players playing the sport, as well as those earning representative honours at regional and national levels. Multiple pupils in the current 1st XV squad have been selected for both Gloucester U16 and Coventry U18 academies.
George Adams, Head of Rugby at KES, who will become the school’s Director of Sport in September, said: “Reaching the U18 Vase Final at Twickenham is a testament to the hard work, dedication and talent of our players and committed coaching staff. This squad has shown incredible resilience and teamwork throughout the season, and I couldn’t be prouder of what they have achieved. It’s also fantastic to see so many of our boys gaining representative honours at regional and national levels, showcasing the strength of rugby at King Edward’s. We can’t wait for the final and are excited to see the whole school community get behind the team.”
Rugby at KES is played by all year groups throughout the two winter terms with up to 18 sides competing against Midlands schools each Saturday. Every week up to five U12 XVs, three U13 XVs and two from each of the subsequent years are fielded. This means that there is a great opportunity for all to participate and over 200 school fixtures per season. The school has five pitches on South Field, immediately in front of the school buildings, and a 1st XV pitch at its Eastern Road playing fields. Biennial rugby tours have taken pupils to recent destinations including Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa.
