Historic Hat-trick for Wellington College’s First XV

20 Jan 2017

A superb season from the First XV has ensured that the Daily Mail Schools Trophy – the premier schoolboy rugby competition in the UK – has been claimed by Wellington College for the third year in a row.

A superb season from the First XV has ensured that the Daily Mail Schools Trophy – the premier schoolboy rugby competition in the UK – has been claimed by Wellington College for the third year in a row. Played over the entire Michaelmas Term in league format, the Daily Mail Schools Trophy features the very best rugby schools in the UK with Wellington’s fixture list arguably as tough as, or tougher than any other school in the country. This was a fitting end not just to an outstanding season for the boys but also for First XV coach, Kevin Brennan, who now emigrates to Australia to become Housemaster at Scotch College. Kevin has been instrumental in the team’s success and has produced arguably some of the best back-lines ever seen on the UK school-boy circuit. He will be sorely missed.

The College’s only loss in early October – an agonizing 14-15 defeat away at Whitgift – served to galvanize the spirit of the side who then went on to win nine games in a row, including victories over Millfield (35-17), Sherborne (53-7), Dulwich (32-0), Cranleigh (31-8) and St Paul’s (30-13). The match against Harrow – a 19-20 away win – has been described by many who saw it as the best schoolboy game of the 2016 season. The final tally of 12 wins from 13 matches is made even more remarkable by the fact that two-thirds of this year’s fixtures were played away from home.

Wales U18 winger, Dylan Moss, had a superb season and was the side’s top scorer, but captain Josh Basham and vice-captain Ben Loader were also singled out by Kevin Brennan for particular praise. Fresh from his interview at Oxford University, Ben has also recently learned that he has been selected as a replacement for the London Irish 1st XV for their Championship game against the Cornish Pirates. Second-Row Charlie Jupp, who broke his ankle in the final game of the season against St Paul’s, was voted players’ player of the season.

The boys now look ahead to the Sevens season as they hope to emulate the side of 2014 who went unbeaten in every tournament they entered. Best of luck to them all!