The Tonbridgian, Lent 2023 by Tonbridge School

THE TONBRIDGIAN

Lent Term 2023

BeReal – BeTonbridgian

What really goes on at the Wednesday Afternoon editorial team meetings for The Tonbridgian? BeReal gained popularity in mid-2022 and brands itself as ‘Your Friends for Real’. It describes its concept as: ‘Every day at a different time, everyone is notified simultaneously to capture and share a photo in 2 minutes. A new and unique way to discover who your friends really are in their daily life.’ As stated above, BeReal aims to respond to the criticism regularly levelled at forms of social media that they portray a perfect, curated lifestyle as reality. Instead, this app is meant to catch the user unawares at a random point throughout the day, encouraging them to ‘be real’ with their friends and post what they are actually doing at that moment. See this edition’s covers for a sneak peek into the ‘Real’ lifestyles of various figures around the school…

No. 798

THE TONBRIDGIAN LENT TERM 2023 CONTENTS 2 30 34 42 50 54 58 62 68

Features Academic Music Drama Art Pink Day Community Action Combined Cadet Force Sport

EDITORS Ben Barber, Fergus Butler-Gallie

EDITORIAL TEAM Tom Birch (MH5) Robin Docherty (PS5) Harry French (PH5) Ollie Grant (PS5) Archie Heslop (MH5) Finlay Horner (MH5) Alex MacPherson (FH5) Ben Morrison (FH5) George Thomas (CH5) Oli Bamford (JH4) Jean Van der Spuy (FH4) Wilf Stokhuyzen (JH4)

ORIGINATION & DESIGN Tim Barber

COVER DESIGN Tim Barber

PHOTOGRAPHY Clair Miller, Emma Sim, Russell Harper

With thanks to: James Fisher, Beverly Matthews. Helen Precious, Elizabeth Hevey

PRINTED BY Gemini Press Shoreham-By-Sea, West Sussex

FEATURES Tom Birch (MH) and Ollie Grant (PS) give their opinion on Tonbridge’s barbershops north of the River Medway. Disclaimer: these are not the views of the School, just of two boys with a history of dodgy lids… pleasing. More importantly, their dexterity when it comes to performing any haircut you ask of them is highly impressive and well-valued. Best review: "Been going there since 2014 and it’s been good service. Tried other places and didn't like it. I love dapper Dan's and will keep going there". Worst review: "The first haircut I got was all right but then the second one I got mugged me off and I had to wear a hat for a week until it grew out". Convenience: Chat: Pricing: Haircut: Total:

t’s Monday Pursuits. You’re making some toast in Matron’s room and you catch a glance of yourself in the reflection of a window. In disgust, you remark that your barnet is far too long. However, you simply cannot wait until the weekend to visit your regular barber. There remains only one option: visit one of Tonbridge’s finest barbershops. But, with such an immense depth and extent of choice, it could take days, weeks even, to choose which one to go for. This dilemma is, I’m sure, one that has haunted many Tonbridgians and does so to this day. That is why we have gone out of our way to solve this dilemma once and for all. We present the ultimate review of each and every barber shop on the north side of the river, as well as presenting a selection of our favourite online reviews from the public.

Dapper Dans: Dapper Dans is Tonbridge’s flagship barbershop, for good or for bad. Its proximity to the school makes it a go to when you’re short for time. However, their lack of speed, whether waiting in a queue or getting a trim, means you ending up saving no time at all. What makes this unfortunately worse is the fact that their chat is poor and drags out the whole experience. On a brighter note, the shops traditional exterior mixed with the rustic feel of its interior are truly aesthetically

5/5 2/5 4/5 5/5 16/20

Tonbridge Barbershop Reviews hair plus a line I did not ask for, not even in the right place, I am so angry. What were they thinking! I am so upset." Convenience: 5/5 Chat: 4/5 Pricing: 5/5 Haircut: 3/5 (skin fade merchants) Total: 17/20

Traditional Barber Shop: The Traditional Barber Shop is slightly further from school, however, is still within acceptable distance to get to and fro within 40 minutes. Their chat and prices are not outstanding however, the trims you receive are, second to none (as you only need look at Mr Barber’s to see). This, along with the impressive lack of negative reviews, helps the traditional barbershop score a respectable 14/20. Best review: "Friendly service, welcoming atmosphere and I leave with a great haircut - couldn’t ask for more." Worst review: No bad reviews Convenience Chat: Pricing: Haircut: Total:

A&S: A&S are again a decent distance from the school. The chat in there is top notch, with super friendly service, and cheap for what you get. If you love a skin fade, then A&S is the place for you. However, if you want a haircut which will not be deemed by the powers that be as ‘non-reg’, we would advise not going here as they will definitely cut it much shorter than what you wanted (as demonstrated by the review below – spelling not our own!). Best review: "Hair cut and wet shave. Good quality cut, perfect service and great value for money." Worst review: "Bad haircut missing hair. My five-year-old son went to the barbers and came out with a missing piece of

4/5 3/5 3/5 4/5 14/20

Mint Barbershop: It isn’t only the name that makes Mint Barbershop a refreshing take on the typical Turkish barbers. It looks and feels incredibly premium yet boasts the same prices as A&S barbers. However, suspiciously, they also boast the exact same chat and haircuts. The observant among you would be quick to note that A&S Barbers and Mint Barbers are in fact owned by the same people. However, its luxury feel takes much longer to reach than A&S for pretty much the same service. Best review: "They are a great barber to go to they all are friendly great service, and they give out free drinks!" Worst review: "The final product was awful. Hair was cut way too

FEATURES bog-standard i.e. walk in, ask how your day was, sit down, wait; crucially though, this rating is boosted by the ability to play Fifa whilst waiting. The haircut is a good one, they know how to do all styles of hair. However, the issue is the pricing. Paying £28 for a skin fade is a rip off when you have boys in the house who know how to do it for free. Walking all that way to pay for the equivalent of 56 bacon rolls in the OC is not to be recommended. Best review: "Great experience, easy to book via the app, nice and clean and good sanitising set up. Felt very safe. Ben’s a brilliant barber. Great cut."

short. completely ignored me when I said enough off the top and continued to cut too short!"

Bad review: "Called at 4.21pm to see the waiting time. Advised 20 minutes. Arrived at 4.31pm to be turned away because they was closed. I said I called and was advised it was 20 minutes to wait. I was told, sorry I have a BBQ to do and no one available to do it. I was not told anything about closing time during my phone call. Poor service and I'm extremely disappointed as I go there often."

Convenience: Chat: Pricing: Haircut: Total:

3/5 4/5 5/5 3/5 15/20

1/5 3/5 1/5 4/5 9/20

Fargs:

Conclusion...

Fargs is past the train station, and up at the roundabout on the other end of the High Street. It feels like walking from Land’s End to John O’Groats. The chat is pretty

Overall, the barbers in Tonbridge do seem to have some work to do, and that’s not just judging by some of the trims the boys have come back with. Crowning a winner is tough, but your Tonbridgian haircut correspondents both agreed with the result, that A&S provide the most well-rounded hair grooming experience.

Iconic Sporting Moments

Iconic Sporting Moments – spot the difference... There have been many defining iconic moments throughout the history of sport, but what if they had happened here at Tonbridge?

1966 – England win the World Cup

Maradona – Hand of God

Muhammad Ali – The Greatest

Ben Stokes – test match winning celebration

FEATURES

The decline and fall of Christianity in the West Religion used to infiltrate almost every aspect of British society. However, with the preliminary statistics of the 2021 Census revealed, it seems that Christianity’s influence in the UK is going to change very soon. Jean Van der Spuy (FH) delves into how this all happened and the impending impacts that this might have for our country’s future.

f all the activities which accompany the ‘Tonbridge experience’, giving tours of the school for prospective parents always felt like one of the more curious. There you are, seized from one or two lessons to take a step back and reflect on what Tonbridge truly has to offer. As you walk around the site, you begin to reminisce about less complicated times, having lessons in classrooms that you haven’t set foot in since you were a Novi. In early January, I received an email from a fellow student asking me whether I would cover his tour for him. The excuse that he gave was having ‘a lot of work’ and although I was going to forfeit a coveted free period, I agreed. The two, Canterbury-based, parents were pleasant and took a great interest in the vast opportunities that the school had to offer; however, whilst other parents might be most concerned with academic or sports performance, I was instead met with a wide variety of questions which mainly focused on Tonbridge’s approach to faith. Be it chapel timings, choral opportunities, or Christian Unions – to them, religion was a significant factor to be considered before choosing a school. Today, families like these are becoming far scarcer to find. The 2021 UK census revealed a 13.1% decrease in the number of people who identified themselves as Christians compared to ten years prior. Christianity has become a minority religion in the UK at the same time when all other major faiths have witnessed a substantial uptake in followers. The number of people who answered ‘no religion’ on the questionnaire surged the most with non-religious people currently making up a third of the population. Whilst this new data has brought the issue to light, you would be wrong to assume that this change has been sudden. Attendance in Anglican and other church services had initially started falling in the early twentieth century. With the occurrence of two world wars and an influential sixties counterculture, a ‘new consciousness’ has emerged in Western society. In a nation where you were more or less automatically listed as Anglican on hospital admission forms, you look around today and see figures like Rowan Williams in 2014 label the UK a “post-Christian country”. The arrival of this information has raised arguments

amongst scholars, keyboard warriors and the like over who or what is truly to blame for the decline. It seems that the only universally accepted truth is that youth disengagement from the Church lies at the heart of the matter. Seven out of ten young adults (aged 18-24) don’t associate themselves with a religion and therefore, as these new secular generations continue to replace the old, understandably the total number of followers will plummet. But why do fewer and fewer young people believe in a higher power? The late sociologist Rodney Stark asserted that it was the increased liberalisation of the church that was driving youth away from faith. The logic stands that a progressive member of a denomination, which stresses the same concerns of a typical left-wing activist, will be less inclined to go through the extra effort of belonging to a church. Though, conversely, many believe that it is the Church’s sluggish adaptation to social change that has alienated younger believers. In the 1960s, the Western church was associated with the liberal side of the political spectrum. However, in the same time period where we have overseen civil rights movements and abortion legalisation, the church has found itself trailing behind these major transitions. One might remember that only very recently this year the Church of England controversially refused to support a change in teaching to allow priests to marry samesex couples. Many left-leaning people, of whom there is a higher proportion in our youth, have been opting out of religion because they disliked the conservative Christian social agenda. One must also consider the impact that the devaluation of family in the West has had. Tagged as the ‘domestic church’, the family unit is vital to the Christian faith for a wide variety of reasons. It is in wedlock that one can produce and educate the new generation of Christians. It is a source of love for relatives and one’s community as well as a source of strength during times of doubt. However, over the past few decades, with economic collapse and social reform, the household unit has been ostensibly corrupted. The number of opposite-sex marriages has fallen by 50% since 1972 meanwhile the number of single-parent homes has skyrocketed with the average divorce rate in the UK standing at 42%. As the

The Decline and Fall of Christianity in the West

...and what it might mean for our future proportion of stable opposite-sex families dwindles, Christianity will continue to suffer. Another interesting argument, popularised by a minor subset of the theological community, declares that the seeds of Christianity’s decline were sown the moment it was institutionalised. To many, Christianity was intended to be a source of strength and authority to the powerless, yet, as the religion spread throughout Europe, more and more leaders were using religion to control rather than to empower. The impoverished were left to serve monarchies and governments that were supposedly certified by God himself. The issue lies within the fact that in the search for influence, a great deal of communal harmony diminished and many of the ideas which Christianity was founded upon were lost. Indeed, you must only look to where faith is growing the most to see an apparent confirmation of this hypothesis. Paradoxically, African and Asian nations which promote pluralism or directly persecute Christians have been the countries where the Church has surged the most. China, Yemen, and certain parts of Nigeria have been consistently labelled as the regions where it is ‘hardest to be a Christian’ but then they also find themselves consistently ranked as some of the top nations where Christianity is in fact flourishing. Only very recently did a study conducted by Oxford University in 2021 conclude that ‘Christianity in Europe has been waning not despite state support but because of it’. Denominations in the UK aren’t going down without a fight, though. Hosting community events has become a staple for modern-day churches in an attempt to strengthen the faith of existing believers and introduce new people to Christianity. Most UK churches now have indoor play areas to make religion appear less daunting for children. Over the past few years, churches have rapidly increased their social media presence with the current Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, having amassed fifty-five thousand followers on Instagram. There has even been a call for Christian bodies to make sermons more interesting in order to please a new short attention-spanned generation. Unfortunately, although churches are putting in the effort, this battle was arguably lost a long time ago. If winning the hearts and minds of a counter-culturedriven society was easy, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. It’s less a question of what we can do

and more a question of what a Christian minority will mean for the future of Western governance which has been strongly founded upon faith. We Brits pride ourselves on our democracy but if we truly live in a realm of equality, then over the next few years we should oversee an erosion of the very Judeo-Christian values which our society was by and large founded upon. There are twenty-six sitting members in the House of Lords who hold their seats specifically because of their position in the clergy. Certainly, the episcopacy offers valuable assistance to the chamber by acting as a voice of morality and uncovering the troubling issues less exposed in the UK, but in a nation which finds itself becoming increasingly secular, one must ask whether they still deserve to be there in the first place. Why do we not see guaranteed seats for all faiths: Sikhs, Muslims, Jews and the like? Shouldn’t democracy be representative? And then there’s education. Although much of the infamous Education Act of 1944 was amended, it still stands today that state-funded schools should uphold a ‘broadly Christian character’ when it comes to teaching. It doesn’t seem exactly fair to keep pushing ideas on children who are rejecting them more and more. Christianity, to many, has lost its humanity. Indeed, from a Christian perspective, it’s very difficult to avoid associating this decline with despondency – especially during a time when you could argue that many young people need spiritual help the most. We, as youths, are facing some of the toughest challenges that have ever been posed to a generation. One quick look at the news or a social media outlet and you’re greeted with a diverse onslaught of depressive articles and tragedies. Climate change, Covid-19, body image, addiction. At times like these, when the pressure keeps mounting, you would think that more would try and look towards an all-loving entity for guidance and a sense of calm. But instead of opening ourselves up to religion, we have become more desolate. Where do we go from here? You have to ask yourself what happens next when society begins to worship celebrities, materials, trends and almost omnipotent Artificial Intelligence more vigorously than God himself. And as for my next tour, I will continue to say with pride: yes, Tonbridge is built on almost 475 years of Christian values.

FEATURES

Six Nations Team of the Tournament With changes to the England and Welsh coaching set up and the steady rise of the Italians, this year’s Six Nations has marked itself out as an essential one in the build up to the World Cup. In this article, avid rugby players Harry French (PH) and Finlay Horner (MH) discuss a possible Team of the Tournament with a bit of flair. Note – this article was produced before the start of the competition. In what has shown itself to be a dangerous maul set up, Sheehan has scored 14 tries for Leinster since 2021 with 2 for Ireland. Whilst the likes of Marchand are arguably stronger than Sheehan defensively, he is still a presence on this side of the ball with a 100% tackle success rate for Ireland in 2021. At just 24 years of age, it will only get better for Dan Sheehan.

3. Fischetti (Italy)

1. Genge (England)

Tight head prop

Ellis Genge, nicknamed the ‘baby rhino’ due to his size and power, is a formidable force on the pitch known for breaking-through tackles and obscene shows of strength. Genge has one major flaw: his hot-headedness, sometimes leading to unnecessary penalties and cards that can hinder his team’s chances. There are a lot of high-quality props in world rugby at the moment with players like Val Rapava-Ruskin knocking on England’s door, however, Genge is a musthave in this team and I’m sure he will make a positive impact on England’s tournament.

2. Sheehan (Ireland)

Hooker

Sheehan has emerged recently as one of Ireland’s top players. It was always going to be a tough call with the likes of Marchand featuring in this year's tournament, however we felt his presence on attack set him apart.

Loose head prop

An unsung hero for the recent success Italy have experienced, Fischetti is a monster at the set piece and also very capable around the field. With injuries to the likes of Tadgh Furlong and an uncertainty over how much of the tournament he can play the choice at prop becomes a tough one. Admittedly this is a rogue choice, however, due to Fischetti’s impact on the way Italy want to play rugby and his immense work rate he has the chance to positively impact Italy’s tournament.

4. Itoje (England)

Second row

Either incredible or rather average is how I would sum up Itoje. Second row is a tough choice with the Gray brothers missing out despite the impact they could have on Scotland’s tournament and also the new find of Adam Beard for Wales. Itoje provides good lineout ball and carries positively and could be a very big player for England this tournament. If he lives up to his potential there is no doubt that he will be in the Team of the Tournament.

5. Wilemse (France)

Second row

Originally from South Africa and part of a South Africa U20 side that won a World Championship, Willemse qualified to play for France and made his debut on February 1st 2019. A mountain of a man standing at 6 ft 7 in and tipping the scales at 130 kg he is able to provide dominant hits and strong carries. He is an essential member of the French team who when firing on all cylinders look pretty unstoppable and Willemse will be a key part in that.

Six Nations Team of the Tournament

6. Doris (Ireland)

Blind side flanker

Shades of the great Sean O’Brien in his heyday, Doris’s ability to carry and burst through the first contact is ridiculously good and he’s virtually unstoppable at short range. Doris also has the ability of a traditional back rower which is the knack of being at the right breakdown at the right time and either turning the ball over or slowing the ball down to hamper the opposition’s chance of success. Paired with Van der Flier it is hard to argue that Ireland do not possess two of the best back rowers in the world and is certain selection in this team.

7. van der Flier (Ireland)

Open side flanker

9. Dupont (France)

Dupont brings a level of energy and dynamism to the game that no other scrum-half has done in recent years (apart from Faf De Clerk in 2019 who was borderline unstoppable). Arguably a guaranteed choice after the consistently amazing performances he has put in for club and country over the last few years. Having made over 30 appearances for France since his debut in 2017 he has truly made his mark and one would have to expect his best years are still ahead of him.

10. Russell (Scotland)

8. Alldritt (France)

Fly-half

Finn Russell will either be the best player on the pitch or he will leave you wondering whether he is even a professional rugby player. He can provide a moment of sheer brilliance like his 20 metre left hand ‘schwang’ to set Huw Jones away against England, sometimes coined as the pass of the century, OR in the same fixture a year or so later go for a drop goal from a ridiculous position in the last minute of the game (while winning), which was charged down, leaving Scotland fans with their hearts in their mouths.

11. van der Merwe (Scotland) After winning world rugby Player of the Year, Van Der Flier was always going to secure a spot in our dream team. Whilst he has consistently been a presence defensively for both club and country, with just one missed tackle this season, he has shown ability on both sides of the ball. In 2022, Van Der Flier notched three tries and 168m made for Ireland. After an incredible campaign for Ireland last year, it will be interesting to see if he can beat his performance this year.

Scrum-half

Left wing

Whilst many may question how the South African U20 player even got eligibility to play for Scotland, there’s no denying the presence the 6ft4, 106kg Lomu-esque winger has had for Scotland. Duhan has consistently showed himself as a strong ball carrier with a knack for scoring tires. With eight across the past two seasons for Scotland and a strong Lions tour, we believe that he will continue his international run of form in this year's Six Nations. It will be

Number 8

Potentially overshadowed by his Toulouse half-back paring, Alldritt has been one of France’s best players across the past few seasons. With 13 try assists for France since 2021 along with just 2 missed tackles in 93 attempts in 2021, Alldritt has shown himself to be a significant presence on both sides of the ball. The 115kg European Champion, Alldritt has also been able to win nine turnovers for France so far this season. It is safe to predict that he will be able to secure a few more for himself in this year’s tournament.

FEATURES interesting to see whether a more dynamic attack with Duhan leading the charge will be able to rectify Scottish problems of inconsistency this year. Come week one, it is a strong possibility Scotland can secure their 3rd straight win against England.

12. Tuipolotu (Scotland)

Inside centre

Another rogue choice but this year the options at centre are rather slim. We would have loved to throw in a player like Brex due to the sheer desire to win he brings to Italy and his doggedness on and off the ball. However, Brex could be awful, so we are avoiding him and instead opting for Tuipolotu. Known for his strength in the carry, not many people know he has the ability to give subtle off-loads and kick intricately from the midfield if needed. If Scotland can unlock the link between Van De Merwe and Tuiplotu they will truly be a force to be reckoned with.

13. Ringrose (Ireland)

Outside centre

Ever present for Ireland, there is no doubt in our minds that Gary Ringrose would star at the Six Nations. Whilst he was only able to notch 2 tries for Ireland in 2022, he did so with 4 try assists with an exception 37 across the past four years for club and country. This makes him an essential distributor in an Irish attack hungry to beat the French to a Grand slam title. The House of Rugby crew have already earmarked the Dubliner as the man to replace Sexton as Ireland captain after the 2023 World Cup.

14. Penaud (France)

Right wing

A figurehead of French rugby and a strong contender for most tries scored in the Six Nations, Penaud had an average gain of 6.1 metres for every carry he made last year for France and racked up a strong try tally. With the way France are playing Penaud has to be backed to show up and be a big name this tournament.

15. Capuozzo (Italy)

Full-back

Whilst many may doubt this, when we first came to discuss our Six Nations backline, Capuozzo was the first name to hit the paper. Capuozzo went from playing for Grenoble in Pro D2 to a standout star against Wales in the 2022 six nations, leading them to a famous win over Wales in the game’s dying moments. With Monty Ioane out injured for the tournament, it is time for the star boy to step up and put Italy on the map.

Close calls

Key players who were injured at the start of the tournament, meaning we could not be sure how much they might play...

Furlong (Ireland) Widely considered to be one of the world’s top forwards, Furlong was a no brainer for us. He has shown himself to be an elite ball carrier with an ability to offload beyond that of most at his position, as shown by his four try assists for Ireland over the past two seasons. However, it is his scrummaging which really sets Furlong apart. Joe Marler summed him up well when he said, “look at this lump on the field” who shocks people with his work rate and calmness on the ball.

Watson (Scotland) Hamish Watson has been described as too small for test rugby many times, yet he seems to act like the biggest player on the pitch. Since 2019 Watson has attempted 310 tackles for Scotland and has made 304 of them, giving him a successful tackle percentage of 98%. On top of his incredible tackling stats, he is also a strong carrier of the ball, never backing down and throwing defenders away with his signature handoff. Watson was deservedly last year’s player of the tournament and is only the second-ever Scot to win the award. If he plays anywhere close to how he did last year, I am sure he will be in the running again.

Final Predictions: Final Table 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Ireland France Scotland England Italy Wales

Biggest Flop Farrell (England) Breakthrough Player Capuozzo (Italy) Top Try-Scorer Penaud (France) Player of the Tournament Van der Flier (Ireland)

Six Nations Team of the Tournament

FEATURES

To Strike or Not to Strike? That is the Question The Tonbridgian’s political correspondent Ben Morrison (FH) finds out what different members of the school community think about the ongoing strikes across the public and private sector. Please note that this article was written before half-term, so some information may not be entirely up to date as it is an evolving news story.

he unions today are significantly weaker than they were at the time of the last winter of discontent, with membership falling from a peak of 14 million in the late 1970s to around 6.5 million members today, meaning the ability of the unions to grind the country to a halt has significantly reduced. Many laws have also been introduced since the 1970s, especially under the government of Margaret Thatcher, which have restricted the ability to strike, as well as the effectiveness of industrial action. Balloting underwent a significant change, with secret ballots being introduced as well as there being a minimum level of people voting, 50%, in the ballot for action to be allowed. Closed shops, where you could only hold a certain job if you were a member of the union, had their powers significantly reduced until they were eventually outlawed in 1990. With the country coming out of the so called ‘second winter of discontent’, the strikes which have gripped every part of our public sector continue today with no end in sight despite talks between minsters and

union representatives. While some strikes, such as the nurses strikes, have widespread support for their industrial action others, such as the border force, have become a much more controversial topic in the court of public opinion. I decided to seek the opinion of some teachers and students with varying opinions on the topic with the aim of seeing where both sides can come together and agree, or if there really is no middle ground in this debate.

Keith Froggatt Teacher of Mathematics What do you think of the minimum service legislation? The devil is very much in the detail – how far-reaching will it end up being for each sector? The government is saying the legislation is important to keep us all “safe”. However, it’s not hard to see how the current government will be able to use/abuse this line to undermine the rights of workers?

To Strike or Not to Strike? That is the question will be some (very) good banking and economic explanations as to why it needs a rest, the “magic money tree” activity of the last 2-3 years is still fresh in the minds of some…

Evan Norris (WW) What do you think of the minimum service legislation?

Have the strikes done more damage than just settling and agreeing to pay demands? It’s too early to say what impact the strikes have had on the economy - which I think is the thrust of this question - as there have yet to be any settlements or agreements at the time of writing (23rd January). Until then, it is difficult to evaluate wage-inflation, working conditions, and ultimately the power of the worker. A slightly controversial add-on could be to suggest the government over the last few years has appeared quite handy at damaging things themselves. Do you think that some of these strikes could cause damage to the unions? Again, a bit early to say in January, but if the government’s response to strike action is the minimum service legislation, and that legislation yields meaningful power against the unions, then yes, damage could have been done to set against any gains. (By chance, the BBC Radio 4 podcast “The Bottom Line” has just aired an episode on “How Strikes Come to an End” which was shaping up to be relevant to your line of questioning). Are the strikes justified, and is it universal or are there some which have better grounds than others?

I believe it is an attack on the unions and their right to protest. Whilst the government may claim this bill is in the interest of the people, I believe it is instead a response, designed to negate the increasing political pressure they face. I do also question how feasible it would be for companies to dismiss workers who did still choose to strike (if this bill was to be passed) – especially if the strikes are in mass numbers as a company can’t simply fire their entire workforce. Have the strikes done more damage than just settling and agreeing to pay demands? Whilst the strikes have caused further political damage to the government, I do not believe these damages are as significant as the damages that would be caused to the already struggling economy if the government was to agree to demands. Moreover, I don’t think the political consequences of near constant striking is as damaging as I believe the Conservatives won’t win the next general election, regardless of strikes. I believe the UK economy is currently not in a state to meet the demands of the unions fully as it will lead to further inflation. Furthermore, I believe if the government was to settle at a lower offer, it would still be extremely damaging as it would only encourage other unions to push harder for settlements of their own.

Justification is a tricky one to assess with limited knowledge. But there is a general sense of public support, or at least tolerance, of the current levels of strike action, which says something – front pages of newspapers today are full of more governmental sub-standard behaviour, not vilifying union leaders. It’s equally tricky to rank the sectors with the mostto-least justifiable action. But it appears the case the vocational/essential jobs of teaching and nursing appear to stand separate – lauded, clapped even, over the last 2-3 years while continuing to experience falling pay and working conditions. And while there

FEATURES

Do you think that some of these strikes could cause damage to the unions? I believe this varies from union to union. For example, I believe the RCN have so much public support that their strikes are not significantly impacting the union. However, for unions such as the RMT I believe the public are divided on the justification for their strikes. Thus, damaging the union and their likelihood of success. Long-term, if these intense strikes do lead to the proposed passing of the minimum service bill, then it may impact the unions’ ability to effectively strike in the future. Are the strikes justified, is it universal or are there some which have better grounds than others? Overall, I do believe the strikes are justified as union workers have faced insufficient pay rises for years under Tory government. This issue has only been worsened as the economy declines and hits record breaking lows. These workers are fundamental to the proper running of society and therefore don’t deserve to struggle to pay bills. I am more sympathetic for workers like nurses, due to their hard work and great contribution to the public, especially during Covid. However, despite this I

believe in the fundamental right to protest and whilst I may be less sympathetic towards certain unions, I do still think they are justified in striking if they feel it to be necessary.

Kay Moxon

Head of Politics What do you think of the minimum service legislation? I can see how the minimum service legislation might sell well politically but I struggle to see how it will be implemented – how can a nurse’s output be measured for instance? Do 20% of workers have to be present or do 20% of services have to be provided? They’re not necessarily the same thing. A school is unlikely to have safe staff : student ratios with only 20% of teachers present. Have the strikes done more damage than just settling and agreeing to pay demands? I don’t think that the most high-profile strikes have led to any pay disputes being settled as yet. Of course there is wider damage to the economy – e.g. if people

To Strike or Not to Strike? That is the question can’t get to work by any means other than trains and can’t work from home then the output foregone is lost forever, and if people are unable to work because of untreated health conditions then the ranks of the economically inactive swell. However services such as the NHS and ambulances are in such crisis regardless of the strikes that these costs were arguably being incurred anyway. Train strikes potentially have damaging environmental costs as people switch to more polluting forms of travel. Do you think that some of these strikes could cause damage to the unions? Strikes in the 1970s certainly damaged the unions in the long term since they were a catalyst for a raft of anti-strike laws in the 1980s. Such risks are present now but if unions don’t act collectively to protect their members then it is questionable what they are for and whether it’s worth being a member. Some unions – notably those representing the train workers and postal workers do risk quickening the pace of automation and a switch to substitute providers. Are the strikes justified, is it universal or are there some which have better grounds than others? All strikes are justified from the perspective of a liberal democracy – provided they have the majority support of their members. Collective bargaining is essential to prevent worker exploitation. Some strikes (particularly in the NHS) certainly have greater support of the public.

Ben Morrison (FH) What do you think of the minimum service legislation? I think in some sectors the idea of a minimum service could be successful, such as in the rail industry where they must keep major lines running, but how does the government go about measuring the work done by a teacher and quantifying it to be 20%. My main fear of the legislation is that it will end like the legislation from the 1970s, where the legislation only led to more striking against it as well as boycotting which was then barely enforced. Have the strikes done more damage than just settling and agreeing to pay demands? When the minister for rail is willing to admit that the strikes have cost more than settling would have, it seems like a damming indictment of the government strategy. I do see where the government is coming from however, with them trying to stem the inflation from growing over the next year due to higher wages as well as not encouraging more sectors to go on strike and lead to more pay demands. Do you think that some of these strikes could cause damage to the unions? When I look at the Post Office going on strike, I just see this as them speeding up the inevitable demise of

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their jobs. Before Royal Mail was privatised it was the only service provider for post by law, but as we move into the future other companies are sure to enter this market and provide a better service. Other strikes, such as the nurses strikes, I feel may actually help the union as it is raising awareness for a cause which much of the general population feels strongly about and supports. Are the strikes justified, is it universal or are there some which have better grounds than others? The public support for strikes is by no means universal, with rail strikes causing many people to turn against them while people are overwhelmingly coming out in support of the nurses. I personally feel that the train drivers have had a fairly good decade under austerity with good real pay rises leading to them earning significantly more than the average person today. I do feel more sympathy for the public sector workers who have had the worst of Tory Austerity over the last 12 years (I personally do not count rail workers as public sector) and feel their efforts are perhaps more justified then others.

Fergus Butler-Gallie

Teacher of Religious Studies and Assistant Chaplain What do you think of the minimum service legislation? My suspicion is that any challenge to it at, say the ECHR, would fail due to comparable legislation being in place in other countries like Spain. Whether the drafting of it is of a quality so as to protect it from other, more subtle attempts to challenge it, I don’t know: given recent government track records on legislative drafting, I would be very surprised if it was watertight. Crucially, I think it’s largely a side show from the existential problems around the provision of services in a country with a sluggish economy, a dysfunctional relationship with service funding and a broken contract tendering model. For both the Unions and the Government it provides an easy single point to rally public and membership support round; I don’t think, really, that it makes any seriously helpful contribution to trying to construct a situation in public services where strikes are less necessary. Have the strikes done more damage than just settling and agreeing to pay demands? They have probably highlighted the lack of sustainability of the situation described above. Long term, I suspect it depends what we mean by damage and what, if

any, solution can be found. I don’t think either main party has the political capital or the philosophical imagination to grapple with the root issues so I suspect that the non-functioning of the country will simply continue apace - with strikes being only a very small part of that. Do you think that some of these strikes could cause damage to the unions? Depends what is meant by damage. If we mean in relations between government/employers and unions then, yes. I think the most substantial strike action since the 80s will inevitably entrench attempts on both sides to repeat the showdown that occurred then. I think it unlikely whether the same levels of damage could be done by a wave of strikes: for all sorts of reasons, from the proliferation of ‘working from home’ to the fact that we are a nation with increasingly low levels of industrial capacity. If we mean in terms of public perception then, not yet. I think the fact that the government is unpopular gives the unions considerably more leeway to expand the strike programme. I think that there is a lot more public sympathy to their position at the moment- although I would be surprised if that was limitless. Are the strikes justified, is it universal or are there some which have better grounds than others? I think the wage disparity in, for example, the care profession is particularly shocking, that the proliferation of managerialism across public service providers is likely to be slowly cancerous on the provision of frontline services and that routine corruption and mismanagement by both successive governments and service providers is catastrophic. If strikes can solve that then more strength to their arm, but, in reality, I would be surprised if anything is achieved by any of them. Thank you to all those who have contributed to this article. Looking at some of these responses, drawing from a rapidly changing political climate and looking at the technological advances we are making with Open AI and driverless trains, it begs the question of whether some of these jobs will exist in the future, and whether the days of widespread industrial action coming to a close.

What’s in the Bag?

What’s in the Bag? Following the successful Full Swing Netflix documentary, Robin Docherty (PS) discusses what is in his golf bag. Putter

Scotty Cameron Newport 2 (2021) Trusty, reliable, and pure. Scotty Cameron, a notorious putter designer and manufacturer teamed with golfing giant Titleist, to make refined, milled steel putters. With 37 Tour players trusting it in the bag, including the likes of Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, and Justin Thomas, Scotty Cameron have an unbeaten reputation in the golfing industry. For me, the simplistic design satisfies the purist, putting a premium on strike location. Putting the ball with more consistent speed, and maintaining the true Scotty Cameron feel, are some of the reasons I like this putter in my bag. Plus the headcover is cool.

50 deg. Wedge

Putter

Wedges

60 Milled Raw Finish (8), 54 SM5 (10S), 50 SM8 (12F) Carry Yardage: 110(58), 125 (54), 137 (50) In all honesty probably the weakest part of both my golf bag and my golf game; wedge play. Bob Vokey partnered with Titleist in ’96. Since, he has made nothing short of amazing wedges with remarkable tour preference. Justin Thomas, in the past Tiger Woods, and recently Rory McIlroy are part of the 67 people on tour who rely on these wedges in the bag.

54 deg. Wedge

Irons Mizuno Pro 221 (3-PW), Project X LS 115g X-Stiff, Z-Cord Align Carry Yardage: 145(PW), 158(9i), 169(8i), 180(7i), 190(6i), 205(5i), 220(4i), 235(3i) Definitely the best part of my bag. These things are pure. Mizuno, a notorious tour preferred brand, have a highly reputable status on the PGA Tour, especially when it comes to making irons. Through their forging process and their partnership with the Japanese club manufacturing branch, it is no doubt that Mizuno

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7 Iron

3 Wood

make some of, if not the, best irons in golf. The Project X LS 115g X-Stiff shafts keep the ball-flight low and controlled, optimal for those with high swing speeds. And above all, these irons look amazing.

Driver

2 Iron

Similar to the 3 wood, this driver recounts the years, however it still performs well compared to those new to the market. TaylorMade’s release of the M2 and M3 series in 2015/16 raised the bar in the club

Taylormade P790, HZRDUS Black 100g X-Stiff, Golf Pride MCC Plus 4 Grey Carry Yardage: 250

Taylormade M2, UST Mamiya Proforce V2 (F5) X-Stiff Carry Yardage: 290

My most used club off the tee, versatile in its ability to find fairways, and to go far. Despite not being the easiest to hit off the ground into long par 5s, its ability

Driver

2 Iron

off the tee is why I put it in the bag. The Black HZRDUS X-Stiff shaft keeps the ball flight low, good into wind, and running along the hard decks of Knole Park.

3 Wood

Callaway GBB Epic, Tensei AV RAW Blue 75g X-Stiff Carry yardage: 270 Old, but gold. This 3 wood, if hit well, can fly. But if not hit well, you'll be reaching for another ball out your bag.

manufacturing industry when it came to drivers. The M2 prides itself on its forgiveness whilst maintaining good distance when hit well. In terms of the shaft, yes it is bright yellow, and yes that is pretty much the reason I got it – turns out it is a rocket launcher of a shaft too.

Ball Titleist Pro V1 The most trusted ball on tour, you can’t go wrong with the Pro V1.

Tonbridge Lookalikes ‘

Tonbridge Lookalikes

Mr Fewster

Andre Schurrle

Ben Shapiro

Mr Masters

Mr Makey

Angus Young

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Room for Debate: should Classics still be studied? The huge array of subjects now available to study and the fact that Classics is associated with some rather unflattering topics both mean this debate is more relevant than ever. Wilf Stokhuyzen (JH) tackles this question with an enthralling and relevant insight into the place Classics still has in society, gym culture and much more…

hy study Classics? The subject not only builds skills useful across the board but it includes countless classics of literature which have stood the test of time. Furthermore, Classics has influenced modern culture to a mindblowing extent – we need think only of the huge number of people nowadays who go to the gym. The foundation for this modern obsession is found in Ancient Greek culture. The idea of the perfect body originates from Ancient Greek paintings and statues of mythical heroes and gods. There are many examples in the ancient world of the cultural focus on male bodies which are well muscled and proportioned. Examples can be seen in almost any male sculpture which dominated the art of ancient times. The wellknown example, The Discobolus (right), illustrates the perfect male form which many men would aspire to achieve in the ancient times. They would do this by going to the gymnasium daily and oiling up in order to maximise perspiration. This combined with a strict diet was how the majority of men went about attaining the perfect male form. One can establish a link between social media today promoting perfect bodies and the expectation in the Ancient Greek world for men to achieve these aesthetic bodies in order to claim their manhood. This is but one example of Classical influence in a world where so many venture to the gym. Studying classics can also help individuals develop critical thinking skills, improve their understanding of language and communication, and gain exposure to diverse cultural perspectives. This is achieved through

Room for Debate – should Classics still be studied?

the need to identify patterns in order to translate passages you might never come across normally. Furthermore, Classics can also inspire creativity and imagination, encouraging individuals to think outside of the box and approach problems in new and innovative ways. Additionally, the texts studied in Classics are often considered timeless works of art, with themes and messages that are just as applicable today as they were centuries ago. Can imperialism be justified? Are the sacrifices of a few worthwhile for the greater good of the many? These are two of the questions one might ask after reading Virgil’s Aeneid due to the great lengths the noble hero Aeneas went to, to achieve his fate. Also, in the line: "one only will you look for in vain upon the sea, and that one life will be given for many" you can see clearly the values of the Romans and an idea that underpins democracy. The classic story line in the entertainment industry stems from the Aeneid and similar epics like Homer’s Iliad, which is the archetypal hero vs villain story. It includes love, obstacles the hero must overcome and a destiny for the hero. This frame can be seen in Star Wars 4-6 with Luke Skywalker who is the hero who battles the dark side and his destiny is ‘to bring balance to the force’. The basis for many of today’s most beloved films and books comes from the Ancient World. Consequently, by studying classics, an individual can gain a deeper appreciation for the power of literature and the impact that it can have on the world.

60% of the English language has its roots in Latin and Greek. Moreover, as aforementioned, there are those who think Classics promotes a bad ethos as the classical world is painted in a golden light and a society we should aspire to replicate. But there are obvious flaws in their society including slavery and mass murder in Gaul due to Caesar’s invasion. However, I believe that it is ignorant to disregard norms in society from centuries past: inevitably what we deem wrong now is completely different. Today people might still profitably look at the Ancient World in admiration because of how advanced they were. This is evidenced by the British Empire in the 19th Century which adopted Rome as its model for world domination. We can reflect on ancient Rome without yearning to replicate that society. In conclusion, despite the passage of time, Classics remains relevant and continues to offer valuable lessons and insights. They should continue to be studied and appreciated as a fundamental part of our cultural heritage and a valuable tool for personal and intellectual growth. Disagree with Wilf? Feel free to get in touch if you’d like to respond in our next issue…

Despite all this, there are those who call for Classics to be taken off the curriculum as they claim it is a ‘dead’ language and our time could be better learning things more relevant to current affairs. I would argue, however, that Classics has never been more alive and a testament to this is the fact that it is still being studied and analysed today. Furthermore, without Classics we lose the roots of so much of our language. It is estimated that

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The Tonbridgian or Chat GPT? Chat GPT is a new AI programme designed to answer any command. Much loved by the Novi for help with their preps, it is rumoured to be able to get a ‘7’ in History GCSE. Ever wondered if you can tell the difference between an article from The Tonbridgian and a Chat GPT version? Alex MacPherson (FH) gives you a chance to find out...

e gave Chat GPT three separate briefs to generate AI versions of excerpts taken from past editions of The Tonbridgian. In each case, both versions are reproduced below and labelled either A or B. All you have to do is identify which is which. The answers are printed at the end of this article.

Original article from the Michaelmas Term 2021 edition 1. "Hey Chat GPT, in an incredibly intellectual style, write an essay discussing the claim that humans have no free will". A.

The concept of free will has been a topic of philosophical discourse for centuries, with proponents and detractors presenting a plethora of arguments on both sides of the issue. The argument that humans have no free will asserts that our choices and actions are determined by a combination of environmental, genetic, and neural factors beyond our control, thereby rendering the idea of free will an illusion.

The irresistible allure of free will is one shared by almost all humans. It is an idea so firmly engrained in our very being that to reject its existence goes against our nature, seemingly removing all value and responsibility from life. And however intuitive freedom of action may appear, when one enters the realm of philosophical discourse, our gift is often left in tatters by the most brilliant philosophical minds. Now, the traditional definition of free will posits that, given two identical situations, same time, place, mood etc., one could act in a different way. Conversely, determinism holds that you could not act differently. I will argue against idea of free will in that we ourselves have no direct control over which course of action we take, so in a sense our actions are determined. However, I disagree with the definition of free will given earlier, as I will argue one could act differently, merely we can never actively choose to pursue a certain course.

Advocates of this viewpoint contend that determinism, the idea that every event, including human actions, is causally determined by antecedent conditions, provides a more plausible explanation for human behaviour. This argument states that everything that happens, including human actions, is an inevitable outcome of prior events and that our beliefs, desires, and intentions are predetermined by the laws of nature and our individual experiences.

The Tonbridgian or Chat GPT?

Original article from the Lent Term 2019 edition 2. "Hey Chat GPT, discuss how modern society has all but rendered patience obsolete and what we can do to remedy this". A.

What comes to mind when you hear the term ‘modern society’? For many, it will conjure up images of extraordinary technological advances, the invention of the mobile phone, artificial intelligence and the like. For others, political freedoms, democracy, liberalism and acceptance of difference are synonymous with our current lives. It is undoubtable that our quality of life today is infinitely greater than in previous centuries, yet this improvement has not come without cost. The desire for immediacy within all walks of life has resulted in the erosion of patience and the ability to pause and reflect. Within our community, it is essential that we try to fight off these constraints and rediscover our patience.

Modern society has been shaped by technological advancements and instant gratification, leading to a fast-paced lifestyle that values efficiency over patience. This has resulted in a culture where people expect immediate results, instant gratification, and are increasingly frustrated with waiting.

So, when you next pick up your phone to check the football scores mid-match, or to reply to that desperately crucial Snapchat, pause for a moment, put the phone down and ask yourself: do I really need this information now? You will be surprised how rewarding this can be.

However, the lack of patience in modern society has its downsides. Impatience can lead to stress, decreased productivity, and strained relationships. Additionally, it can also negatively impact our mental and physical health. To remedy this, individuals can make conscious efforts to cultivate patience in their lives. This includes setting realistic expectations, practising mindfulness, and taking time to reflect on the importance of patience in our lives. Additionally, taking breaks from technology, engaging in activities that promote relaxation, and focusing on the present moment can also help to build patience.

Original article from the Micaelmas Term 2019 edition 3. "Hey Chat GPT, write a sports report about a cricket match between Tonbridge and Eton in the Cowdrey Cup which ended in a draw after a dramatic game." A.

Eton College was our next opponent and our second Cowdrey Cup fixture. Foolishly, Eton won the toss and batted, before quickly finding themselves 52-6 thanks to quick wickets from ‘x’ and ‘x’. The opposition fought back to 158, ‘x’ finishing with figures of 3-30 and ‘x’ 4-52. With two early wickets in our own innings, we seemed to be struggling to counter Eton’s handy opening swing bowling attack. However, thanks to a steady 7th wicket partnership of 54 between ‘x’ and ‘x’ we got over the line 160-6.

The Cowdrey Cup match between Tonbridge and Eton ended in a dramatic draw. Tonbridge won the toss and elected to bat first, but they were soon in trouble as Eton's bowlers took control of the match. Tonbridge managed to score 244 in their first innings, with the opener ‘x’ top-scoring with a valuable 70. In response, Eton started strongly and were wellplaced to chase down the target set by Tonbridge. However, a mid-innings collapse saw them lose several wickets in quick succession thanks to ‘x’, and they were forced to settle for a draw. Eton finished on 215/9, their captain scoring a fighting 87 of his own.

1. B

2. A

3. A

Answers The real Tonbridgian articles are:

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Top Tens George Thomas (CH) sparks some debate with a variety of Top Tens… Old Tonbridgians

Spreads

1. John Gibbs – Having spent well over half a century at Tonbridge, both as a boy and a member of staff, Mr Gibbs is Tonbridge through-and-through... and a School legend.

1. Nutella – Originally from Piedmont, Italy, the chocolate and hazelnut combination will always be a winner on a piece of toast.

2. Sir Colin Cowdrey 3. Tom Chaplin 4. Zak Crawley 5. Ben Earl 6. William Owen Chadwick 7. Dan Stevens 8. Eric J B Nicolson VC 9. Sir Anthony Seldon 10. Luke Masters

School Ties (Design and Meaning) 1. Rugby – Perhaps the most prestigious tie in the school, representing those who have graced the grass of The Fifty. 2. Praes 3. Athena 4. Hockey 5. Tonbridgian Society (when it comes out). 6. Society Secretary 7. Athletics 8. Cricket 9. Arcana (Maths Society). 10. Tonbridge Digital Wellbeing Council

2. Peanut butter 3. Honey 4. Standard chocolate spread 5. Jam 6. Peanut butter jelly 7. Marmite 8. Butter 9. Margarine 10. Mayonnaise

Hymns, songs and carols sung in Chapel 1. The First Nowell (23) – To the boys excitement, but to the staff’s dismay, this Christmas classic is firmly cemented in Tonbridge School tradition. 2. Jerusalem (249) 3. Libera me 4. Tell Out my Soul (80) 5. I vow to thee my country (252) 6. Sweet sacrament divine (125) 7. Hark! the herald-angels sing (14) 8. Dear Lord and Father of mankind (149) 9. Amazing grace (133) 10 Ye watchers and ye holy ones (240)

English Sporting venues Chan Café Snacks 1. Cookie Dough Brownie – A true favourite in the Chan Café, there is always disappointment when it’s not available. 2. Rocky Road 3. Blueberry Muffin 4. Chocolate Muffin 5. Standard Brownie 6. Hazelnut Chocolate Wafers 7. White Chocolate Bar 8. Blondie 9. Kent Crisps 10. Popcorn

1. The Valley – The home ground of Charlton Athletic and the venue of the Sidemen Charity Match, there’s not much more to say.

Top Tens 2. Wembley Stadium 3. Lords 4. Twickenham 5. Wimbledon Centre Court 6. Silverstone Circuit 7. Old Trafford 8. Ascot Racecourse 9. The London Stadium 10. The Crucible

Must-Watch Series 1. Peaky Blinders – the story of a powerful Birmingham family, fine dress, and inter-war troubles is an unmissable watch.

Adverts 1. Budweiser (1999) – ‘Whassup.’ Whilst most present day adverts are a plain nuisance, Budweiser’s 1999 interpretation of having a ‘Bud’ is great comedy.

2. Line of Duty 3. House of Cards 4. Happy Valley 5. The Last Dance 6. Squid Game 7. Money Heist 8. The Office 9. Brooklyn 99 10. Drive to survive

2. McDonald’s (1983) – ‘The Showdown.’ 3. Skittles (2018) – ‘Milking a Giraffe.’ 4. John West (2000) – ‘Salmon Bear Fight.’ 5. Amazon Alexa (2018) – ‘Alexa Loses her Voice.’ 6. Michelob Ultra (2020) – ‘Jimmy Works it Out.’ 7. Apple Music (2016) – ‘Drake vs Bench Press.’ 8. Old Spice (2010) – ‘The Man your man could smell like.’ 9. Dairy Milk (2007) – ‘Drumming Gorilla.’ 10. Apple (1984) – ‘1984.’

Must-Watch Films 1. Top Gun – Throwing it back to 1986, a classic action movie starring a daredevil pilot, it is a must watch for everybody. 2. Top Gun: Maverick 3. 1917 4. Now you See Me 2 5. Raiders of the lost Ark 6. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly 7. Legend 8. Titanic 9. Avatar 10. The Irishman

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So-and-So’s Bookshelf Who’s been reading what this term. The Secret Cyclist: Real Life as a Rider in the Professional Peloton by The Secret Cyclist I find something incredibly comforting about watching the Tour de France. I think that this is primarily because it starts at the same time as the summer holidays (in fact, this year, the peloton will be rolling off the start line in Bilbao at about the same time as Skinners’ Day lunches are taking place), and therefore marks the start of two months of lazy, halcyon summer days.

Noah Hillyard Head of History

Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe My sister gave me this book for Christmas because she was ‘hoping that I would finish it quickly and lend it back to her’. Shameless. But I’m glad she did. I had come across Keefe’s writing before with his wonderful 2018 book Say Nothing (a history of the Troubles in Northern Ireland), but knew very little about the history of the Sackler dynasty or the OxyContin scandal. Keefe’s work brilliantly charts the rise of the Sacklers, from the research into the use of opioids for pain relief, through the aggressive sales tactics Purdue Pharma used to dominate the painkiller market, and finally to the collapse of the firm as the lawsuits mounted and the full scale of the US opioid crisis became clear. In a past life, I had written some (doubtless ill-informed) essays on the Roman Republic while sat in a university library which bore the Sackler family name. I thought nothing of it at the time; since reading Keefe’s work, I would think twice about going in there now.

Having struggled up a few Grand Tour climbs, I am in awe of the abilities of top cyclists, and this book gives a great insight into their lives. The author covers questions such as how prevalent doping is in the sport, what other riders thought about Team Sky, how pro cyclists attempt to maintain their relationships and how the pay structure of a top team works. While at times the book reads a bit like a series of blog posts, I came away with a much richer appreciation for the sheer misery of crashes, budget French hotels and horrendous training sessions that top cyclists endure.

Watergate: A New History by Garrett M. Graff If there were a World Cup of political scandals, Watergate would definitely win. The full story is Byzantine in its complexity, and the most impressive thing about this work is Graff’s handling of the seemingly endless reports, transcripts and testimonies from the time. Scholars have long recognised that Watergate’s roots lie in the 1960s, from the growth in the power of the presidency presided over by Johnson, to the Chennault Affair, in which the Nixon team interfered with the ongoing peace negotiations between the North Vietnamese and the American delegation. While unravelling this story means the book has a fairly dizzying array of characters, their portraits are well-drawn enough that Graff never left me feeling lost; indeed, his descriptions of the frankly insane behaviour of G. Gordon Liddy provide plenty of humorous interludes in what is otherwise a fairly sordid and unedifying tale.

So-and-So’s Bookshelf

Lucy Clubb

Deputy Head of English Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts Shantaram is a novel that follows the story of Lin Ford, a convict who escapes from a high security prison in Australia and finds refuge in Mumbai. He immerses himself into life in the slums and trains as a doctor, performing surgeries with little medical supplies. Over ten years, he worked in Bollywood, was a smuggler for the Bombay mafia, and fought with guerrillas in Afghanistan before being recaptured. Gregory Roberts has admitted, when questioned, that this is an autobiographical account of his experience in India. He wrote this novel three times – the first two drafts were destroyed by his jailers. I loved this book because Gregory Roberts captures the sounds and smells of India with vivid detail. He explores the themes of love, friendship, identity and redemption with depth and complexity. A really thought provoking read.

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller ‘The Song of Achilles’ is a novel by Madeline Miller, a retelling of the Greek myth of Achilles, the greatest warrior of the Trojan War. The story is told from the perspective of Patroclus, Achilles’ closet friend and companion, as they grow up together and fight in war. Her writing is beautiful, lyrical and atmospheric, creating a vivid world and memorable characters. The novel explores the themes of love, loyalty, fate and the cost of greatness. I really enjoyed the retelling of the story of Achilles, and I loved the blend between mythology, history and great story telling. Miller’s writing is poetic and she offers a fresh perspective of this classic tale. It really is a powerful and moving tribute to the ancient world.

Disgrace by JM Coetze JM Coetze is one of my favourite authors – his writing is intense, dramatic and he captures the darker side of humanity with sensitivity and precision. Disgrace was a novel that my A Level English teacher recommended after a discussion we had about post-colonial literature. I remember this being one of the novels that excited me about an English degree due to the discussion that is sparked in the classroom. The brutal honesty of his writing is fascinating and challenges readers to question what it is to be human. Disgrace is set in post-apartheid South Africa and follows the story of a middle-aged professor named David Lurie who, after a scandal involving a student, must re-evaluate his life and find a new sense of purpose. The novel explores themes of race, sexuality, power and disgrace. His writing style is sparse and elegiac, reflecting the inner turmoil of the protagonist and the troubled state of South Africa. This is one of the most memorable books I have read.

Christopher Sneddon

Deputy Head of School (OH5) War Doctor by David Nott The ancient Greek physician, Hippocrates, wrote ‘He who wishes to be a surgeon, must first go to war’. This certainly seems to be a doctrine followed by David Nott who, driven by the desire to help others and the thrill of experiencing extreme personal danger, has

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volunteered in some of the world’s most dangerous war zones for more than twentyfive years. Through detailed accounts of his experiences, this book enables the reader to gain a genuine sense of how it might feel to work in such environments, from the surges of adrenaline after a round flies past your head to the feelings of despondency when the stress of the situation leads to needless mistakes in the operating room. Without question my favourite moment of the book arose when Nott was required to amputate the entirety of a sixteen-year-old boy’s right arm, to prevent the spread of a deadly infection. Despite never having performed this operation, after talking to a colleague in London via text and using newspaper cut-outs to visualise the patient, Nott carried out the procedure almost flawlessly and the boy made a full recovery. Overall, this is an inspiring book, written by a man who has had a huge impact and is aptly named the Indiana Jones of surgery. It should definitely be on the radar of anyone with an interest in medicine, the military, or even just gory depictions.

Life at the Extremes: The Science of Survival by Frances Ashcroft After GCSEs and during a sixth form taster lesson, Dr Burnett tasked my soon-to-be A-level Biology set with reading this book over the summer. Naturally, we were a little frustrated that such a request had been made immediately after our exams, but once we read this book, we were glad it had been. This is quite possibly the most interesting book I have read. It seeks to explore the physiological limits of human endeavours in areas as diverse as high-altitude climbing, deepsea diving, and arctic exploration. Throughout the book, Ashcroft manages to balance her detailed scientific explanations with historical descriptions of past pioneers, such as Sir Edmund Hilary (first man to reach the summit of Everest along with Tenzing Norgay). This book is as much a book of history as it is physiology. Whilst science is at the forefront the historical context ensures the reader remains gripped. However, contrary to any preconceived ideas you may have from reading the above, this book is an extremely easy read, and little prior knowledge in the field of physiology is required.

Atomic Habits by James Clear I apologise that this is not the typical book written about in ‘So and So’s Bookshelf.’ However, due to the impact this book has had on my life I felt compelled to include it. In this book, James Clear explores the importance of one’s habits and the idea that small improvements in one’s routine when repeated consistently compound into drastic changes. The successes achieved by the British cycling team under the leadership of Dave Brailsford are often attributed to his philosophy of marginal gains. From rubbing alcohol on the tyres for better grip to assessing which massage gel led to the quickest recovery, Brailsford sought tiny improvements in all areas of cycling. Once you are convinced of the power of habits, Clear explains the most effective ways to implement new habits. He presents four laws of behavioural change, with each law containing a variety of different techniques and methods. It is because of this genuinely effective advice that this book has had such a profound impact on me, enabling me to balance schoolwork with many extra and super-curricular activities.

Bennett Horner Novi (WW1)

Touching the Void by Joe Simpson A few years ago, a science teacher at my prep-school told me about this book. I only read it after I found it in the Novi reading scheme and I wish I had read it sooner. It is a true story written by Joe Simpson. Joe Simpson’s story is a gripping one and your heart pangs when the protagonists face life-threatening dangers. Joe and his friend Simon try to climb a mountain in Peru called Siula Grande, some problems arise, and they painfully struggle to get off the mountain. I recommend this to people of all ages who are interested in true stories and survival novels.

Tonbridgian Puzzles Under the Eagle by Simon Scarrow This is the first book of the Eagles of the Empire series. I discovered this on the Novi reading scheme and found it thrilling. It follows a young new recruit in the Roman army who has the favour of the emperor and is promoted. He faces a lot of hate and discrimination for holding this rank as he is a new recruit, but his mentor Macro, an older centurion, helps him earn his stripes. I am currently on book eleven (Praetorian) in the series. The series has over twenty books and I recommend it to anyone that has an interest in the Roman Empire or wants an exciting book series that will last a long time even for a speedy reader. If anyone has enjoyed reading any of Rangers Apprentice and other books written by John Flanagan, I strongly recommend you read this book as it is very similar in style to Flanagan’s works. Once I finish those books, I’m also about to start

another series of Scarrow’s on Napoleon and Wellington. It is a quartet of books that starts with the book Young Bloods. I will let you know if it’s good.

The Complete Brigadier Gerard by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Brigadier Gerard is about a young French cavalry officer at the time of the Napoleonic wars called Etienne Gerard, who goes on various adventures and makes unusual friends along the way. It has a funny origin story as Doyle was sick of the famous Holmes and killed him off in a book where he fell off a waterfall. Doyle then created Gerard, but as Gerard was not that popular at the time, he had to recover Holmes and write both stories simultaneously. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the Napoleonic wars or anyone that wants a book with action and humour.

Tonbridgian Puzzles Who Am I?

Soduku

1. I applied to university to study engineering I am in Hill Side I am a School Prae I am the Football Captain I am Deputy Head of School

Guess the Teacher from the Emoji 1. 2.

3. I hit and killed a cow on the M25 I have refereed both prince William and Harry I have played a match at Lords I teach in two departments I have a dog named ‘Kyniska’ (‘Niska’ for short)

Answers:

1. and good rate, 2. de morte eterna, 3. Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand, 4. youth, 5. Born is the King of Israel

Complete the Chapel Lyric

1. Charlie Thompson, 2. Mr Butler-Gallie, 3. Mr Schweitzer

Keep good rhythm ________ Libera me domine _______ I will not cease from mental fight, ________ For him who dreamed of founding, a School where English ________ 5. Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell! ________

Guess the Teacher

1. 2. 3. 4.

1. Mr Barber, 2. Mrs Campbell, 3. Miss Clubb, 4. Mr Walsh, 5. Mr Butler-Gallie

Complete the Chapel Lyric

Who am I?

2. I studied Czechoslovakian and am now fluent in it I went to both Oxford and Cambridge I teach a Humanity subject I am an Old Tonbridgian I often make speeches in Chapel

ACADEMIC Jonathan Smith Personal Essay Prize The theme of this year’s English Department Jonathan Smith Personal Essay Prize Competition in Michaelmas Term 2022 was ‘Courage’. Our essayists reflected on the theme by linking it to literature and to their personal experiences. The winner was Henry Wang (MH).

large and strong field of excellent writers was pared down to a few finalists. The final round of the competition and awards ceremony took place on 1st December 2022 in a fully packed Skinners Library. The eminent Jonathan Smith himself chose the winners in advance; due to health reasons, he was unable to be present that evening, so Dr Jonathan Reinhardt, Head of English, did the honours. The Jonathan Smith Personal Essay Prize is the newest English Department prize; it was inaugurated the previous year. Jonathan Smith (b. 1942) taught at Tonbridge School as an English teacher from 1967 until his retirement in 2002. He served as Head of English from 1975 to 1992 and was a great favourite with the boys, inspiring several generations of OTs to love literature deeply. His former pupils at Tonbridge include biographer Sir Anthony Seldon, filmmaker Vikram Jayanti, novelist Vikram Seth, poet Christopher Reid, actor Dan Stevens, and musician Kit Hesketh-Harvey, among others. Jonathan Smith is an author of several novels, memoirs, and plays. He continues to live in the area.

Senior Prize finalists Tobe Onyia (FH), George Thomas (WH), Jean van der Spuy (FH), and Henry Wang (MH). Intermediate Prize finalists Ernest Lau (PS), Arul Singh (PS), and Farlie Willett (Sc), who won the category. Special Honours for an essay on Global Literature Alida Chan (JH). Novi Prize finalists William Whitfeld (PH), Nathaniel Longe (PH), and Thomas Adams (Sc), who won the category. Included here is the winning essay by Henry Wang, aptly titled Courage.

Courage | Henry Wang – Senior Winner And how can man die better Than facing fearful odds, For the ashes of his fathers, And the temples of his gods Horatius Cocles to the Roman Senate from Thomas Babington Macaulay, Lays of Ancient Rome This is the most poignant exhortation of courage for the Victorians of old. Generations imbued by the same sentiment as that of these verses had attempted to display them on the battlefield. What Horatius suggested is audacious, reckless, but morally dubious as well. What would man be willing to die for? Would it apply aptly under all circumstances, and for all motives? Perhaps some readers of these lays ignored the fact that Horatius was defending his city from external aggression. Stepping into the 20th century, however, the two world wars would not have been won without them. Very few of us today will ever be confronted by the perils of the battlefield, yet for millennia, this was what constituted the life of many, war and in it the courage men must display. The Industrial Revolution and European enlightenment had not ameliorated the Victorians to beings of more placid nature. Instead, their increased contact with the wider world that seemed alien and hostile sparked many of the trends, tensions

Creative Writing and conflicts which defined the Victorian age, the conquests of the British Empire and the formidable struggles with Continental powers. The circumstances brought on by this seemingly pre-destined advancement of their world order had molded and compelled generations to think, and fight, as Horatius Cocles did on Rome’s flimsy bridge in 509 BC, albeit predominantly on the aggressor’s side. Thomas Babington Macaulay, eminent historian, elegant prose writer, acceptable verse writer, and dubious administrator in India encapsulated the concept of courage in a series of lays written about the battles of mythical Rome seen through the Victorian perspective. What we find in these rhyming verses is largely a positive appraisal of the virtue of courage, centred around the legendary one- eyed Horatius Cocles. To slightly counteract this or maybe to just set the scene are archetypal cliches of the misery that comes alongside war: For aged folks on crutches, And women great with child, And mothers sobbing over babes That clung to them and smiled These is a complete sweep of the stereotypical “weaker” sections of society. The domestic imageries involving the feminine and the young would have provoked guaranteed sympathy from the more or less conservative audiences. This imagery owed more to their reception of the classics than anything in the ancient world. Women in antiquity, though subordinate to men in social status, often vigorously exercised power in their own spheres. The concept of motherhood in Sparta, for example, was one that commanded respect for feminine strength as ones who would bring up families and secure their households. In Horatius’ address, the invocation to ‘fathers’ and ‘gods’ is of central importance. Religious zeal and solidifying and strengthening the glory of ancestors have always been the most common aims to war. For the ancient Romans, this would have meant their polytheistic mythology and their glorified lineage of founders and heroes all the way back to Aeneas; for the Victorians, this would have constituted the Church of England, and men like the Duke of Wellington who have molded their island race into a unique identity and raised the state to the wielding of might. There seems to be a dichotomy between ‘father’ and ‘god’, between the world of the immortal and the mortal. ‘Ashes’ and ‘temples’ are paralleled in similar fashion, the former minute and intangible, the latter grand and everyday visible. What binds these two imageries together is that they are both objects of reverence. The blending of the earthly and heavenly renders this reverence universal, transcending the boundaries of human’s narrow field of being and thus elevating the all- encompassing significance of courage. I would argue that courage is almost always two sided: what to some would seem the noblest sentiment of human endeavour, to others would be the candid manifestation of our cruel- hearted capacity. The Victorians had no hesitations about a just war. Thus, courage was seen in just the same light, whether it be amongst the far- away plains of the Anglo-Afghan Wars or the deserts of the Mahdist War. Our age is not more antibelligerent; just that the established world order after the Second World War has narrowly constrained each country’s egotistical and self- interested deliberations. Is courage valued today? Yes, of course. But war? The context which had begotten courage since time immemorial, passing down through literary masterpieces such as the Iliad, is undoubtedly and unashamedly war. The Victorians through their assiduous study of the classics had embedded this ancient concept in their national outlook, which differed more from that of the Romans that that of our own. Unsurprisingly, questionable politicians today still invoke and abuse the martial past and an idealised form of courage in their support of conflict today. In yon strait path a thousand May well be stopped by three. Now who will stand on either hand, And keep the bridge with me?

CREATIVE WRITING

The art of oratory today has degraded to such a lamentable state (look at American politics) that this phrase may well seem farcical. Yet it would not be for the Victorians, who loved overusing hyperboles, and even less so for (hypothetically) the Spartans, who may well have believed it. One of the most influential speeches from ancient literature is surely Pericles’ funeral oration for the Athenian dead in the Peloponnesian War. Like Horatius’ speech, his was a fanciful conception of the author, but it invaluably mirrors societal values at the time of writing. “For we place our dependence, not so much upon prearranged devices to deceive, as upon the courage which springs from our own souls when we are called to action”, Pericles declaims, referring to the Athenian armed forces. 1 The idea is that courage is a natural strength of the Athenians and its simplicity is more important than elaborate tactics. It is a simple virtue, not a complex one. But it is precisely because of that that it inspires. Most of us think that we are not as courageous as our grandfathers or great-grandfathers. You may well think this is due to people being spoiled by the luxuries of modernity. Yet this idea has existed for a long time; Macaulay writes, “Wherefore men fight not as they fought/ In the brave days of old.” In fact, the phrase “in the brave days of old” occurs a total of six times in this poem, illustrating the Victorian preoccupation with this idea. Macaulay in recounting this ancient oral tale of the war of Porsena has not just transported anachronistically this idea that we are inferior to those who have come before us to the past – just that it applied to men of antiquity as well. The whole archaic and ultra-human conception of the world of the Iliad for its godly heroes and battles suggests that the ancient Greeks thought of courage as a virtue which reached its zenith in the past, a past that has become irrecoverable by the 8th century BCE. We may let ourselves relax a little-perception of our own apparent faults and frailties when compared to our glorified forefathers has not altered a bit down the centuries. To a greater or lesser degree, courage is an instinct that comes naturally on behalf of values we deem important. Whether it surfaces or triumphs against the contending instincts of cowardness or weakness depends on the individual. I have never engaged in combat, nor will I probably do so in the future. Thus, I have nothing to offer in the shape of a personal anecdote of courage in war. However, courage comes in many different facets. The moral courage of Christ in crucifixion has inspired millions. The intellectual courage of pioneers such as Copernicus and Spinoza has charted new boundaries for human civilisation. The physical courage of explorers such as Robert Scott and George Mallory has challenged the limits of human capacity. The courage I have to offer is a peculiar one-courage in face of perfectionism. We all wish to be better than we are presently, and often experience regret, even anguish, that our hopes and dreams elude us in the cruelness of reality. We may think our assiduous endeavours to reach for that horizon futile, if we do not achieve that perfect state which is beyond the grasp of mortal men. I, as a writer penning this personal essay am vulnerable to fears, fears that the end result may not be what it could have been, that a fleeting moment of ingenuity and inspiration would be lost forever at the turn of a page. Since the true art form has no singular manifestation, so it is that artists and writers are prone to thinking that the best is yet to come and that the current is overwhelmed with mediocrity. Looking back over my essay so far, I recognize and acknowledge the weaknesses in content and style, and pessimistic fears creep up that nothing may be worthy of merit. Counteracting this is my courage in the face of perfectionism, conversing with the other side of my mind which engenders confidence. We should never be let down by our fears of not achieving the best, for if we allow this idea to vanquish us, nothing could be accomplished, and I may just as well crumple up my pieces of paper and throw them in the litter bin. But now we have arrived at the end – the end of my discourse about courage and of my essay. The ending is always the most challenging to write- but don’t worry, I have the courage to deal with it. So it is that I will end on this final reflection: courage is present in us all, seek it and nurture it, and you will flourish.

1. Thucydides, translated C. F. Smith, The History of the Peloponnesian War

British Algorithmic Olympiad

British Algorithmic Olympiad On the 6th January 2023, Tonbridge School computer scientists came first in a new National Algorithmic Olympiad.

onbridge again emerged as one of the country’s top schools for Computer Science, this time in a new national competition that tests students’ skill in programming. The British Algorithmic Olympiad (combines Mathematics and Computer Science into one exam based on problem-solving, logical thinking and programming. Tonbridge was the top school overall, with Alex Chui (CH2) scoring highest outright. Justin Robertson, the School’s Head of Computer Science, said:

British Algorithmic Olymiad Results Outright Winner Alex Chui

Year 10

Gold

Finals invitation

Will Chittick Justin Leung Hayden Lam TK Buristrakul Donald Chui Hugh O’Donnell Ming Chan Eden Cheung Catalin Botezat

77 68 62 56 55 51 50 26 16

Upper 6 Lower 6 Upper 6 Lower 6 Upper 6 Upper 6 Upper 6 Lower 6 Upper 6

Gold Gold Gold Gold Gold Gold Silver Silver Bronze

Finals invitation Finals invitation Finals invitation

“This is a remarkable achievement by the boys. These papers are specifically designed to be extremely challenging. We thank the British Algorithmic Olympiad team for putting together this excellent new competition.”

MUSIC An Overview of the Term

he Michaelmas term was full, very full of events, both elective and emergency. A certain football fixture changed a Sunday service by an hour and a certain demise of national historical sadness changed the country. In our small way here, each was accommodated with decorum, although a certain organist managed to derail the most national of anthems by an entire crotchet beat – “a little echo”, as the Headmaster diplomatically described the colossal error of timing – but the school caught up with the errant beat and we all finished together. The Chapel Choir, ever at the ready, had a full term of ‘regular’ and special events which included the Service of Remembrance and three Carol Services, the third of which ended the term with a spectacular school rendering of The First Nowell. The chamber concerts as well as the larger orchestral concerts, particularly the huge Lower School Concert’s enormous percussion ensemble, demand a whole range of infrastructural work. A lot of work goes on ‘behind the scenes’ and here we can acknowledge the tireless work of Mrs Antonia Allman, who after nearly ten years of staunch support in the department, has left for a new and differently demanding role at another school not far away. We thank her for developing the job and, equally, if not more importantly, for her friendship and very welcome listening ear. As the amazing Octagon Concerts continue weekly, the Novi Assemblies continue fortnightly and have included a fascinating Stefan Hargreaves short lecture on his newly made Monochord (pictured left), beautifully constructed by Jon Woodrow, apparently favoured by Pythagoras no less, and a whole year group rhythm session directed by Matt Rich. Special thanks go to Aaron Lee (PH) for starting the series off with a stirring performance of the last movement of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto! The abundance of evening concerts, Fridays usually, include those illustrated here, are allimportant performing opportunities for those who are ‘volun-told’ but produce 'the goods' each time. D L Williams

Michaelmas Term 2022

House Music Competition 2022

onbridge’s annual House Music Competition took to the stage on Friday 14 October, with more than 200 boys demonstrating their talent and versatility before a sell-out audience at the School’s EM Forster Theatre.

Boys from all year groups performed one amplified and one acoustic song, playing their own arrangements of classic tracks. Highlights included a minimalist instrumental version of Declan McKenna’s Brazil, an unforgettable ‘vaudevillestyle’ rendition of Abba’s Dancing Queen and an impressive performance of an original song by Ash Dodd from the Upper Sixth, which was the winner of Best Amplified Item. The competition was judged on various criteria, including the standard and variety of performance, musical creativity and the age range of performers. Manor House was crowned the overall winner. Mark Forkgen, the School’s Director of Music, said: “This year’s competition had the usual eclectic mix of songs, but also a consistently high

MUSIC level of performance across all the Houses. It was really pleasing to hear such creative and innovative arrangements, which challenged us to listen to the music in new ways.” Tonbridge parents, in the UK and around the world, were able to watch via a live link, and the show was also streamed live to boys at the School, many viewing it on the giant screens in Big School and the Barton Science Centre. This year’s competition adjudicator was Simon Speare, Head of Composition at the Junior Royal College of Music. A staff band took to the stage to entertain the audience while the final judging was taking place. A ‘crew’ of Tonbridge boys was also involved in the stage management of the event, providing outstanding sound, filming and technical support.

Octagon Concerts

he huge number of Octagon Concerts reached 637 at the end of the Michaelmas Term. Going now for over twenty years, this series has enabled thousands of music students to play for the first time or the only time. Or for the more seasoned musicians, many times, practice performances, exam practice, and other reasons. Now organised by instrument/teacher, there’s a neatness about their organisation rather than the early days when the programmes were put together with the support of anyone who had pupils ready to play something. The continuing benefit, however, remains a valuable mainstay of the department’s activity providing a variety of music each week.

Concert No. 629 Friday 9th September Third Year Music Scholars (JRPT)

House Music Competition 2022 Winner of the House Music Cup Manor House Runners Up Welldon House and Judde House Cullen Award for Best Acoustic Item Ferox Hall for Losing My Religion The Paul Gamblin Award for Best Amplified Item Cowdrey House for Dysphoria by Ash Dodd (CH) Best Arrangement Alastair Wu (MH) for In the Stars

Concert No. 630 Friday 16th September Second Year Music Scholars Trombone Concerto I. Moderato Adrian Pan (JH2), trombone

Launy Grondahl (1886-1960)

Étude no.1 from ‘Trois Nouvelles études’ Zachary Hill (FH2), piano

Chopin (1810-1849)

Pavane Dylan Kieu (JH2), saxophone

Fauré (1845-1924)

Blackbird Oscar Sinclair (SH2), guitar

Paul McCartney (b.1942)

Black sheep of the family Tristan Burnett (WW2), saxophone

Christopher Norton (b.1953)

Prelude from ‘Suite for Orchestra’ Angus Wong (Sc2), viola

Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

Violin Sonata no.2 in A major, op.100 I. Allegro amabile Sebastian Lau (MH2), violin

Brahms (1833-1897)

Concert No. 631 Friday 30th September

Bulgarian Bounce Max Bandler (OH3), trumpet

Allen Vizzutti (b.1952)

Tuba Mirum from Requiem K.626 Sami Barker (OH3), trombone

Mozart (1756-1791)

(Jez Franks, Tony Harlow, Bari Parrott, Rob Patterson)

Romance op.22, no.1 Calvin Ho (JH3), piano

Carl Nielsen (1865-1731)

Sword From the Stone Tiarnan Daly (OH1)

Allemande from Partita no.2 in D minor, BWV1004 Alexander Young (PS3), violin

JS Bach (1685-1750)

Menuets nos.1 & 2 from Suite no.1 in G major, BWV1007 Zuriel Nwogwugwu (HS3), cello

JS Bach (1685-1750)

Concerto in A minor (1 movement) Alexander Rayment (WW3), treble recorder

Vivaldi (1678-1741)

Adagio Isaac Chan (MH3), bassoon

Louis Spohr (1784-1859)

Improvised Blues Tom Horrell (OH4)

Violin Concerto in E minor, op.64 (3rd movement) Aaron Lee (PH3), violin

Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

21 Guns Adam Chalmers (CH4)

Electric Guitar

My Thang Himmat Panaich (FH2)

James Brown

My Hero Oscar Sinclair (SH2)

The Foo Fighters,

Treasure Jamie Bhatnagar (WH3)

Bruno Mars

Blackbird Subomi Kolaojo (PS3)

Paul McCartney

It’s Time to Wake Up Mathew Smith (JH5)

I Believe in a Thing Called Love Alexander MacPherson (FH5) Original Composition

Greenday

Friday 11th November

Jamie Bhatnagar (WH3) Blackbird Subomi Kolaojo (PS3)

Paul McCartney

Improvised Blues Tom Horrell (OH4) 21 Guns Adam Chalmers (CH4)

Bassoon/Saxophone

(Cat Jackson, Stephen Rhind) Greenday

It’s Time to Wake Up Mathew Smith (JH5) I Believe in a Thing Called Love Alexander MacPherson (FH5) Original Composition Ash Dodd (CH5)

Concert No. 632 Friday 7th October Piano

(David Williams)

Bassoon Sonatina III. Rondo Espagnol Sam Ayankogbe (MH3) - bassoon

Michaelmas Term 2022 James Rae (b.1957)

Concerto for alto saxophone II. Romance Tristan Burnett (WW2) - alto saxophone

Binge (1910-1979)

Bassoon Sonata I. Vivace Kieran McWilliams (SH4) – bassoon

Hurlstone (1876-1906)

Rachel and the Boys George Holder (Sc3) - alto saxophone

James Rae

Dance of the Young Maidens Alex Rice (WW1) - bassoon

Khachaturian (1903-1978)

Black Sheep of the Family Raphy Pointon (WH1) - alto saxophone

Christopher Norton (b.1953)

Gipsy Songs Bong-Ra Ndzi (OH3) - alto saxophone

Jószef Balogh (b.1956)

Bassoon Sonata III. Allegretto – Piu Lento Jayden Chow (MH1) - bassoon

Hurlstone

Andante in B minor, op.16, no.4 Noah Durling (SH5)

Rachmaninov (1873-1943)

Over the rainbow Lucas Mulley (CH5)

Arlen (1905-1986) arr. Shearing (1919-2011)

Prelude in C major Oscar McIlwham (PS4)

JS Bach (1685-1750) arr. Sebastian Thomas

To a wild rose from ‘Woodland Sketches’ op.51, no.1 Christopher Walker (SH1)

McDowell (1860-1908)

Horizon Variations Alex Rayment (WW3)

Max Richter (b.1966)

(Emma Blanco)

Mazurka in G minor, op.67, no.2 Heston Symonds (OH3)

Chopin (1810-1849)

Partita no.2 in D minor for solo violin, BWV1004 IV. Gigue

JS Bach (1685-1750)

Changing Times Max Hu (HS1)

Heather Hammond

Dvořák (1841-1904)

Haiku Henry Munn (MH1)

Harvey (1939-2012)

Romantic Pieces for violin and piano, op.75 I. Allegro moderato II. Allegro maestoso Marcus Lai (OH5) Violin concerto no.3 in G major, K.216 I. Allegro

Mozart (1756-1791)

Romantic Pieces for violin and piano, op.75 IV. Larghetto Mackenzie Lai (OH5)

Dvořák (1841-1904)

Partita no.2 in D minor for solo violin, BWV1004 III. Sarabande Virgile Patricot (WW5)

JS Bach (1685-1750)

Concert No. 633 Friday 4th November Voice

(Isabelle Adams, Amanda Floyd, Toby Stafford-Allen, Nathan Vale) The silver swan Dylan Kieu (JH2)

Gibbons (1583-1625) Text: Orlando Gibbons

The cloths of heaven from ‘The wind among the reeds’ Xavier Gait (Sc2)

Dunhill (1877-1946) Text: WB Yeats

Soliloquy from ‘Carousel’ Tom Metcalfe (WH3)

Rodgers (1902-1979) Text: Oscar Hammerstein II

Down by the Sally Gardens Sam Ward (HS1)

Britten (1913-1976) Text: WB Yeats

A new Heaven and a new Earth from ‘2 songs for countertenor’ Nick Samuel (WH5)

Nick Samuel (b.2004)

Sea Fever Conrad Phillpot (JH5)

Ireland (1879-1962) Text: John Masefield

Alma del core Luke Tippin (CH3)

Caldara (1670-1736) Text: anon

Die Könige Will Enskat (PH5)

Cornelius (1824-1874)

Chanson d’amour Rory Dalton (FH4)

Fauré (1845-1924) Text: Armand Sylvestre

Tu lo sai James Tam (MH4)

Torelli (1658-1709)

O del mio amato ben Tristan Peters (MH3)

Donaudy (1879-1925)

Concert No. 634 Friday 11th November Bassoon/Saxophone

(Cat Jackson, Stephen Rhind) Bassoon Sonatina III. Rondo Espagnol Sam Ayankogbe (MH3) - bassoon

James Rae (b.1957)

Concerto for alto saxophone II. Romance Tristan Burnett (WW2) - alto saxophone

Binge (1910-1979)

Bassoon Sonata I. Vivace Kieran McWilliams (SH4) – bassoon

Hurlstone (1876-1906)

Concert No. 635 Friday 18th November Violin

Concert No. 636 Friday 2nd December Cello & Double Bass

(Katy Furmanski, Alison Moncrieff-Kelly, Ben Rogerson) Intermezzo for cello and piano Alex Schreurs (FH4) – cello

Grieg (1843-1907)

Julie-O Nick Samuel (WH5) – cello

Mark Summer (b.1958)

Cello Sonata in B♭ RV46 II. Allegro Christopher Walker (SH1) – cello

Vivaldi (1678-1741)

Concert No. 634 3.45pm, Friday 18th November OCTAGON ROOM Rondeau from ‘A midsummer Night’s Dream’ Purcell (1659-1695) Tristan Burnett (WW2) – double bass

Al l We l c om e

A deep song Justin Leung (JH2) – double bass

John Walton (b.1947)

If I were a rich man from ‘Fiddler on the roof’ Harry Kirsop (WW2) – cello

Bock (1928-2010)

Cello suite no.1 in G major BWV1007 V. Minuet 1 & 2 Zachary Hill (FH2) – cello

JS Bach (1685-1750)

Danse rustique Rory Beare (Sc3) – cello

Squire (1871-1963)

Cello Sonata no.3 in D minor IV. Minuet William Kemkers (PH1) – double bass

De Fesch (1687-1761)

Dance caprice Zuriel Nwogwugwu (HS3) – cello

Bunting (1924-2005)

MUSIC

Our Steinway Story The Avenue of the Americas but still a major feature of its surrounding buildings. Since its foundation it powered through the competition.

n the school’s website we see: Tonbridge is an All Steinway School, which means that more than 90 per cent of the pianos in the department are either built or designed by Steinway and Sons. They can be replaced on a ten-year cycle. Twelve years ago, MAF and I visited Steinway Hamburg, to choose our first grand pianos having already decided on the upright models to kit-out the ground floor of the department for teaching and practise rooms. Twelve years later, in October 2022, 18 replacement Steinway and Steinway designed pianos arrived at school. This year the contract was up for renewal and another visit to the wonderful factory in Hamburg was due. The normal ten-year review had been held-up by a combination of Covid and Brexit implications but the August 2022 trip went ahead with MAF and some keen Tonbridgians on a hot mid-week August day to run riot on the top floor which houses the bulk of the stock available to visiting customers. Steinway was founded in New York in the mid-1850s, on Long Island, with a second big factory in Hamburg following shortly afterwards. Main showrooms are in NYC, Hamburg and London with a major new centre, although not a manufacturing venue, in Shanghai. The amazing showroom in NYC was for many years very central and in the immediate vicinity of Carnegie Hall; now it’s only slightly less grandly accommodated in

The Steinway School appellation, shared by an increasing number of institutions has benefitted music departments in education for several years. The Steinway Model B, and Boston grand (designed by Steinway) are a good match. The B is described by Steinway as “the perfect piano.” ‘It is a wonderfully balanced and versatile instrument that does extremely well in refined homes, teaching studios, and mid-sized venues.’ The ‘refined homes’ refers to its market value as a luxury item rather than the older reference to the burgeoning upper middle classes who owned houses big enough to accommodate these instruments, or any keyboard instruments. But it was this market of so-called cultured European wealthy and aristocratic patrons who created much of the resource-rich environment which enabled the artists of the time to produce what they did. Beethoven’s famous pupil, Carl Czerny (1791-1857), whose piano tutor publication, op 500 (!), suggests that a new pupil should have an hour lesson at least five times a week and do at least an hour’s work between those lessons. Apparently, he died a rich man. Steinway pianos occupy the highest brand name in the business. Their ubiquity is evident in the majority of concert venues: South Bank, Royal Albert Hall, and many, many others here in the UK. Comparable venues all over the world have Steinway pianos. In Japan, Yamaha pianos are likely to be seen and heard, but even in the USA the famous Baldwin, Boston (1862) made, are less likely to feature as much as the Long Island Steinway. London was a major music centre during the whole of the Victorian and Edwardian periods thriving many years into the 20th century and the UK generally had piano manufacturers everywhere. My own first piano was made in Bridlington, a town in coastal Yorkshire; I lived in London but the very local piano dealer had a wide variety of stock from all over the country. An estimate for the early part of George V’s period reckons perhaps 300 piano manufacturing companies existed in England. Probably the convenience of size,

Michaelmas Term 2022 maintenance and versatility of digital instruments meant an inevitable decline in the big, comparatively high maintenance and expense of the ‘real’ thing but figures cannot be denied in this context. Only one piano manufacturer exists now in the UK: it’s in Yorkshire and has held on to its trade since the last big maker, Kemble, went dark in 2009. Welmar did so earlier although you can still buy an apartment in their former building in Clapham. Interestingly, the Yorkshire firm still has an aristocratic patron – old school! For many years the music school was equipped with Rogers as well as Danemann pianos; Rogers’ last instruments died out in 1989, and Danemann in 1982. Sold exclusively as ‘school’ pianos, they were hardy for sure and were expected to be treated with

Allan Bunney Concert Sunday 6th November

some heavy use, but didn’t, frankly, sound pleasant. So, to invest in an imaginative lease scheme with purchasing power makes good sense institutionally. The current new Steinway Model B is in the Recital Room, complete with beautifully stencilled label – why did its predecessor not have that? The other, earlier Model B is in Big School. Choosing each was a wonderful experience. The Big School piano took us no longer than about ninety seconds! The other a little longer. Both are very beautiful instruments. The New Model B and the Boston grand were given their first outing at the Allan Bunney Concert in November. D. L. Williams

Allan Bunney Concert Music for two pianos with Mark Forkgen and David Williams

Music for Two Pianos

David Williams and Mark Forkgen Symphony 7, op 92 Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) I. Poco sostenuto – Vivace II. Allegretto III. Presto – Assai meno presto IV. Allegro con brio Transcribed by Hugo Ulrich 1827-1872

eethoven’s Seventh. A Behemoth. A fan-favourite – 8.15pm, Sunday 6th November my favourite for that matter. Carlos Kleiber’s version with the Vienna Philharmonic was perhaps the first Recital Room vinyl record I ever bought. Yet unlike the first audiences of Beethoven’s seventh, until the 6th November (this year’s first Allan Bunney concert), I had only ever heard the orchestral version. For this concert, David Williams and Mark Forkgen played the seventh on two shiny new pianos, transcribed by Hugo Ulrich for four hands. Ulrich, who meticulously scribbled tonight’s version some forty or so years after Beethoven’s death, transcribed all the Beethoven Symphonies and string quartets (as well as those of Haydn). His expert practical idiomatic piano writing, with attention in particular to clarity, make this concert an ideal vehicle for the presentation of such an epic work. Beethoven’s pupil Czerny (1791-1857), and his pupil Liszt (1811-1886), produced transcriptions of the Beethoven Symphonies for two and four hands with the likes of Diabelli, Kirchner and a handful of other 19th century contemporaries with good publisher investment. These publishers were the conduit by which so many works for orchestra (and many other ensembles) could be made known in the drawing rooms of the pianistically proficient and their friends.

MUSIC There are those who are sceptical about the nature of the piano transcription. They claim transcriptions, "stripped of orchestral colour… can only offer a ‘monochrome" listening experience, the myriad detailing of the original score diluted to the extreme.’ But it was access at the heart of early transcription, not dilution. The only Ur-Spotify available to the 19th century Beethoven devotee was taking home the sheet

music and learning it. And in my mind, good for them. I know I couldn’t. I like my playlists too much. Both Mr Williams and Mr Forkgen played their respective parts most adeptly, transporting those in the room to the soirées of 19th century Vienna. They ought to put it on vinyl. Philip Dorn (JH)

Symphony Orchestra Friday 2nd December Symphony No.4 in G Major Mahler (1860-1911) |. Bedachtig, nicht eilen ll. In gemachlicher Bewegung, ohne Hast Ill. Ruhevoll, poco adagio IV. Sehr behaglich

y the end of the 19th Century, Gustav Mahler was well known as a composer of three noisy, lengthy and modernist symphonies, as well as several beautiful song cycles; but he found himself stuck. He had taken a new job as the Director of the Vienna Imperial Opera, and – as Music teaching, rugby coaching, Contingent Commanding, Boarding Housemasters will sympathise – his immensely busy role left him with absolutely no capacity to compose, or indeed to do many of the other things which he might have preferred to be doing with his time. Compounding this was the torrent of anti-Semitic abuse which he continued to receive in certain corners of the press every time he mooted any sort of reform at the Opera House. For three years he composed very little: even his summer holidays, usually a fruitful opportunity for composition between busy seasons, proved frustratingly unproductive as he recovered from the season just past and prepared for the season to come. He lamented that the Summer of 1899 had been especially poor, as his chosen holiday town of Bad Aussee hosted a band which would play ‘serenades, funeral marches and wedding marches every day from eleven o'clock and on Sunday from eight in the morning.’ What follows borders heavily on the uncouth, so please skip this paragraph unless of at least moderately strong constitution: with only a few weeks of holiday to go, Mahler found himself suffering not only from a musical constipation but a physical one, too, and so took a laxative in the hope of remedying the latter at

the very least. The medicine did the job in every sense and, after spending several productive hours sealed to the privy, he emerged with a newly composed song, Revelge; thereafter bringing forth a creative outpouring of pent-up composition of all kinds; including this, his fourth symphony, which he sketched in just ten days. Mahler apparently never tired of recounting his smutty but intriguing story. He put the unfinished symphony aside for another intense year at the opera, finishing it the following summer in the rather quieter and more compositionally conducive alpine village of Maiernigg. Mahler originally planned for his symphony to be of six movements: three orchestral movements followed by three vocal ones, in the blended genre first seen in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, the Choral. Along with his second and third, the fourth is the last of Mahler's three Wunderhorn symphonies, in which he draws material extensively from his earlier song cycle Das Knaben Wunderhorn (The Boy’s Magic Horn). At the core of this symphony is his song Das himmlische Leben (The Heavenly Life), originally composed in 1892, of which fragments are heard during the first three movements and is then sung entirely in the last. The symphony liberally crosses the boundaries of ‘absolute’ and ‘programme’ music: while he did not publish a programme for this symphony, he spoke at length about his intentions for the music and even provided some subtitles on his draft score; though never in the final published version. Mahler was famously obsessed with death, and examples of this are not hard to find throughout his work: later song cycles such as Kindertotenleider (literally, ‘Child Death Songs’), as well as his obsession with ‘the curse of the ninth’ which had slayed his predecessors Beethoven and Schubert after writing their ninth symphonies, point to his somewhat singular focus on mortality (he later tried to pass off his own ninth symphony as a song cycle in order to get on with writing a tenth straight away, but died anyway). In this regard the Fourth Symphony does not disappoint, as we journey from life into death, and to the gates of heaven where

Michaelmas Term 2022

Symphony Orchestra Concert Mahler – Symphony No. 4

ll. In gemachlicher Bewegung, ohne Hast (in measured tempo, unhurried), This movement begins with a C minor Scherzo theme from the horns, which then moves to a violin in a scraping scordatura tuning (one tone higher). This shrill theme is an allegorical representation of death from German folklore, which plays us up to heaven in a ‘Totentanz’ (dance of death) while alternating with a higher F major trio section. Ill. Ruhevoll, poco adagio (calm, somewhat slowly), To me, this movement represents a solemn yet loving nostalgia, instigated by the memory of a thing lost. The double themes in cello and oboe (apparently) remind Mahler of his mother’s smile (the thing lost?). I have to admit I’ve never met the woman but judging from the music she is absolutely lovely. I adored the percussion half-way through the movement and the subsequent change of mood. Maybe I’m a cynic, but I enjoyed the big noisy bit more than the soft smiley bits – yes, those are the technical terms.

Friday 2nd December 7.30pm Chapel of St Augustine Das himmlische Leben presents to us a child’s view of the afterlife, explored in the charming-cum-morbid way which perhaps only Mahler would dare to conceive. Whilst his first three symphonies had been raucous to excess - another notable auditory experience he shares with the overburdened boarding housemaster — his fourth appears more restrained. Whilst it still features a large orchestra, Mahler uses this chiefly for colouristic opportunities rather than for sheer noise, almost never using the full force to its full potential; and, to this end, the orchestra is pared of both trombone and tuba.” I. Bedächtig, nicht eilen (deliberate, unhurried), Whether it’s the just time of year, or those sleighbells that ring throughout the movement, Christmas flows throughout the chapel. A gilt carriage arriving at the snow-lined doors of a country estate somewhere in Hampshire is portrayed in dancing clarinets and rhythmic pulses. A warmth from the fire that dwells in the deeper strings make the middle of this movement (very) romantic. To be honest, I felt Mahler attempting to woo me in a Disney film. Viennese ballrooms prevail in the coda, and there’s a delightful pause that left me chuckling, and the audience questioning if the piece had finished.

IV. Sehr behaglich (at ease), Paradise regained – we have been summoned to Heaven and have arrived with a key to St. Peter’s gates – spurred on by Death himself (although we shan’t go into his genealogy here). We find in the final movement a vision of heaven presented in a song with orchestra and, as Mr. Hargreaves has said: “an instrumental setting which had never before been used in a symphony.” After an orchestral prelude, a solo soprano sings Das himmlische Leben ‘with childishly gay expression.’ whoever walked out after the fourth stanza must’ve disliked Mahler’s more operatic chords…but I rather enjoyed them. 10/10 would recommend. The sleigh bells return once more before the music fades away, leaving us alone before Nietzsche’s ‘mysterious primal Oneness.’ The evening exposed me to a composer whom I, shamefully, had listened to very little before. I now see the error in my ways. The Symphony Orchestra (once again) have successfully tackled a goliath from the world of music, and I cannot commend them more on their skill and proficiency in doing so. It is a piece even professional orchestras shy away from – they did not. It is a considerable undertaking which was carefully and masterfully managed by the conductor, Mark Forkgen. Not a school concert! But a distinguished performance with technical and far-ranging demands met with commitment and confidence. S J Hargreaves

DRAMA Scholar’s Showcase

n the third week of term, the Drama scholars perform a showcase of monologues, scenes and musical numbers to the whole of the Novi, followed by a spectacular lighting and sound display prepared by the tech team. This year there was a wide range of comic and dramatic scenes.

The Government Inspector Performed by Second Years Jaden Ayodele (CH) and Devan Radia (CH) The Government Inspector is a satirical play by Russian dramatist and novelist, Nikolai Gogol. Originally published in 1836 it is based upon an anecdote allegedly recounted to Gogol by Pushkin. The play is a comedy of errors, satirizing human greed, stupidity, and the extensive political corruption of Imperial Russia.

One Man Two Guvnors Performed by Novi Toby Stone (OH) One Man, Two Guvnors is a play by Richard Bean, an English adaptation of Servant of Two Masters a 1743 Commedia dell'arte style comedy play by the Italian playwright Carlo Goldoni. The play replaces the Italian period setting of the original with Brighton in 1963.

Ivanov Performed by Upper VIth Nick Samuel (WH) Ivanov was first performed in 1887, when Fiodor Korsh, owner of the Korsh Theatre in Moscow, commissioned Chekhov to write a comedy. Chekhov, however, responded with a four-act drama, which he wrote in ten days. The first performance was not a success and the production disgusted Chekhov himself. The play tells the story of Nikolai Ivanov, a man struggling to regain his former glory.

As Good As It Gets Performed by Third Years Bobby Smart (FH), Freddie Hill (CH) and Bong Ra Nzdi (OH) As Good as It Gets is a 1997 American romantic comedy-drama film about a misanthropic, bigoted, and obsessive–compulsive novelist, played by Bong-Ra who meets a single mother with a chronically ill son. In this scene he has abused his gay neighbour, Simon’s dog.

Love’s Labour’s Lost Performed by Lower VIth Kieran McWilliams (SH) Love's Labour's Lost is one of William Shakespeare's early comedies, believed to have been written in the mid-1590s. It follows the King of Navarre and his three companions as they attempt to swear off the company of women for three years in order to focus on study and fasting. Their subsequent infatuation with the Princess of France and her ladies makes them break their oath. In an untraditional ending for a comedy, the play closes with the death of the Princess's father, and all weddings are delayed for a year. The play draws on themes of masculine love and desire, reckoning and rationalisation, and reality versus fantasy.

Cold Comfort Farm Performed by Novi Huw Thomas (OH) Cold Comfort Farm by Paul Doust. Flora Poste, orphaned at twenty, decides to go and live with her relatives at Cold Comfort Farm. Once there she discovers they exist in a state of chaos and feels it is up to her to bring order.

Anorak of Fire Performed by Lower VIth Dexter Little (WH) Dexter Little is performing Anorak of Fire by Stephen Dinsdale. Gus Gascoigne is young, spotty, perpetually cheerful and completely bemused by anything that isn't involved with his sole interest - trainspotting. Until his life is turned upside-down when he meets Natalie.

Maria Sung by U6th Nick Samuel (WH) Inspired by William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet, the story is set in the mid-1950s in the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, then a multiracial, blue-collar neighbourhood. The musical explores the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks, two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds. The Sharks, immigrants from Puerto Rico, are taunted by the Jets, whites, as the gangs vie for dominance of the neighbourhood, and the police try to keep order. Tony falls in love with Maria, the sister of

Michaelmas Term 2022 Bernardo, the leader of the Sharks. The dark theme, sophisticated music, extended dance scenes, tragic love story, and focus on social problems marked a turning point in musical theatre. G D Bruce

The Indepemdent Play The Real Inspector Hound by Tom Stoppard

n late September 2022, I was lucky enough to perform The Real Inspector Hound by Tom Stoppard, along with five other Tonbridgians and three girls from Weald, directed by Mr Woodrow and Mr Fahey. The plot revolves around two theatre critics, Birdboot and Moon played by Tom Metcalfe (WH) and Sacha Gibson (HS) respectively who observe a murder mystery in the style of a whodunnit. All is well until Birdboot, seduced by temptation, leaves Moon and his seat to answer a ringing phone on the set of the play within the play, becoming a part of the murder mystery. Moon tries to get him to sit back down, but his attempts are unsuccessful. The story unfolds

as Birdboot becomes entangled in the play and its characters, one of whom he has great affection for, but then things take a turn for the worse as he is mysteriously shot. As you can surmise, the plot was not designed to be briefly summarised in a column of The Tonbridgian, but rather to confuse and humour an audience, a classic example of Tom Stoppard's absurdist comedic style! In my time at Tonbridge, I have done many plays. However, this was by far the smallest cast I have ever been in, with only nine people, and I'd just like to take a moment to stand in awe of the cast and crew. It is quite fascinating to think of how much work went into just three performances, each only one hour long, and so it was no surprise when the studio was full after the first night. Corey Little (WH) played Simon, a suave womaniser whose passionate embrace with Cynthia was memorable to say the least! Tom and Sacha created an excellent dynamic between Moon and Birdboot, often talking to each other, but never really listening to each other. Lucas Saunders Aroma (PS) was completely committed to his role of a dead body, so much so that I did not see him move once. In fact, the most surprising part of the play was when he stood up to take a bow. The three girls from The Weald really grew into their roles and added a wonderful dimension to the play.

DRAMA The Real Inspector Hound is a very difficult play to summarise. But then, I think that's what makes Stoppard's theatre so unique. Some plays have political messages, some plays have social messages, and some plays are just written to make you laugh. So, although the members of the audience probably knew more about the plot when walking into the theatre than when walking out, I just hope that they all had a good time. I certainly did. I will leave you with my favourite line of the play which, for me, sums up Stoppard's style perfectly. Towards the end, Cynthia and Birdboot share a moment of intimacy with a kiss, something which Birdboot has been desperate to do throughout the play. Having broken away from the kiss, Birdboot, breathless with exhilaration, remarks, "By Jove, you're right! Her mouth is open!" Sam Edwards (PS4)

'GCSE Innovations’ – GCSE Devised Performances

n the evening of 7th November 2022, Drama students from the two third year sets, performed their devised exam pieces to a full Studio Theatre audience. This popular evening in the Drama calendar was, once again, well supported by an audience of parents, pupils and staff and showcased a wide range of work. The task for this assessment is that students must create an original piece of theatre, based on one of the four set stimuli. This year the stimuli were: •

A quote from A Tale of Two Cities, By Charles Dickens : “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.

•

The Lyrics of Best Day of my Life by American Authors.

•

A quote from Malala Yousafzai: “We realise the importance of our voices only when we are silenced”.

•

The digital art image Fallen Angel (right)

Each group is also required to construct their performance around a specific style of theatre, genre, or practitioner. Again, this year, all groups chose to work with the practitioner Bertolt Brecht, and employed many of his key techniques, to deliver political and didactic theatre to the audience, on a wide range of topics which the boys had researched and developed into short performances. Students are marked on their understanding of movement, voice, the theatrical ideas they have employed, their on-stage relationship with other characters and the extent to which they engage their audience. This last point was partly measured by answers provided in a short audience questionnaire, and which were later used in a written evaluation of the final performances.

Michaelmas Term 2022 First up was a piece entitled, CRASH, which was inspired by the events surrounding the 2008 Wall Street crash and economic disaster which befell the Lehman Brothers Bank and cast its shadow globally. It reminded the audience of the impact that those who manage our finances can have on our lives, when the gamble doesn’t pay off. The cast were William Huddy (JH), Jack Kirkland (WH) and Bobby Smart (FH). Next we were focussed to consider the challenges facing young males who struggle with poor selfesteem and mental health issues and the alarming rise of teenage suicide in young men. This piece, entitled Man Up, was a touching and sometimes brutal reminder of how we often fail to catch people as they fall through the many gaps in the provision for mental health care in this country and how far too many young men take their own lives. It was a subject very close to home for our school community and was delivered with a broad range of Brechtian devices which included the ‘Tickle and Slap’ technique of making an audience laugh before focussing them back in on the tragedy. The cast were Alexander Young (PS), Sacha Gibson (HS), Ethan Hudson (OH), Sam Zang (FH) and Lewie MacPherson (SH). Do Not Pass Go was a clever idea to stage a piece based on the controversial murder case of Sir Richard Sutton, the accused, Thomas Schreiber’s involvement, and the thirty-one million pound inheritance at the centre of the case. It used elements of the board game, Monopoly and Cluedo for its staging, with some giant reproduction board game squares on stage and another clever mix of Brechtian devises including direct address to the audience who became, in essence, a jury. The cast were Ben Cole (PH), William Cowdery (PS) and Odin Holdom (PH). The next piece scheduled in the programme, was actually performed a few days following the exam night, as illness within the cast had forced a lastminute postponement. Nonetheless, in front of a small but supportive audience in school, the piece, using the Malala quote as it’s stimulus and called, Hit, took place and was well delivered. The research and development of this piece examined the high number journalists around the world who go missing every year and are often found murdered because of the stories they uncover and are working on. The boys had chosen three of these real-life cases and created their own fictional character for a fourth, to highlight the plight of the families and loved ones left without answers, when these men and women are often

forgotten by society at large. The cast were George Lang (OH), Arul Singh (PS) and James Cameron (SH). How to Build a Dictator was created and performed by Corey Little (WH), Jake Mandich (HS) and Terry Kachecha (OH) and had a strong Brechtian concept at its heart: Political Theatre. It examined and played with the idea of how those living under the rule of a dictatorship often find themselves at breaking point but are unable to easily change the status quo. Again, using the Malala quote as a stimulus, many Brechtian devices were experimented with to deliver this creative and often funny piece. Perhaps the most high-profile influences for a piece this year were the emotive and highly controversial ‘media circus’ events surrounding Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s departure from the Royal Family and move to a new life in the United States. Created and performed by Tom Metcalfe (WH), Henry Trickey (WH), Lucas Aroma-Saunders (PS) and Bong-Ra Ndzi (OH), this very entertaining piece, used the Malala quote with great impact, circling all the way back to Malala herself and her fight for the voice of oppressed women and girls, which so nearly cost her own life. Detailed research and verbatim were used to examine the lives of those caught up in a world of superficial press exploitation, media exposure and how truth is often the casualty. A clever balance between parody and empathy was evident throughout and Brechtian devices well utilised. The final piece, Just a Little Prick was created and performed by Ollie Clarke (CH), Freddie Hill (CH), Sam Williams (CH), and Freddie Barry (Sc). It explored the story of the Anti-Vaccine movement which arose in 1998, following statements and stories about autism and links to vaccines, and the man at the centre of it all, Andrew Wakefield. Again, some detailed background research and a wide range of Brechtian techniques covered the story with both humour and the sharp edge of seriousness required, and left the audience to ponder the decisions and choices we all face in a world full of illness, disease, pandemics and science. This was another successful, entertaining, and thought-provoking evening of GCSE Devised Drama and congratulations go to all involved. L Thornbury

DRAMA

Trip to the Gielgud Theatre To Kill A Mockingbird starring OT Harry Redding (HS 2011-16)

n November we were fortunate enough to run a trip for all the GCSE and A Level students to see Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird at the Gielgud Theatre starring OT Harry Redding (HS 2011-16) in the role of Jem Finch. After the matinee performance, Harry (bottom right in photo) was kind enough to speak to the students in the auditorium about his experience and answer questions before preparing for the evening show. Set in Maycomb, Alabama in 1934, To Kill A Mockingbird has provided American literature with some of its most indelible characters: lawyer Atticus Finch, the tragically wronged Tom Robinson, Atticus’ daughter Scout, her brother Jem, their housekeeper and caretaker Calpurnia and the reclusive Arthur ‘Boo’ Radley. For the past six decades and for every generation, this story, its characters and portrait of small-town America have helped to, and continue to, inspire conversation and change. G D Bruce

The School Play Les Misérables

by Claude-Michel Schönberg & Alain Boublil

hen the original English version of Les Misérables, a collaboration between the Royal Shakespeare Company and producer Cameron Mackintosh, opened at the Barbican in 1985, critics dubbed it ‘The Glums’ and pronounced it a resounding flop – 37 years later it has been seen by over 130 million people in 53 countries and in 22 languages and it’s this year’s main school production. Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil’s musical is an adaptation of Victor Hugo's 1862 novel which first premiered in Paris in 1980. Set in early 19th-century France, Les Misérables is the story of Jean Valjean, a French peasant, and his desire for redemption. We first meet him when he is released after serving nineteen years in jail for stealing a loaf of bread for his sister's starving child. The world is not kind to Valjean who decides to break parole. He starts his life anew after an act of kindness from a Bishop, who gives him a pair of silver candlesticks. However, police inspector Javert refuses to let him escape justice and pursues him relentlessly. On his journey, Valjean promises to take care of Cosette, the daughter

Michaelmas Term 2022

DRAMA

of single mother Fantine who is wrongly evicted from his factory. Valjean manages to evade Javert until he is swept into the Paris Uprising of 1832, where a group of young idealists attempt to overthrow the government at a street barricade. In our version, set in the round, the action took place in the ABC Café where Marius meets his student friends to plan the revolution. In French, the name of the student society is a pun, in which abaissés ('the humiliated'), is pronounced ‘abese’, or ‘A-B-C’. Musical Director Mr Forkgen and I were determined to create an original version of this well-loved musical, so, inspired by a version of Sweeney Todd I had seen years before, set in a small pie shop and the recent version of Cabaret, still showing in the West End, we set about stripping it back to solo instruments in an attempt to reveal the story behind the high drama and familiar musicality. Just before the opening night I was fortunate enough to receive a message from Claude Michel Schönberg, the original composer: “When people ask me why, in my home country (France) the musical culture is so poor, I answer, as

Michaelmas Term 2022 long as they do not start at school to practise: what is it to be a performer, what is it to sing, to be on stage etc… it’s nearly impossible for the young generation to be inspired by this art form. So, when I learn about a school performing 'Les Mis', I am always happy. I imagine maybe one day I meet one of them in the wings of a theatre, starting to work with us. It is difficult, and requires a lot of will and determination, but it is a beautiful job!” This production took a lot of will and determination, but the cast shone and the capacity audience of 2000 seemed to respond very favourably, whether they were fans of the show and the film or had never seen the musical before. G D Bruce

Twelfth Night

any people participated in this show from the Novi year, cooperating with girls from Weald School; whether that be in a main role such as Malvolio or as a priest, the cast loved this production and how it was produced. Our props team, which consisted of four people and a props manager, were a big success learning their cues just as we, as actors, were learning our lines. It was a brilliant experience having this production in the first term of Novi as it created many friendships I may not have otherwise explored and I am sure this is the case for many, if not all, the cast members. Then came the night of the production: everything was set and everyone was excited to see how this was going to go. All three performances went amazingly well having impacts, not only on the audience but on the whole cast and crew. This was a massive success which brought boys and girls together who helped a great director make a superb display. Huw Thomas (OH)

ART Hunting Among Stones The Crease (for Fian Andrews) i. Take dips of the mineral vein, stick your hand, iron cinders, and pull many memories: roughs and offal from Roman times when they melted with blasts from their feet. ii. Incrustations! The carbonate walls all around just admit the human body. iii. Men scooped these chambers for the soft metal. But jealous Dis turned them to pitch: Underland’s flowers lashed them— night-surrendered shreds, miners turned to bats.

Dig a little deeper, peel back the layers, go undercover, what lies beneath the surface? Our expressions account for it, the sense, knowledge: all that matters cannot be seen. The real stuff is below, hidden, perhaps waiting, perhaps content, but certainly there. In his recent series of screen prints, Fian Andrews deals with all the time in the world, cracks open the rocks and delves into the strata. The project, Moments in Deep Time, began—as most do—when the hands got dirty. It was at Copt Point, Folkestone, on top the Lower Greensand and Gault, beside the loose boulders, where Andrews first felt it: the depth. There are worlds documented in it: subterranean, mysterious. Processes happen in their perpetuity. It is the earth before us; it is the earth after us. All that ever has been and will be. As the geologist Jan Zalasiewicz has it, ‘the surface is no place to preserve history’. The work explores three specific landscapes, each of which represents a distinct period in geological time: Reculver the Paleogene, Cheddar the Carboniferous, and Charnwood the Ediacaran. Geologists write historical sequences with the oldest event at the bottom of the list; the aged always hold up everything else. The stratum, patchworks, and patterns—layers of rock tilted, crumpled, and dislocated—are the visual spur for Andrews’ prints. We stand in front of them as we might stand at the base of a slumping cliff, marvelling at Time’s very own abstractions. You would need training to date them, to deal with the bleary-edged, intergradational lines. There are, however, three basic laws to aid the amateur reader:

Moments in Deep Time Exhibition

Paleogene

Law of superposition ‘If one sedimentary rock lies above another then the upper rock is younger than the lower one.’

Law of cross-cutting relationships ‘A rock or structure must be younger than any rock or structure which it cuts across.’

Law of included fragments ‘If a fragment of one rock is found included in another then the included rock must be older.’

Superposition, cross-cutting, fragments…it is perhaps little wonder why Andrews, an expert in the interplay of visual forms, was drawn to stories in the shapes and angles and textures of the — or as his work makes increasingly clear — our bedrock. There is a mimetic quality in the practice of screen printing: the lamina of the image are added in stages; the depositions of ink, like the gradations of minerals, applied one screen at a time. Andrews’ method involves working from photographs and using colour as signifier. Thus, the black prints refer to coal formed in the organic carbon of sediment; the blueish, misty tinges correspond to the precipitation effects of water. There are also crusty yellows, cool pinks, and hot reds—references, suggestions, of heat & pressure. Distinct marks cleave rougher grains // verticals dash supine striations. I am reminded of Pech Merle, a cave in the hillside of Cabrerets, Southwest France, where some 25,000 years ago our ancestral brethren from the Gravettian culture, using their prehistoric pigments, painted animals and left im-

ART

prints of their hands. It is said that on seeing the famous Dappled Horses, Picasso knelt and wept; he had never before perceived such perfect line. Rock, our first canvas, where we said tentatively, in the dark, under the flame, ‘I have seen…I was here’. Charles Olson, the American poet, who ‘dug down’ to find the root of all we are, had a taste for ‘only earth and stone’. He remarked to his friend Robert Creeley My growing awareness of the caves led to the recognition that as an artist, I belong to a pre-historic tradition that includes the earliest nights and days of soul-making. Andrews’ depictions of geology-in-action might be analogous to Olson’s ‘soul-making’; both take time (serious time), neither progression is precise, and both are continuous—the soul, like the rock, is never finished, never complete. They are worlds of moving energies, magnetisms that take form and border the detectable. Olson’s poetics were influenced by the writings of Ernest Fenollosa, a nineteenth-century American art historian, who did much to introduce Eastern art practices to the West. In Notes of the Chinese Written Character, he writes A true noun, an isolated thing, does not exist in nature. Things are only terminal points, or rather the meeting points of actions, cross-sections cut through actions, snapshots. Neither can a pure verb, an abstract motion, be possible in nature…thing and action cannot be separated. Fenollosa’s language is like that used by geologists interpreting formations: cross-sections, cut through actions, points. It is tempting to look at Andrews’ prints

Carboniferous

Moments in Deep Time Exhibition

Ediacaran

and think them static, frozen, immovable exposures of rock. This, I think, would be the wrong way to read them: thing and action cannot be separated. What Moments in Deep Time does is to show us movement, process, happening, all of which take place at a pace, speed, quite unfathomable to us. These prints exhibit change in a time scale of one to the million years. And it is change over eons which so drew the poet Hugh MacDiarmid to the shingle shelfs on the Shetland Islands, where he could be with ‘elemental things’ I look at these stones and know little about them… Though through them no man can see, No man or anything more recently born than themselves And that is everything else on Earth. And as my phone buzzes, as the emails pile up, and I’m rushing here and have a deadline there and also this going on and that to think about and traffic to factor in and that to do also…I look at Moments in Deep Time and I come to understand that nothing has stirred since I woke this morning, an eternity ago. S J Farmer Moments in Deep Time by Fian Andrews MA (RCA) will be on show in Old Big School throughout the summer.

PINK DAY Tonbridge School Turns Pink – and raises over £7,000 Tonbridge School was pinker than ever in this year for the annual event when boys and staff remember all those affected by all types of cancer. Prior to the day, the School Praes ran a pop-up shop outside the Orchard Centre where boys were encouraged to buy second-hand pink clothing to make up their outfits rather than purchasing expensive items online. All items came from The Demelza Hospice shop, who managed to pull together an amazing array of pink items, in particular some really beautiful pink ‘prom’ dresses. The Praes themselves kindly purchased many of these dresses, and in total this stall raised over £700 for Demelza Hospice.

taff, students and School buildings were dressed head to toe in pink, and this year we raised a record-breaking £7,170.73 for a number of local and national charities. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the School uses this national fundraising campaign to raise the issues around not only breast cancer but all cancers, encouraging boys to discuss and, crucially, to normalise talking about checking our own bodies for any changes, understanding that early diagnosis is a key to successful treatments. In the run-up to the day, the boys heard a moving Chapel talk from Helen Teare, a volunteer with local charity, Breast Cancer Kent, about her personal journey coping with cancer, and the effect it had on her and her family. In 2021, the school heard from Helen’s son Olly Teare (OH 2017-2022) about his feelings on learning of his mother’s diagnosis, and it was therefore particularly emotional to welcome Helen to the School to hear her story, and the fantastic support given to families by Breast Cancer Kent.

Friday 14th October 2022

On the morning of Friday 14th October, the School Praes, along with staff from the School’s Estates department and other volunteers, turned up early to dress the school with bows, fabric and other pink items, as an outward sign to the passing public that the school is supporting any families going through a cancer diagnosis. This year, over 120 meters of pink fabric were hung from the main school tower and adjacent windows, and made a particularly striking image.

Helen Teare said “All that the school is doing to raise the profile of charities such as Breast Cancer Kent is fantastic. My message to you all is to be aware of your body – know what your ‘normal’ is and talk to someone if you have concerns. And, on behalf of all at Breast Cancer Kent, we are so grateful that you are supporting us this October”. In total, the day raised over £7,000 for local cancer and hospice charities. Thanks to all who supported so generously.

For the first time, Hilden Grange School also joined in pink day, and some of our current boys, who are HG Alumni, were at HG at first light and had a great time helping decorate the front of their school. All boys and staff were then encouraged to dress as pink as they dared, and donate generously from their own pockets, and the school was soon awash with a spectacular variety of pink outfits. The Praes also ran a stall at breaktime, selling bags of retro Pink ‘N’ Mix sweets, and in the evening, lower school boys bought refreshments to enjoy whilst watching the House Music competition, with all proceeds going towards the fundraising total. The Tonbridge School Centre also joined in the Pink Fun, including a popular raffle, and raised £195 for Breast Cancer Now. Finally, as the evening drew dark, we were treated to an amazing light show on the main school buildings, generously provided by High-Resonance & Illumination.

PINK DAY

Friday 14th October 2022

COMMUNITY ACTION

Field Day Field Day on 5th October 2022 saw a wide and varied programme for the Tonbridge Community Action boys to be involved with...

sually on Wednesday afternoons, TCA boys volunteer in our local community to undertake a wide range of projects. On Field Day, many of these boys spent the whole day on their projects, giving them a better understanding of the people and the organisations they work for. Some boys were welcomed at Scotts Project – a local centre for adults with learning disabilities - where they enjoyed art, journalism or computer studies, before bringing them back to Tonbridge to enjoy a tour of the Natural History Photography exhibition. Others spent the whole day in primary schools joining the children in a range of activities and were left with a better understanding of the challenges posed of working with children all day. One particularly successful project saw boys choosing and buying books from charity shops, wrapping them, and writing tantalising messages on the presents which were then

Our guests enjoyed the snacks on offer between sports!

TCA boys presenting to our guests from all over the world

Working with our Local Community

Our boys were impressed by the standard of cricket displayed by our guests from Afghanistan

given out to children in a 'Big Book Mystery Giveaway' before reading the books with the children in an after school ‘Reading Café’. Another group spent the day volunteering in the TN2 Centre in Tunbridge Wells helping to sort donated aid with the Ukrainian Relief Group, while others worked in their offices to help with the administration of the organisation.

and the TCA boys went away reflecting on the very different journeys that people of the same age have had to go through so far. We are delighted that these young men now visit weekly through regular TCA Wednesday afternoon activities.

Those who couldn’t spend the whole day with their projects joined the boys who regularly work with the young men from the Kent County Council Millbank and Appledore centres. These boys, in the country under the Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children scheme, have come to Britain seeking a better future and are currently waiting for their asylum status to be assessed. All are under 18 and, travelling without an adult, have often left dangerous countries and have had challenging journeys before arriving in the UK. We were delighted to welcome nearly fifty guests who, alongside forty TCA boys, enjoyed a full day including a football tournament, five-a-side cricket and a swimming gala, before making brief presentations to each other via the help of interpreters to translate into the sixteen or so languages spoken in the room. Our guests also wrote welcome messages in their own languages – Pashto, Persian, Almaric, Albanian, Kurdish Sorani and Arabic (right) Boys talked about their hobbies, the countries they came from and even the food they enjoy. It is always a fantastic day spending time with these young men,

COMMUNITY ACTION

Christmas Toy and Gift Appeal 2022 A heartfelt thanks to boys and parents who supported our Christmas appeal so generously this year.

onday 5th December saw thousands of donated new or ‘as new’ toys, books and gifts brought by boys to Big School and sorted by a team of volunteer parents who then hand-picked gifts for each child referred to the scheme. Families were referred from KCC, primary schools, and the local food banks. Though anonymous, the referral forms gave a short, and often moving, summary about each family, and all involved gained a better understanding of the challenges faced locally, including single parents who have left situations of domestic abuse, and many with children with additional educational needs. Families are facing financial challenges trying to cover basic living expenses, made worse by the current economic climate, and often have nothing left for Christmas gifts. Tonbridge parents also donated over £4,000 so that suitable gifts could be purchased on their behalf, including footballs, art sets, craft materials and toiletries. This year, due to the fuel crisis, we also welcomed donations of hundreds of coats, hats and gloves. Over 500 children, as well as youth groups, children’s centres and carers, were supported through the scheme, with bags distributed to the referring agencies

and passed on to parents to be able to give on Christmas morning. We have received numerous messages of thanks, often very emotional, from all those involved. Thank you for helping us make a Happy Christmas for so many local families.

Working with our Local Community

Shop & Share Christmas Fruit and Vegetable Market Just before Christmas we held our second seasonal fresh fruit and vegetable market, delivering festive cheer to many in our community.

isitors, invited by Sustain food bank and Feast kitchen, could pick up all their Christmas fruit and veg for a donation of £1. There was a coat stall, a coffee shop, a raffle and children could make and wrap a gift for a parent. Thanks go to the school’s suppliers who generously donated all the food for free and to the forty staff members and Tonbridge families, who also kindly volunteered and helped make the day a festive success. We had some lovely feedback from attendees: "I would just like to say again how amazing what you do is. For families that struggle at this time of year, coming to your fruit and veg day was the biggest help anyone could ever give. The smiles and kindness were overwhelming and what you do, spending your time making sure no one goes without, is amazing. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your organisation shows the true meaning of Christmas."

COMBINED CADET FORCE Royal Navy Portsmouth Field Trip After Wednesdays spent sailing at Bough Beech and tireless foot drill, the CCF’s Royal Navy section departed for Naval Headquarters, HMS Excellent, down in Portsmouth for what would be a brilliant three days of sailing, powerboating, kayaking and plenty of foot drill. Navy’s officers, both junior and senior, and to the luck of the cadets, with it came an upgrade in food as well. Alongside this clearly came an upgrade in Squadron Leader Hargreaves’ courage where he decided to join a couple of senior officers from the Royal Marines and Navy for their meal instead of the company of the Tonbridge staff!

Head-on-head with aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales

adly, HMS Bristol, the destroyer that the cadets used to stay on for the duration of the Portsmouth visit, was decommissioned in October 2020, so we had to put up with staying in a Travelodge off base. However, there is hope to have a replacement soon, with boys being able to gain the full experience of what it’s like to stay on a warship that once fought in wars such as the Falklands. Although there was the luxury of comfier beds and en-suite bathrooms, an earlier reveille was required each morning to get the rather decent breakfast at the officers’ mess. After arriving on the Sunday afternoon of October 2nd, the cadets were swiftly into their uniform and ready to march onto the base, for whom it was the second years’ first time. Under the control of WO1 (Warrant Officer 1) Alex Peggie (HS) and marching off WO2 (Warrant Officer 2) Christopher Sneddon (OH), the foot drill began, however, we soon realised that it would be best to go off CPO (Chief Petty Officer) Marius Kobler’s (WW) pace instead as Sneddon wasn’t able to keep in time with himself let alone a sea of naval cadets keeping up behind him. With the surprise that there was a gas-leak in the junior-rates’ mess, we were summoned to The Wardroom, the dining room for the

The next morning bright and early, we were ready for a day of activities out on the water, with half of the 2nd Year and NCOs going up to the Chichester Canal for some kayaking and the other half sailing in middle of Portsmouth Harbour. You wouldn’t be able to get much better conditions for sailing, with the sun out and a steady breeze across the sea. The cadets caught onto the art of sailing very quickly to the surprise of instructors Jonny and Ali in the morning, however LH (Leading Hand) Toby Dunnet (HS) was on call in the sailing boats all day as well, not being afraid to get his own crew drenched whilst he didn’t touch a drop

At the helm of the Navy's Black Swan

Michaelmas Term 2022

Sailing past HMS Dauntless, a Type-45 Destroyer

of water. This was seen when his ‘Quest’ (sailing dinghy) capsized, leaving his esteemed company of James Beveridge (Sc) and Kavish Agrawal (Sc) urgently swimming for Ali and Mr Greco’s powerboat, (codename ‘Porpoise’), whereas Jonny’s powerboat was codenamed ‘Sea Lion’, portraying the superiority between the two instructors. The kayaking group contained a clumsier lot of cadets, with a few of them spending more time in the water than their actual kayak. Their afternoon concluded with trust exercises on the kayaks and canoes, where Sneddon got the upper hand on LH Li (FH), submerging him in the canal once or twice, portraying the clear trust the two NCOs have for each other! After a long day on the water, the cadets got back into the routine of marching to The Wardroom and back, making positive progress every time to the relief of Lt. Waight and Sqdrn Ldr. Hargreaves, and indeed all the NCOs. This was followed by a social evening to go bowling. This was an opportunity for the cadets to put their strength to the test after doing countless pushups as a result of numerous hands in pockets. The highlight however was the match between the NCOs and staff, with the confidence of the NCOs extremely high, pressure was put onto the staff straight away, with balls flying left and right into the gutters. Despite

this, the staff heads were still high when it came to round 7, with Ali leading the way with a strike, followed by Hargreaves’ ‘Eliminator’ ball resulting in a spare, and then Lt. Waight and Mr Greco both bowling a spare as well. The staff were sailing in front with jib and spinnaker out in full flow (excuse the pun), and with more full houses from the staff, the NCOs were beaten, and full bragging rights were handed over to the staff.

A torpedo tube doubles-up as a beer store on HMS Alliance!

COMBINED CADET FORCE

Capsized cadets!

A stronger breeze was whipping across the harbour the next morning, proving a stronger test for the sailors. Whilst the Second years swapped groups, the Third Year continued their Powerboat Level 2 course from the day before, with their mooring alongside and highspeed helming being put to the test in the harbour. The NCOs (and Arthur Scott [PS]), however, were able to get aboard the Navy’s Swan vessels, 50 ft, twin-engine powerboats, and navigated their way to the fish and chip shop on the other side of the Solent in Cowes, Isle of Wight. Due to the boats getting stuck in the Channel Islands the previous week because of the poor sea conditions, the NCOs could only spend the Tuesday on them, with plans to get to Southampton and around the Isle of Wight sadly postponed for another year. That evening boys took part in the challenge of the Royal Navy Quiz, put together by the NCOs, with the threat of a march around the whole school for last place! Sadly, that was given to Team ‘NCO Peggie’, ironically named after me, and their march is due in good time. With final marching completed on HMS Excellent

for another year and bags packed, the cadets finished with a visit to the Royal Navy Submarine Museum. Here they learnt about the history of the Submariners, and equipment used by them over the years. They were able to go inside the first ever submarine built, as well as the main attraction of the HMS Alliance, the only remaining submarine from WW2. We were lucky enough to be toured around the 280 ft vessel by ex-submariners themselves, giving a brilliant insight as to what life was like on board in the depths of the ocean. After lunch by the sea, the Royal Navy Section headed back to school, reminiscing about the amazing few days we had away from lessons, boating on the naval base, surrounded by serving ships that were many times the size of their craft. A massive thank you must go to Lieutenant Waight for organising the trip so excellently, to Jonny Moss and Ali Moppet for instructing the sailors so well, and to Sqdrn. Ldr Hargreaves, Mr Greco, Mr Waite, and Ms Stirling for all their support on the trip. Alexander Peggie (HS)

Third Year powerboaters mooring-up next to HMS Diamond

Portsmouth Harbour viewed from HMS Excellent

Commerative Parade for Her Majesty The Queen

COMBINED CADET FORCE

Commerative Parade for Her Majesty The Queen

SPORT First XV Rugby

n late August the senior squad departed for what was to be an excellent week’s pre-season tour to the Basque Country in the south of France. The boys had a great week’s training, bonded fantastically well as a team, and played two tough fixtures against local opposition. We lost narrowly to Bayonne U18s in front of a 300 strong partisan French crowd on the footsteps of Stade Belacasin and enjoyed a thrilling 54–52 victory against St Vincent De Tyrose in a curtain raiser ahead of a Dax Championnat Fédéral Nationale fixture. Two unforgettable experiences, enjoyed in the basking sun of the south of France – something the boys will never forget. Despite the promising start, the rugby season got underway with back to back losses against two very strong teams in Brighton College (0–29) and Judd (8–21). The boys were still ironing out the kinks through the first two games. However, the quality was there, and with a few players returning from injury the team began to grow in confidence and gain some momentum, starting with a draw against Eton (12–12); an infuriating draw for the boys as they left the pitch having let a win slip from their grasp.

Squad Back Row: F M Horner (MH), A A J Peggie (HS), T C Creasey (HS), O W Bamford (JH), F C Wright (PH), A M Hewitt (HS), N Scarlett (PH) Middle Row: B E H Pearl (Sc), Z J C Johnson (CH), B A McClinton (OH), A W Stonor (JH), P A Hughes (HS), A W Heslop (MH), F R H D C Williams (MH), E A Lee (SH), Z A D Schaeffer (SH) Front Row: F S Crispin (CH), H E J French (PH), F T G Jobber (SH) (vice-captain), J J M Walder (PS) (captain), C W J Thompson (HS), I R B Pullen (PH), J J Keppel (PH) Not Pictured: R Hockley Smith (FH) However, glimpses of champagne rugby were starting to show. The following week the boys undertook a resounding victory against Skinners’; with the return of Harry French (PH), the team came together to show a completely one-sided performance (44–17). The boys in black and white showed their true colours, with Archie Heslop (MH) obtaining man of the match with a stunning hat-trick performance, closely followed by Alex Stonor (JH), who dominated the back field and put the boys on the front foot consistently with darting runs and precise kicks.

RUGBY The following week the boys faced Radley ahead of the half-term break and continued on the great run of form to grab a strong win at home (22–14). The team were finally clicking, elucidated by Inigo Pullen (PH) picking out Charlie Thompson (HS) with a cross field kick, straight out of Dan Carter’s play book. This form continued after the break with a convincing win against St Paul’s (22–3). On a wet and windy day, the boys fronted up to a very physical Paul’s side. Through wind and rain the boys battled on to a convincing win. The black and white army then marched up to Harrow on The Hill, where they were met with a test against a star-studded Harrow team. The boys left it all on the field with the score not truly representing how close the game was (8–24). True determination was on show by the boys – a performance to remember for years to come! After a week of recovery and focussed training, the 1st XV bounced back with an emphatic win against Dulwich College, where true domination was on show (44–17). The highlight of the rugby year for the forwards, with thriving line out moves leading to three tries, led by Oli Bamford (JH), with Jack Keppel (PH) going over the white line twice (one try arguably as try of the season). Crunching hits repeatedly put in by the likes of Ferdinand Wright (PH) and Ben Pearl (Sc) nullified and sort of comeback from Dulwich. The boys, however, were guilty of complacency in the return fixture to Radley for the second leg of the doubleheader, squandering chances and narrowly

losing (5–13). It was a poor performance compared to the previous top-notch games. However, there were still moments of magic with French (the eventual winner of Players’ Player of the season) showing great strength and physicality to push over the line from the 22. The last home game of the season was against Wellington College and proved to be one of the best schoolboy games of the year with the lead changing hands several times, culminating in a nail-biting finish. Unfortunately, Tonbridge missed an opportunity to snatch victory in the final play of the game and will have to wait until next year for redemption. The performance displayed by the whole team in that Wellington game summed up the honour and pride it takes to pull on the black and white hoops

SPORT

First XV Rugby Results Played: 10

Won: 4

v Brighton College v Judd School v Eton College v Skinners’ School v Radley College v St Paul’s School v Harrow School v Dulwich College v Radley College v Wellington College v Seaford College

each week. This proved to be the final fixture of the year due to frost cancelling fixtures all across the country. The boys can be very proud of their performances in the black and white, and with a heavy contingent of Lower Sixth gaining valuable 1st XV experience and some excellent players coming through from the U16s, 2023 already looks very promising. Jack Walder (PS)

(A) (H) (A) (A) (H) (H) l(A) (H) (A) (H) (A)

Drawn: 1

Lost: 5

Lost Lost Draw Won Won Won Lost Won Lost Lost Cancelled

0 – 29 8 – 21 12 – 12 44 – 17 22 – 14 22 – 3 8 – 24 44 – 5 5 – 13 13 – 14

RUGBY

Second XV Rugby

hough the first two games of the season were disappointing, knowing that we could’ve come away with two wins, it was clear from the very first session of the season that this 2nd XV team was blessed with some very fine players alongside some great chemistry. Throughout this season every player put his body on the line going into the games, with some players unfortunately becoming injured in the process, players such as Toby Makin (HS), Will Nolan (MH) and Dom Hopley (MH) were sadly put on the side-line after sustaining injuries in various games, however when they did play, they made an impact. Though it must be said that each individual player made their own impact in some way, whether it be Will Tarry (WW) consistently breaking the gain line (cleverly targeting the opponents smallest man each time), Max Gilbey (OH) and his questionable scran photos, James Wildblood (PH) breaking everybody’s ankles or Arthur Rogers’ (HS) ability to break the gain line with or without the ball. Jokes aside, this season has been one of best seasons the 2nd team has ever had, and all players contributed to it. Having Eton as the first clash with a rival, we made sure that this game was going to be a win as it was, for the U6th, the final chance to have a go at putting one past Messrs Barber and Swales, Cameron and

Johnson. Though the start of the game wasn’t ideal with penalties being given away and no possession, things started to look a bit ropey. But once ball was in hand, the Eton defence was nowhere near the level of the Tonbridge attack. Bish bash bosh, one thing led to another and at half time it was 17–0 to the Boars. A special mention must go to Edd Perry (JH) as his try was definitely one of the main highlights of the game. It was a Tonbridge lineout on the Eton 22 and Edd was positioned right at the end waiting to join a maul when the time came. Luckily for us, the ball missed the jumper’s hands and went straight to Edd. Because of the lad’s size and strength, he easily bumped off tacklers and went over for the first try of the game. Other memorable moments included Gilbey’s assassination attempt of the Eton 12 right at the end of the game and the captain managing to lose a boot and play for the next few phases with only one boot on. Though Eton crept their way back into the game, it was still a good performance from the side, and we knew we could only improve from here. Wanting to get revenge for the unfortunate loss the previous year in the horrific weather, the boys wanted to prove to this large Cranleigh side how well we could play in dry weather. Like Eton, Cranleigh started off well with a sneaky try but it wasn’t long

SPORT until the Tonbridge tries started to come in after some poor defending from the home team. Honourable mention as man of the match must go to Arthur Loveland (OH), who always hit the hard line off 10 perfectly, cutting through the Cranleigh defence like a hot knife through butter. Other tries from Felix Crispin (CH) and Nolan in the first half extended the gap to Cranleigh enough so that they couldn’t get back. With some further second half tries and some friendly banter between the Manor House boys and the opposition the game ended 32–19. Unlike last year’s second Radley match which was unfortunately called off towards the end, this year, we can happily say that we secured the two wins from two games. The more memorable game was definitely the first one as the most interesting part of the second game was the high tension between the ref and Loveland. Other close calls include Zac Schaeffer (SH) and Ollie Morgan (PH) both disagreeing vehemently with the man in charge. But the first game had more tries, better weather and a better ref. With many tries coming from everyone, the most miraculous of them all was Rufus Hockley Smith’s (FH) sevens style try. After a kick by Nolan the ball was looking to roll out, but it was outstandingly kept in play by a footballlike kick from Rufus which allowed the ball to pop up perfectly for the winger to score the final try, making the score 35–14. Not much can be said about the St Paul’s match apart from the fact the everyone played phenomenally. No tries were conceded and a score of 43–0 would strike fear into other opponents’ eyes. The most notable moment of the game was undoubtably Hopley’s sensational solo try. After receiving the kick from a restart he bounced the first defender that came to him and broke through the line; he then managed to gas the full back and the wingers chasing back to score a sensational try. Milo Denny (WH) did try to replicate this by almost going all the way however when he passed the ball to Ed Lee (SH) it was clear that Ed hadn’t been doing his daily cardio. Nevertheless, the two teams were leagues apart and it was the perfect predecessor for the game against an unbeaten Harrow side. Going into this game the moods were mixed, some nervous, some ecstatic, others silent, but we all knew that this was our chance to ruin the Harrow side’s unbeaten run right in their back garden. The first 5–10 minutes of the game was some of the best rugby we’ve played, everyone organised and executed moves really well which eventually led to Rogers opening up the scoresheet with a great line from 13. However, Harrow did bounce back making the half 12–12 at

Second XV Rugby Results Played: 10

Won: 7

v Brighton College v St Lawrence College U18A v Eton College v Cranleigh School v Radley College v St Paul’s School v Harrow School v Dulwich College v Radley College v Wellington College

Drawn: 1

Lost: 2

Draw Lost Won Won Won Won Won Won Won Lost

20 –20 10 –29 24 –19 32 –19 35 –14 43 – 0 43 –22 42 – 5 19 – 7 10 –12

the break, Harrow being the last team to score. This run continued into the second half and before we knew it, we were 22–12 down. On top of losing the captain, other injuries included Wildblood’s near death experience, caused by the shoulder of a Harrow defender. But luckily this led to us calling up players from the 3’s. This proved to be what we needed as Jean Van der Spuy (FH) made quite the impact with his kicking and stepping capabilities. We knew the gap was 10 points and after a small speech from Mr Eades, everyone’s mindset was the same which led to some great tries being scored. The standout try was Tom Birch’s (MH) incredible finish after a beautifully floated pass by Loveland, who did an outstanding job filling in as 10, though I had a feeling Harrow knew which move we would do as I’m sure we executed about 15 forks in the game overall. But in all this game was probably the game of the season for us, coming back and beating an unbeaten side away from home. The match against was again like the previous games showed our dominance against other 2’s side. On top of playing on the Fifty for the first time for many of us, we all played our best with ball in hand. Though you could say there was a penalty issue as we did have to lose a player to a yellow card towards the end of the first half. Memorable moments include Birch’s hattrick and Finlay Horner’s (MH) naughty dummy which sold more than just the opposition. Though it was disappointing that the game ended with them scoring, it was still a strong performance from a class side. Like Dr Dixon put it last year, despite the loss against Wellington, it was certainly when I felt most proud of the boys. Right from the start of the game we had a go at them phase after phase, I knew we were in with a chance to beat them. But sadly the half didn’t end how we would have wanted despite dominating them.

RUGBY This can be said again in the second half right at the end when we won penalty after penalty, but with that one controversial decision from the ref that changed the game, the game was unfortunately lost with a devastating score of 10–12 to Wellington.

call-ups to the 2nd XV during the game, including two in the front row. When Judd pulled back and made it level in the 2nd half the game was in the balance, in the end we would be rueing missed chances as the game ended in a nail-biting draw.

Though it wasn’t the way we wanted to end the season, a loss and then a cancelled game, it’s been an absolute pleasure to captain this team and I for one know that I’ve made some great memories and I hope everyone else has to. I want to thank the coaches – Mr Eades did an excellent job as our new coach inspiring us to bosh the good bosh and Mr Fotheringham who did a great job improving us whilst Mr Eades was away. I want to thank all the parents who came and supported us too. For me, I’ve loved every minute of it, and I wish the L6th the best of luck to continue our strong season performances.

We then followed up this with a dominant backs performance in a comprehensive win against Eton with Jean Van der Spuy (FH) scoring a hattrick, Zach Hudson (SH) adapting well to his new role as prop and an impressive debut performance by Patrick Staunton (OH) replacing the injured Phillip Dorn (JH). The following week, many of us got to play on the Fifty for the first time against a very strong Skinners’ 2nd XV. Sadly two interception tries for Skinners’ meant that the score line seemed more dominant, although there were individual moments of brilliance; most notably, Belliere once again scoring an unbelievable try and James Mayes (OH), scoring a la ‘Fridge’. After the loss against Skinners, we faced a predictably forward-based Radley XV with our strongest team since our opener against Brighton. After a controversial opening try by Radley, we were 0-5 down within five minutes, but after this opening shock we rallied with tries from Dorn, Alexander Morcombe (JH) and Thomas Higgins (OH) to gain a comfortable lead at the break. The second half became a much cagier affair and after scoring another try, we were suddenly under significant pressure from a powerful Radley pack and a massive defensive effort followed. Credit must go to Harry Leach (OH) for a huge hit on an opposition prop twice his weight as well as Christopher Cheok (HS) and Ollie Hastie (CH) who helped to both secure our lineout and win Radley’s consistently throughout the match.

Will Clarke (PH) Squad W. Clarke (Captain) (PH), Z. Schaeffer (Vice-Captain) (SH), W. Tarry (WW), F. Horner (MH), E. Perry (JH), M. Gilbey (OH), A. Peggie (HS), D. Hopley (MH), F. Crispin (CH), E. Lee (SH), O. Morgan (PH), W. Nolan (MH), T. Birch (MH), A. Loveland (OH), A. Rogers (HS), S. Kenny (MH), R. Hockley Smith (FH), J. Wildblood (PH), M. Denny (WH), T. Rout (JH), A. Pope-Saffer (SH), F. Williams (MH), B. McClinton (OH), J. Burrows (JH), G. Jobber (SH), T. Higgins (OH), J. Van der Spuy (FH). Also played: H. Leach (OH), J. Allan (WH), B. Harris (JH), T. Makin (HS)

Third XV Rugby

fter a promising week and a half of training, the 3rd XV headed to Brighton with a strong team for the first fixture of the season. After we scored an early try, Brighton fought back scoring 2 tries to lead 12-7 going into the half time. A late burst of 4 tries in the final 10 minutes showed our potential when we had ball in hand and gave the indication of the strength of team for the rest of the season. Next up, the local derby against Judd 2nd XV, confidence was high as with a strong team Alex Belliere (CH) finished off a brilliant team try to go 7-0 up. Unfortunately, three forwards received

SPORT After two weeks’ rest for half term, players returning from injury meant that Tom Rout (JH) returned to the side with George Jobber (SH) adding talent to the pack. The team was inevitably very strong and it showed with a comprehensive win over a capable Dulwich side. We started off the match in the right way with monstrous tackles straight from the kickoff from Damon McDevitt (Sc) and Higgins, after an early try by Hudson we were in charge the whole way. Jack Burrows (JH) showed his class with ball in hand and the halfback partnership of Tom Launder (Sc) and James Allan (WH) took control of the game magnificently. A hattrick for Leach made sure that there was no doubt about the result, as the team together played their most fluid rugby of the season, including most notably a brilliant wrap around move through multiple sets of hands and finished off by Morcombe. Next up, Harrow - a team who had won every match since losing to Tonbridge back in 2019. This was our most important fixture of the season. After experiencing a different calibre of opposition, we were 10-0 down within 10 minutes, both tries courtesy of the Harrow driving maul and an injury to Jobber meant that we were already dipping into the 4’s for lack of substitutes. Following this, we clawed our way back into a 12-10 lead before half time after scoring twice, including perhaps the technically best try of the season. A perfectly placed pop of a preplanned lineout move allowed Mayes to step his opposite number and make a 20m line break, then off the next phase a perfectly weighted pass from Allan to Morcombe, who showed his strength to power through multiple defenders before crossing the line. In the second half we extended our lead through a fantastic solo effort from Van der Spuy before a combination of tired bodies, players being moved up to the 2nd XV and perhaps the occasional questionable decision meant that Harrow pulled it back to 22-22 - and such the match ended in a nailbiting draw despite Leo Bezuidenhout’s (WW) best efforts. The re-match against Dulwich ended in the same way as before, with a dominant win again for Tonbridge and an impressive performance by Alexander Woolf (MH) in which he claimed his first try of the season. Perhaps the highlight of an impressive second performance against Radley was Olly Deen’s (Sc) dangerous ball-carrying ability as the team once again put in a dominant performance. In what ended up being the final match of the season it was then time for Wellington. Any doubts about the winner of the game were quickly dispelled after a dominant tackle from the kick-off. With Mayes scoring from yet another lineout move Tonbridge reached another level, Allan especially was creative throughout the game

setting up multiple scores with grubbers. Finishing the season, and some of our Tonbridge rugby careers with that dominant win against a competent Wellington side summed up the season perfectly. I would like to thank Mr Sampson and Mr Fewster for their dedication to our training sessions. Throughout the season they invented multiple drills, including the team’s personal favourites of the notorious (high) tackle bag drill and the mauling exercise. The success of the team this year shouldn’t be underestimated and our record of unbeaten against 3rd XV’s speaks for itself. The players all represented the 3rd XV with pride, and I would expect many of the L6th to play on the Fifty next year. Bertie Harris (JH) Squad B. Harris (captain) (JH), J. Mayes (OH), C. Cheok (HS), D. McDevitt (Sc), T. Rout (JH), Z. Hudson (SH), O. Hastie (WH), H. Leach (OH), A. Morcombe (JH), O. Deen (Sc), P. Dorn (JH), G. Jobber (SH), T. Launder (Sc), J. Allan (WH), A. Woolf (MH), J. Van der Spuy (FH), L. Bezuidenhout (WW), A. Belliere (CH), J. Burrows (JH), J. O’Connell (PS), T. Higgins (OH) Also Played: P. Staunton (OH), S. Kenny (MH), E. Perry (JH), H. O’Leary (PS), S. Kemp (WW), D. Hopley (MH), R. Dalton (FH), W. Harrison (JH), M. Avery (OH), O. Morgan (PH), O. Hamilton (OH)

Third XV Rugby Results Played: 10

Won: 7

v Brighton College v Judd Schhool Second XV v Eton College v Skinners’ Second XV v Radley College v Dulwich College v Harrow School v Dulwich College v Radley College v Wellington College

Drawn: 2

Lost: 1

Won Draw Won Lost Won Won Draw Won Won Won

35 –12 7–7 40 – 0 12 – 28 26 – 5 38 – 5 22 – 22 36 – 5 22 – 0 31 – 0

RUGBY

Fourth XV Rugby was selected, and Tonbridge played some of their best rugby of the season. A masterclass in the lineout by Toby Stevens (FH) and strong forward play enabled us to overcome a resolute opposition.

s the S1 squad assembled on the hallowed ground of A1 for another season it was immediately clear to me that this was a strong group. Competition for places would be fierce with players living in fear of the long walk to S2. The first match of the season took us south to Brighton. An intimidating pre match atmosphere ensued with Brighton hitting tackle pads with unnerving ferocity in the warm-up. Playing under the shadow of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II the team showed a spirit and perseverance which would have made Her Majesty proud and despite a controversial late red card for Leo Bezuidenhout (WW) and a cowardly attack on Joe Clark (WH) we ran out comfortable winners. Next up was the Thursday away fixture at Eton. The team started sluggishly and fell behind early but an intercept try from Henry Hilliard-Rees (CH) turned the tide. With excellent play from our flying back three of Dan Tollit (HS), Max Avery (OH) and Will Harrison (JH) we turned on the style under the Heathrow flight path. Tonbridge ended up deserved victors but with a sense we had been some way from our best. Next in the crosshair were local rivals Skinners’. With an even first half a raucous atmosphere on the touchline this had all the hallmarks of a nailbiter. This was not, however, to be the case. Tonbridge scored off kick off at the start of the second half with Charlie Palmer (HS) racing in and from that point confidence grew, a comfortable win in the end but one which had been hard earned. The last fixture before half term was the first of the double header against Radley. A strong line-up

As half term passed the next opposition was the once proud rugby school of St Pauls. Their thirteen-man starting team showed great spirit but was no match for the well drilled 4th XV. The result was never in doubt, but the match was unsatisfactory at best, not ideal preparation for what on paper looked like the toughest test of the season. Harrow, like us, had a 100% record when we met on a bright mid-November afternoon on a muddy hill in west London. The game was fought with great intensity, with heroics in the pack from Hugh Piper (HS), Michael Nyamali (SH) and Richard Millett (MH) in particular. An early advantage was wiped out on the stroke of half time as Harrow scored a break away try from under their own posts, but this only served to spur Tonbridge on. This win was certainly the high point of an excellent season. Despite local flooding the school fought hard to keep the Dulwich fixture on. Whether this was worth the effort could be debated. The 3rd and 4th XV turned up to Judd School’s Vizards pitches to find Dulwich had only bought one team. The match followed a predictable pattern, and some good rugby was played, all be it in another unsatisfactory fixture. The away return match against Radley is always a tough one. With a wave of illness, injury and family commitments sweeping through the squad, great credit should go to those that turned out and made the long journey north. Reinforcements had to be bought in from S2 and the team struggled against strong opposition. At one stage a drubbing was on the cards but I was really impressed by how the team responded to a tough situation. Much credit should go to Max Freudenheim (MH) for his leadership in this match. With Will Harris (FH) falling victim to injury after attempting his first tackle of the season at fly half we had to reshuffle the backline. Connor Nolan (CH) deserves a mention here for his versatility over the season, playing 9, 10 and 12 in this match alone. With the dream of the perfect season over all that was left to do was to play Wellington College, a welcome return to the home of rugby after three weeks on the road. A comfortable win was a fitting way to round off the season.

SPORT The team should look back on this season with a great deal of pride. I will remember the enthusiastically participated in training sessions with Mr Sampson’s encyclopaedia of drills at the fore. The cold Friday evenings on the foundation Astro. The patchy Tuesday attendance, especially on the colder and damper days. The touch games where I would be made to feel old and slow. But mostly a group who came together over the course of the season, played some great rugby, scored some great tries and conducted themselves in the best tradition of Tonbridge school sport. T G Fewster Squad C. Nolan (CH), W. Harris (FH), H. Piper (HS), M. Freudenheim (MH), M. Avery (OH), T. Stevens (FH), O. Burgess (OH), J. Clark (WH), M. Nyamali (SH), R. Dalton (FH), D. Tollit (HS), O. Hamilton (OH), H. HilliardRees (CH), R. Millett (MH), W. Harrison (JH)

Fourth XV Rugby Results Played: 9

Won: 8

v Brighton College v Eton College v Skinners’ Under 18C v Radley College v St Paul’s Under 18C v Harrow School v Dulwich College v Radley College v Wellington College

Drawn: 0

Lost: 1

Won Won Won Won Won Won Won Lost Won

42 – 3 29 – 12 35 – 5 41 – 10 41 – 5 26 – 7 36 – 7 17 – 38 33 – 7

Fifth XV Rugby

hat is the definition of insanity? It is to do the same thing again and again and expect different results. Well, we’re all insane! And for good reason. This team has shown that with perseverance and hard work, we win! Not always, but enough that we kept the hope and continued to do the same things again and again, because they work. I think the three coaches are predictable: Mr Lawson will ask for push ups, Mr Evans will ask for momentum and Mr Katz will ask not to be offside. Always! Does it work? Two mighty wins says it works. First match against Cranleigh 5th: win 17-10 with Rory Froggatt (WH) , Josh Bentley (MH) and Freddie Rosin (WH) on the scorecard. Excellent start of the season.

Against Sutton Valence 2nd team, we were greeted off the bus with, “They gave our 1st XV a run for their money in Tuesday training!” Knowing that the 1st arrived in the final of the UK cup last year, we were a little bit wary of this fixture. 38-0 defeat. But only 38! And that is because we were gods on that field! We held them back, we tackled them, we gave everything we had! And that allowed us to grow mentally and physically as a team. We were one team. We were the mighty fifths! Radley 5th XV for the last match of the first half: 31-7 win. Josh Bentley (MH), Ciaran Tansley (CH), James Fry (PH), Ollie Scott (CH) and Toby Carrie (PS) on the scorecard. Incredible performance. Scrum moves and scoring, kicking far and wide at crucial moments and a well-deserved man of the match for Scott. When we played Brighton’s 4s, it was November and we had lost key players to injury and illnesses. Of course, the opposition had that too and they brought in some 3rd team players where we couldn’t as our 3rds were playing too. We lost 14-0 to a more tactical team. Our last match was against Harrow 5th and we gave everything! We stopped all their men, we countered and scored three tries (Fry, Bobby Jiang (MH) and Rosin). Rosin scored an absolute screamer from Max Tye’s (WH) kick cross field landing behind Harrow’s line and in Freddie’s arms. Unfortunately, we lost momentum in the 2nd half and lost 19-34 but what a match, and what a team. All in all, well done boys! B D M Katz Squad J. Bentley (MH, captain), E. Gadd-Chapman (CH, captain), T. Carrie (PS), T. Charlesworth (WW), H. Cotton (PS), W. Enskat (PH), J. Fry (PH), J. Hargreaves

RUGBY (SH), H. Kelly (WW), A. Lander (PS), Q. Li (JH), L. Mulley (CH), F. Munn (MH), V. Patricot (WW), C. Tansley (CH), G. Thomas (WH), H. Brummitt-Evans (WW), R. Froggatt (WH), H. Gustard (WH), J. Hall (PS), J. Horta-Machado (PS), B. Jiang (MH), G. Kingdon (WH), R. Mulley (CH), C. Robertson (PH), F. Rosin (WH), O. Scott (CH) M. Tye (WH)

Fifth XV Rugby Results Played: 5

Won: 2

Drawn: 0

v Cranleigh School v Sutton Valence Second XV v Radley College v Brighton College Fourth XV v Harrow School

Won Lost Won Lost Lost

Lost: 3 17 – 10 0 – 38 31 – 7 0 – 14 19 – 34

Under 16A Rugby

he season started with a highly enjoyable triangular tournament at Kings College School Wimbledon, where the boys put commanding performances in against Brighton and KCS, demonstrating the overall strength of the squad. The return fixture against Brighton was not so easy, however. Despite his reserved nature, Oliver “Woolfie” Woolf (MH) quickly established himself as a leader, setting an outstanding example to the squad through his tenacity on the field and his commitment to extra training before and after practices. Throughout the season, Woolfie grew into the role of captain, but it

was in the second half against Brighton at home that he really established himself as a real warrior. Two tries down, Woolfie rallied the troops around him to grind out a hard-fought draw. Under his leadership, this was a team that would never give up despite every adversity they faced. The next two matches against Judd and Eton were mercurial: at times the rugby was sublime, at times the team made silly errors that allowed Eton and Judd to stay within touching distance throughout the respective matches despite Tonbridge being a far superior side. A particularly comical moment was when Bertie Deen (Sc) kicked the ball directly into an Eton player’s hands, allowing them to score next phase—he made up for it with a resounding rendition of Jerusalem on the bus home. Strong running from Subomi Kolaojo (PS) and some excellent finishing by Messrs Ewen Hector (FH) and Freddie Mulder (JH) proved the difference and opened the floodgates for points in the later part of the match. Despite some weaker play, it was clear from these two matches that the team was building into an excellent side who could play exciting rugby. The match against Skinners had something of “El Clásico” about it. No, nothing resembled the silky skill of late-2000s Barcelona and Real Madrid; the match mostly consisted of a series of rucks and mauls that resembled more the early stages of the Schlieffen Plan than Camp Nou. Rather, the intense rivalry between the two teams was electric, like an Iberian thunderstorm, thundering and sparking. JC Vermeulen (CH) was particularly impressive, imperious in the lineout and stealing ball at every breakdown. In the latter stages of the match, Tonbridge got in front, driving over a twelve-man maul. With Skinners threatening the Tonbridge tryline, tighthead prop, Conor Coogan (PS), wisely intercepted an opposition pass with a leaping header, perhaps recognising the football analogy discussed above. The away trip to Radley was a bit of a disaster with us arriving incredibly late because of horrendous traffic due to national rail strikes. Boys arrived, were hauled into the lunch hall and had to play within about twenty minutes; legend has it that the front row were still finishing their second course during the first scrum. While the game was hard fought, serious injury to Mulder and Hector meant that we had to play the last ten minutes without a full

SPORT compliment of players. The final score did not reflect how evenly the sides were matched. The half-term break gave the team time and space to reflect on some much-needed tactical changes, which saw the adoption of a 1-3-3-1 formation. The increased width on the ball, allowed the team to harness the versality of Subomi, who acted as a hybrid centre-cum-extra backrow. Switching Zuriel Nwogwugwu (HS) to his favoured position of fullback was also timely and allowed him to use his blistering space to attack the edge of the defensive line. One of the team’s best attacking performances came against St Paul’s, which saw the boys revel in their new playing style. The centre pairing of Henry Hargreaves (SH) and Toby James (WH) used all their tricks to lead the team to a stunning performance that lit up a cold, wet day in South London. Harrow was always going to be difficult and, unfortunately, their much more powerful side ground Tonbridge down in the second half. However, the best player on the pitch, agreed by both sets of coaches, was Subomi. His outstanding ability to “jackal” the ball, thwarted the Harrow attack on over a dozen occasions. Moreover, his refusal to allow the first tackler to take him down provided one of our rare attacking threats. In truth, the team would have had more success if we had managed to get the ball into the hands of Hector and Rohan Brown (SH), who both looked incredibly dangerous. However, the swift hands seen against St Paul’s struggled to materialise in the face of the impressive Harrow line speed. The Dulwich match was a particularly muddy affair. With a flood of Biblical proportions making the lower fields unplayable, Judd kindly allowed us to play at Vizards. The match was incredibly physical and threatened to spill over into an even more heated affair if it were not for Mr Swainson’s calming influence as referee. The superior skill of Tonbridge proved the difference between the sides. The return fixture against Radley was a much closer affair than that which occurred in rural Oxfordshire. An outstanding performance by the returning Freddie Skarbek (MH) put Radley to the sword. His tackling, carrying, and all-round physicality was awe-inspiring. For around 40 minutes, Tonbridge were clearly the better side, rarely giving Radley an inch of space. Unfortunately, their bravery went unrewarded as a few mistakes let Radley score a series of tries. With Tonbridge threatening their line, a crafty read by one of the Radley centres saw him intercept a try that sealed their victory. The Tonbridge boys had little time to lick their wounds as their biggest test was just around

Under 16A Rugby Results Played: 10

Won: 5

v Brighton College v Judd School v Eton College v Skinners’ School v Radley College v St Paul’s School v Harrow School v Dulwich College v Radley College v Wellington College

Drawn: 4

Lost: 1

Draw Won Won Won Lost Won Lost Won Lost Lost

12 – 12 40 – 19 36 – 7 24 – 19 12 – 38 26 – 5 7 – 19 24 – 10 7 – 19 12 – 17

the corner in the form of Wellington. This match was the team’s acme in terms of all-round performance. The attitude with which every player approached the game showed what an incredibly talented year group they are. The Tonbridge line speed was ferocious, and the team executed almost every play flawlessly, stretching the ball into the wide channels in a matter of milliseconds. Hargreaves had his most impressive performance, using his searing pace to score an outstanding try off first phase. However, one moment of indecision allowed Wellington to score a lastminute try. A highly challenging afternoon. This was an incredibly enjoyable experience for everyone involved. However, that the last match against Seaford was cancelled due to frost sums up the somewhat frustrating nature of the season. While they played excellent rugby, the team’s potential was not reflected in the losses to some of the “bigger” sides. Every player improved immensely and, therefore, the season must be framed within the bigger picture of developing towards senior rugby. I wish to thank all of the boys for their efforts this year, and hope they continue to play next season and long after. It has been an absolute pleasure and honour to work with them. I especially wish to thank Mr Jervis and Mr Sixsmith whose coaching was vital to the team’s development. I also wish to thank the Woolf, Hargreaves, James, De Souza, Keppel, Taylor, and Titchener families who were ever present on the touchline. J M T Dixon

Squad O. Woolf (captain) (MH), H. Hargreaves (vice-captain) (CH), A. Rice (WW), C. Coogan (PS), B. Deen (Sc), J.C. Vermeulen (CH), T. Stanford (WW), S. Kolaojo (PS),

RUGBY F. Skarbek (MH), N. Draper (FH), H. Taylor (SH), E. Hector (FH), T. James (WH), R. Brown (SH), M. Eichmüller de Souza (PH), L. Keppel (PH), Z. Nwogwugwu (HS), A. Titchener (WH), F. Mulder (JH), M. Robinson Long (WH), Z. Smith (WH)

Under 16B Rugby

fter a good pre-season and despite a cancelled triangular tournament match on the first weekend of the term, the side were ready to test themselves against what would be a strong Brighton College side. A lack of structure and unforced errors proved to be costly, as Tonbridge did not fire a single shot in the first match of the season. Areas for improvement were clear to see and changes were needed to be made for the derby match against Judd. A much stronger performance was given against Judd, with the centre partnership of Hugh Jacobs (FH) and Rohan Brown (SH) devastating the opposition. Their quick feet and strong running accounted for three tries. The forwards also got in on the action, with Ben Millett (WW) and Jon Lai (JH), newly up from the Cs; impressing on their first outing to seal a convincing victory. Next, a mid-week game before the long exeat at Eton. The setting was perfect, sun shining and plenty of space out wide for Tonbridge to unleash their pacey wingers. The first 10 minutes were a little disappointing, but the introduction of Zuriel Nwogwugwu (HS), returning from injury injected a real energy into the game. From his first contribution

he took the ball, skipped past two Etonians and made 50 metres, before being eventually tackled by the fullback – Tonbridge on the front foot significantly. After 13 tries shared between 12 scorers and both sides trying to manage what had become a very one-sided encounter the final whistle blew. Tonbridge 79 – 10 winners. Cranleigh saw another strong performance. Tonbridge certainly building momentum ahead of the tougher fixtures on the calendar. Alex Cliff (MH) with two tries, Brown gave another solid account of his ability which earned him a call up to the A team and Luke Keppel (PH) finding form from the tee the main standouts from the game. The away fixture at Radley, was the toughest game to date. After taking the lead, Tonbridge were to miss chances; the lineout – a key strength was not working, and unforced errors crept back in. Fortunately, there would be another attempt at putting right this result later in the season. The match against St. Paul’s was a display of real maturity. After Tonbridge had been camped inside their own 22, Connor Impey (HS) broke away to score against the run of play and knock the wind out of the St. Paul’s sails. Every good orchestra needs a conductor and George Holder (Sc) made sure that the right calls were made from fly half to play in the right areas of the field. St. Paul’s managed only a penalty conversion and never really looked like scoring except once early in their first half spell of pressure. Harrow at home, was another outstanding team performance. Tonbridge were really playing some free-flowing rugby, entertaining all those who came to watch. It was here that Tristan Peters (MH) managed to mark his return from a first half of season injury with a well-taken try. Unfortunately, some injuries were appearing as William Huddy (JH) who had been a reliable presence at both full back and wing, broke his collar bone in a tackle. However, it was a Jacobs hat-trick which brought home a convincing victory. A remarkable game against Dulwich was to come next. Firstly, the “home match” was played on the Judd School playing fields. After giving away an early penalty, Dulwich scored from the resulting scrum with a well-worked move. Within the first five minutes, Tonbridge were shell-

SPORT

Under 16B Rugby Results Played: 10

Won: 8

v Brighton College v Judd School v Eton College v Cranleigh School v Radley College v St. Paul’s School v Harrow School v Dulwich College v Radley College v Wellington College

Drawn: 0

Lost: 2

Lost Won Won Won Lost Won Won Won Won Won

0 – 19 48 – 0 79 – 10 28 – 0 10 – 21 17 – 3 27 – 5 36 – 21 8–5 31 – 12

shocked as Dulwich managed to score 21 unanswered points. The rest of the game was all Tonbridge, and an outstanding cross-field kick from Luke Keppel to Alex Cliff to finish ignited the Tonbridge comeback! After wrestling the momentum back and being ahead at the break, Tonbridge continued to trust their structure and built a commanding lead. Amir Deane (WW) was outstanding, simply refusing to go down in a tackle and at times it needed four players to bring him to ground. Two tries from Impey and one from Alex Bullock (FH) after his promotion from the Cs added to the first half performance and Tonbridge were victorious. Next up, the return Radley fixture. In this game, it would be the side who played the smartest that would win. Both sides were evenly matched and despite Radley’s overwhelming possession and pressure in the first half, it was Tonbridge who led 3-0 at the break. That penalty would be the difference in the end and Radley would rue missed chances, even with the last play of the game. A penalty led to a Radley lineout, but great pressure from Zac Smith (WH) who had been outstanding all game meant that the Radley jumper knocked on, which ended the game. Tonbridge 8 – 5 winners! The final match against Wellington was comfortable end to the season. Holder crossed the line for the first time, deservedly so, given that he had been the one orchestrating the whole style of play, and it was good to see him recognised on the scoresheet. Harry Jones (FH) also grabbed himself another try with Deane and Jacobs. Another game which showed the side’s commitment and pride in every performance. It would have been easy to slip down a few levels after the Radley victory, but Tonbridge pressed on and finished the season on a high!

My thanks go to all the boys for making this an enjoyable season to coach, especially to Fred Wilkes (WH) and Holder as captain and vice-captain, who led the side superbly in all training sessions and matches. I wish them all the best in senior rugby and hope that they can keep knocking on the door to earn a call-up to squads on The Fifty! A J Sixsmith Squad F. Wilkes (WH) (captain), A. Bullock (FH), A. Cliff (MH), W. Cowdery (PS), A. Deane (WW), G. Holder (Sc) (vicecaptain), W. Huddy (JH), C. Impey (HS), H. Jacobs (FH), H. Jones (FH), L. Keppel (PH), J. Lai (JH), J. Mannion (JH), B. Millett (WW), J. Ogunkoya-Howland (SH), T. Peters (MH), Z. Smith (WH), L. Tabor (WW), B. Van Bilderbeek (MH) Also played: R. Brown (SH), N. Draper (FH), A. Louca (SH), Z. Nwogwugwu (HS), M. Robinson Long (WH), A. Titchener (HS), A. Tollit (HS)

Under 16C Rugby

he season opened in September sunshine with Tonbridge facing a Brighton College XV which had been unbeaten over the previous season. However, setting a pattern of play which was to become familiar, a dominant forward performance brought tries from positions all over the pitch and resulted in a home win by 32 points to 7. The following Saturday brought an away trip to face the St. Lawrence College A team in Ramsgate – an encounter which required a ferocious response to physically robust opposition. Down at half time, some formidable defence, great ball carrying and excellent kicking brought a victory by 10 points to 22 and acted as a catalyst for the rest of the season. Although that victory cost two concussions and a broken wrist, Tonbridge now possessed not only the physical presence and the skills but also the confidence to take on any opposition. By comparison, an away game at Eton was something of an anti-climax as Tonbridge had to lend its two substitutes to a poorly organised opposition and ran in tries at an average of one every five minutes to record a victory by 41 unanswered points in a shortened game. A visit from the Skinners’ U16B’s on the following Saturday, however, brought a return to physical challenges and Tonbridge had to gain some hard yards through the forwards and engage in some robust tackling to earn a win; in the end, vigorous counter-rucking and a lot of turnover ball opened the door to scoring

RUGBY to 10. This eighth consecutive win saw Tonbridge top of the National U16C League and in buoyant mood for an away trip to Wellington, usually a test of any team’s mettle. Both combative and large, the Wellington team initially looked dangerous but Tonbridge’s forwards soon gained the upper hand and an effective midfield press gave the opposition no room out wide – so, by the time of the final whistle, Tonbridge had hit their ceiling with 55 unanswered points. The only disappointing notes at the end of the season were two further cancellations – from the Sevenoaks B Team and from Cranleigh – who, seeing Tonbridge’s results online, had decided that discretion was more advisable than valour and elected to scratch the fixture. 20 points while Skinners’ crossed the line twice to score 12. Tonbridge then had to secure an away win at Radley to get to half term unbeaten and, having lost to Radley at home on a freezing afternoon in 2021 as U15Cs, the team was resolute in its focus – necessary given that another physical confrontation ensued. The forwards really stepped up to the mark here with strong defensive tackling against Radley’s burly runners and effective counter-rucking putting pressure on the opposition and enabling tries to be scored out wide to secure a win by 7 points to 33. Harrow has a strong reputation for its rugby but, returning rested after the half term break and now possessing a formidable forward pack capable of offloading at pace and enabling the backs enough space to be dominant, the U16Cs were now a highly cohesive unit. Harrow were, therefore, dispatched with 47 unanswered points and the team was keenly anticipating the following week’s encounter away at St. Paul’s, often one of the season’s toughest fixtures. Perhaps because St. Paul’s had been following the season’s results online, however, the Londoners pulled out of the fixture during the preceding week; frustrating! Any irritation felt by Tonbridge at the cancelled match was channelled very effectively into the following week’s fixture, as relocated on a neutral pitch at Judd because of rising floodwaters at home, Dulwich were dispatched by 46 points to nil despite having to rely on a slew of subs from the D team as illness and injury took their toll in higher teams. Next on the agenda was the return (home) fixture against Radley but, utterly dominant in the first half, Tonbridge made no mistake and ran out winners by 51 points

The key to this winning season was a combative pack of forwards which never gave an inch in defence and learned to break the line repeatedly when carrying the ball in the blind side channel. The first-choice front row was drawn from Sam Nash (SH), Alec Schaeffer (SH), Bertie Van Bilderbeek (MH) and Tommy Wilkinson (HS) and, while they didn’t always dominate scrummages, they contributed magnificently in the loose. Van Bilderbeek earned promotion in the second half of the season but it was Schaeffer who caught the eye by amassing numerous man of the match awards and scoring four tries against Wellington; he fully deserved his Players’ Player of the Season award. Behind them, the first choice pairing of Freddie Caton (PS) and Farlie Willett (Sc) really delivered when in possession of the ball – with Caton, especially, picking up numerous tries and earning a man of the match award against the St. Lawrence A Team. When injury meant that either (or both) of these players were unavailable, the team was fortunate to be able to call upon Ben Millett (WW), Archie Ramskill (MH), Bertie Warren (MH) or Oliver Wilson (MH), all of whom got stuck in and never took a backward step. A first choice back row of Lucas Findlay (SH), Odin Holdom (PH) and Bong-Ra Ndzi (OH) completed what was, for this level, an absolutely outstanding pack with Jon Lai (JH) contributing usefully before he was promoted and various players slotting in from the second row whenever injuries meant that Ndzi had to step up to hooker. Particular mention needs to be made here of Findlay who ran the team’s lineouts, scored innumerable tries and also picked up a series of man of the match awards; he fully deserved his Coach’s Player of the Season award.

SPORT The team was also very strong at half back with inside half Jake Mandich (HS) proving very creative whenever he was given space and Hugo CooperFogarty (JH) possessing great ball skills at outside half; while his defence was, perhaps, a bit variable and he didn’t always run the right lines in attack, his kicking was a real highlight; his four conversions from four attempts away at Radley were particularly memorable. Both Austin Lane (HS) and Joe Rawlins (WW) did great jobs when called upon to substitute for Mandich at inside half. Despite the emphatic wins, it would be fair to say that the backs never quite delivered at the same level as the forwards. The first-choice centre pairing of Alex Bullock (FH) and Jude Ogunkoya-Howland (SH) was excellent but it was also promoted rather swiftly before Liam Bartholet (JH) came into the side after an early season injury to make a reliable first centre. The position of second centre, though, was something of a revolving door (with both Dimond (PH) brothers and Oscar McDonald (SH) contributing) before Ben Beazleigh (OH) made it his own; his early predatory interception try against Wellington really helped to put the team on the front foot. The first choice back three of Lane, Andreas Louca (SH) and Heston Symonds (OH) grew into their roles as the season progressed, picking up a lot of tries and with Lane having a particularly outstanding game to pick up a man of the match award away at Radley. Behind them, Lucas Chu (MH), Alfie Rose (PS) and Gavin Seibert (Sc) all stepped up when needed with the latter two also picking up tries in the second half of the season. With an unbroken string of wins, with a points difference in excess of 300 and with top spot in the National All Comers League, it had been a great season – and one which couldn’t have been achieved without the ambition and passion of our coach, Mr Henshall. Despite his understandable frustration at some of our poor decision-making and our inconsistent execution of his carefully crafted moves, the team arrived at a highly effective style of play which led us to being the best C-team in the country. Congratulations to every boy who represented the side – more than 30 of them – and many thanks to all those who supported the team along the way; I look forward to seeing all my victorious teammates on the field again next season. Odin Holdom (PH) Squad Liam Bartholet (JH), Ben Beazleigh (OH), Alex Bullock (FH), Freddie Caton (PS), Lucas Chu (MH), Hugo Cooper-Fogarty (JH), Luke Dimond (PH), Oliver Dimond (PH), Lucas Findlay (SH), Austin Lane (HS),

Odin Holdom (PH), Jon Lai (JH), Andreas Louca (SH), Jake Mandich (HS), Oscar McDonald (SH), Ben Millett (WW), Sam Nash (SH), Bong-Ra Ndzi (OH), Jude Ogunkoya-Howland (SH), Archie Ramskill (MH), Joe Rawlins (WW), Alfie Rose (PS), Alec Schaeffer (SH), Gavin Siebert (Sc), Heston Symonds (OH), Bertie van Bilderbeek (MH), Bertie Warren (MH), Tommy Wilkinson (HS), Oliver Wilson (MH), Farlie Willett (Sc).

Under 16C Rugby Results Played: 9

Won: 9

Drawn: 0

v Brighton College Won v St Lawrence College U16A Won v Eton College Won v Skinners School U16B Won v Radley College Won v St Paul’s School Cancelled v Harrow School Won v Dulwich College Won v Radley College Won v Wellington College Won v Sevenoaks School U16B Cancelled v Cranleigh School Cancelled

Lost: 0 32 – 7 10 – 22 0 – 41 20 – 12 7 – 33 47 – 0 46 – 0 51 – 10 55 – 0

Under 16D Rugby

he U16D, when able to field a full team, were a force to be reckoned with. A team composed of fast runners and strong forwards, the boys played their rugby with enthusiasm and respect, always fighting until the final whistle. The team enjoyed much success throughout the term, thrashing any D team put in their path. The first fixture of the season – against Brighton D – was special, especially given that seven members of the team scored tries (the first of which was scored within fifty seconds of the starting whistle). Though the team struggled against Brighton Cs, a great performance was put in during the final game of the season against Reigate B. The game was a tough physical battle, with both teams putting in big tackles and making good runs. Tonbridge’s defensive efforts were impressive, and the boys were eventually rewarded in the second half, during which two tries were scored. As wonderful as the result was, the highlight of the game (and, one might say, of the season), was seeing Arul Singh (PS) being lifted horizontally, with his legs flailing, by Reigate’s ‘manmountain’.

RUGBY

Under 15A Rugby

Other highlights included Oliver Dimond’s (PH) fantastic footwork against Brighton Ds, Lucas Chu’s (MH) huge hits and almost-epic run against Radley, Archie Ramskill’s (MH) superb tackling against Radley (and throughout the season), and a deliberately unnamed Brighton individual scoring a try for Tonbridge during our third fixture against said school.

t the end of a dry summer the new Second Year gathered on the firm pitches of Whitby’s for a few days of pre-season ahead of term and it was clear that this was a group of players with a number of potent attacking threats across the line up as well as some grunt up front. The biggest challenge for the group was to try to ensure that the team posed more than merely one-out individual threats, and it was an array of such individual moments which saw the season get off to a promising start: two impressive performances against Brighton on consecutive weekends as well as a topsy-turvy win away at Simon Langton in the first round of the cup and a narrow loss to a strong King’s Wimbledon side. In these early games, Archie Denny (WH)’s dynamism alongside Jac Haurie-Pelleg (HS)’s destructive carries ensured that the pack was generally going forward, whilst Tiger Bussey (SH) and Max Clark (WH) showed serious pace and balance to finish off moves when put into space. However, on a narrow pitch against a strong Judd side a soft underbelly was exposed as Tonbridge were outmuscled in the contact and were shut

Very well done to all involved with the U16D – it was a thoroughly enjoyable season! R H Sheemar Squad B. Warren (captain) (MH), E. Scott (OH), T. Holman (WW), A. Ramskill (MH), A. Singh (PS), L. Dimond (PH), O. Dimond (PH), O. McDonald (SH), G. Lang (OH), B. Beazleigh (OH), G. Siebert (Sc), H. Symonds (OH), L. Chu (MH), H. Berry (WW), A. Rose (PS), F. Hill (CH) Also played: F. Caton (PH), O. Wilson (MH), B. Ndzi (OH), F. Willet (Sc), T. Wilkinson (WH), S. Nash (SH), J. Mandich (HS), L. Bartholet (JH), L. Findlay (SH)

Fifth XV Rugby Results Played: 5

Won: 3

v Brighton College D v Radley College D v Brighton College C v Brighton College C v Reigate Grammar B

Drawn: 0

Lost: 2

Won Won Lost Lost Won

86 – 0 48 – 0 5–7 4 – 24 14 – 0

SPORT

down aggressively in the wide channels. There was also a lack of nous and savviness in areas of the game as two tries conceded the following week to quick tap penalties against Eton showed. After a focus on contact skills and the key aspects of going forward and running straight the performance against Skinners’ was hugely improved: the pack was bolstered by Zikora Udensi (MH)’s barnstorming runs and Jack Bourne (MH)’s skills around the fringes, and Bussey delivered the coach’s moment of the match by straightening his line out wide, committing the defender and offloading for Sam Blackburn (Sc) to eventually capitalise with a try under the sticks. After setting a clear template of how the team wanted to play, they travelled to Radley for the first of two blocks in the season and couldn’t have got off to a better start with Haurie-Pelleg’s work-rate paying off from a punt down the middle of the pitch and grounding the ball as it crossed the line. However, Radley demonstrated the importance of low body positions around the contact area and, despite Sebastian Cox (PH) getting a deserved consolation score, it was a sound beating. The first half of term ended with an emphatic win against a Gravesend side in the cup, though playing such different oppositions in close succession made it difficult to put into practice lessons which needed to be learned from the week before.

A strong performance in difficult conditions against St Paul’s came down to opportunities for Tonbridge not taken and St Paul’s capitalising on the few which were offered to them, but this was a marked improvement and showed that the team were moving in the right direction. The rolling maul was now a potent weapon and there was far more intent about the running lines and desire to get over the gain line and build momentum. After shipping three early scores against Harrow rendering the game all but over, the team then went on to play their best rugby of the season: Tom Wild (HS) was back pulling strings at fly-half to excellent effect, aided by the imperious running of Blackburn who appeared unstoppable, whilst Bussey scored a remarkable solo try down the left wing from halfway. The foundations of this step-up was laid, as ever, in the forwards with Barnaby Grant (PS) leading by example with his front row union colleagues Paolo Bertorelli (WH) and Luke Coll (OH) putting in mammoth shifts. The second half was won by Tonbridge and before Harrow’s late score they were within two scores of victory and had Harrow on the ropes. Another resounding win in the cup meant that there was another trip to Gravesend for the Kent Cup Final to look forward to, though preparation was far from ideal as the flu wiped out a large chunk of the year group to such an extent that the games against Dulwich had to be cancelled. Coughing and spluttering though very much able to take the field against a powerful and motivated Ravens Wood side, Tonbridge put themselves under pressure with some

RUGBY Squad B. Grant (PS) (capt.), A. Denny (WH), R. Greenway (JH), H. MacGregor (PS), M. Clark (WH), J. HauriePelleg (HS), S. Blackburn (Sc), J. Bourne (MH), T. Bussey (SH), Z. Udensi (MH), J. Ayodele (CH), W. Barr (Sc), S. Cox (PH), R. Foulkes (SH), T. Wild (HS), B. Brooks (FH), S. Pearl (Sc), M. Tomazos (Sc), I. Rosier (OH), L. Coll (OH), P. Bertorelli (WH), H. Slade (PS), E. Pearce (HS), J. Southgate (MH), J. Ferry (SH), E. Klutse (Sc), H. Jancic (HS).

Under 15A Rugby Results Played: 13

early attempts to play too much rugby inside their own half. The rolling maul once again was highly effective but Ravens Wood were deserved winners on the night. The return fixture against Radley showed that progress had been made as a side with some strong attacking rugby thanks to much more forward momentum (not just at the maul), but by the same token there was a level of carelessness which once again afforded Radley too many easy points alongside some weak and ineffective tackling. What ought to have been the penultimate game of the season against Wellington was a similar affair though with fewer points scored on both sides: Tonbridge were competitive and had their chances but failed to make the most of their opportunities and paid the price. The cold snap leading to frozen pitches put paid to what would have given the boys one final opportunity to end the season on a high against Seaford. Overall, it was a season of fluctuating performances (not always dictated by the quality of opposition) which reinforced the fact that there is a huge amount of potential in the year group with individuals beginning to grasp key positions and lead the team in the right direction. At times they were taught harsh lessons about the physical and uncompromising nature of the game of rugby, but I have no doubt that they will all become better rugby players for those experiences during the season. My thanks to the boys for all their hard work and to Mr Sale and Adam Bowman for their valuable coaching expertise throughout the season. R J M Stephen

Won: 5

Drawn: 0

Lost: 8

Won Won Lost Lost Won Lost Won Lost Lost Won Lost Lost Lost

47 – 21 20 – 31 25 – 5 12 – 29 43 – 17 12 – 38 37 – 0 7 – 26 43 – 22 26 – 54 12 – 25 22 – 50 7 – 24

v Brighton College v Simon Langton Grammar v Judd School v Eton College v Skinners’ School v Radley College v Gravesend Grammar* v St Paul’s School v Harrow School v Sir Joseph Williamson’s* v Ravens Wood School* v Radley College v Wellington College Kent Cup *

Under 15B Rugby

fter a long, hot, sunburnt day of pre-season training at the end of August, the Junior Colts B opened their account with a convincing victory over Brighton College. The characteristics of the performance; a powerful pack, an assortment of strong ball carriers, a captain/ scrum half who controlled the game well and a dogged defence would come to be the defining characteristics the season. Against Ewell Castle School and St Lawrence College, both A teams, the boys were exposed physically on some hard tracks. Frustratingly, these fixtures ended a number of boys’ seasons and thus tested the stamina and determination of the boys that stayed fit. Days prior to the half term break, we hosted Eton. We went into half time with the score poised at 14

SPORT Well done to all the represented the mighty Diggers this year, the level of improvement from August to December was extraordinary. C H Sale Squad M. Tomazos (Sc) (captain), E Pearce (HS), S. Pearl (Sc), G. Curtis (PH), R. Landgrebe (WH), O. Carroll (CH), H. Smith (SH), M, Blincoe (OH), B. Brooks (FH), T. Barnes (MH), X. Prongué (JH), H. Jancic (HS), T. Jones (PH), O. Butcher (PS), H. Slade (PS), C. Kuchta (FH), B Cheeseman (PH). Also played: W. Jenkins (SH), J. Southgate (MH), H. MacGregor (PS), D. Akande (FH), A. Paizes (SH), eachbut proceeded to concede twice early in the second half (thoughts of half term came half an hour too early perhaps?) and put the game out of reach. This issue of conceding early in the second half hampered us in a number of other instances, including fixtures against Harrow and Cranleigh too. It was fair to say that this was not an issue of skill, physicality or fitness but a matter of each player concentrating intensely on their role for the whole game. That said, there were a number of occasions where we put in a full 60 minute performance, notably against Radley, St. Pauls in atrocious conditions and Wellington in the final fixture of the term. In all three performances, the team selection was markedly different due to the injuries faced. However, there were a number of key players who provided the spine of the team including Mani Tomazos (Sc), Sam Pearl (Sc), Billy Brooks (FH), Thomas Barnes (MH) and Benjamin Cheeseman (PH). Under 15B Rugby Results Played: 10

Drawn: 0

Lost: 5

v Brighton College Won v Ewell Castle School U15A Lost v St Lawrence College U15A Lost v Eton College Lost1 v Cranleigh School Lost v Radley College Won v St Paul’s Won v Harrow School Lost v Dulwich College Cancelled v Radley College Lost v Wellington College Won v Seaford College Cancelled

31 – 7 5 – 31 14 – 28 4 – 36 15 – 33 31 – 0 24 – 15 14 – 29

Won: 5

0 – 39 18 – 17

Under 15C Rugby

he U15C season started with a comfortable win against Brighton who could not cope with Tonbridge’s aggressive ball carrying in the forwards which meant we invariably gained ground going into contact, allowing the backs to run onto the ball. Overall, seven tries were scored and a strong and quick defence line kept Brighton on the back foot throughout the game. The game against Judd was a draw between the two teams last year, and was much more physical. Tonbridge had to work harder than the scoreline might suggest. Judd defended hard and made Tonbridge work for their tries - but the key to the win was Tonbridge controlling the ball over multiple phases until they ran out of defenders, as well as lots of great offloading between forwards and backs. A special mention goes to Hugo Bromley (PS) at full back for his three try-saving one-on-one tackles. Next up were Eton, which was a game of two halves. The first half was completely dominated by Tonbridge who played their now familiar game of strong forward carries and offloading out of contact, racing to a 40-0 lead by half time. Eton regrouped and came back in the second half and put Tonbridge under real defensive pressure with good forward work of their own. 7-7 in the second half reflected Tonbridge’s enthusiasm to defence did not quite match that in attack! The next game against a physically imposing Skinners B team was the only loss of the season, and was a cracking game of rugby between two well matched teams. Skinners raced to a 14-0 lead early

RUGBY lineouts to finish 27-17, with Radley scoring a consolation in the final minute.

Under 15C Rugby Results Played: 7

Won: 6

v Brighton College v Judd School U15B v Eton College v Skinners’ U15B v Radley College v Harrow School v Radley College

Drawn: 0

Lost: 1

Won Won Won Lost Won Won Won

40 – 0 43 – 3 47 – 7 19 – 21 27 – 17 48 – 7 55 – 7

on but Tonbridge showed good character to claw themselves back into the game. Tonbridge had their chances to win it, but tried too often to play too much rugby in their own half and ended up coughing up the ball against a strong defence. In the end, a conversion was the difference between the two sides. Half term finished off with another excellent match against Radley – a proper dog fight between two competitive and committed teams. After losing Harry Attenborough (PH) to a nasty knee injury in the first minute, Tonbridge regrouped and played all the rugby in the first quarter, going 10-0 up and should have easily doubled that score coughing up a number of other chances. Radley then got their forward driving game going and Tonbridge lost some composure, falling to 10-12 down at half time. In the second half, the forwards tidied up possession and started to put pressure back on Radley, and Harry Kirsop (WW) at 10 controlled the first position well with some excellent positioning kicking. Three more tries resulted, two from driving

The second half of the season was a disjointed affair, with St Pauls and Wellington unable to field a team, illness ravaging the Second Year on the Dulwich weekend and Seaford cancelled due to frozen pitches. Against Harrow, Tonbridge were more than a little rusty in the first half, finishing 17-7 with some poor control of the ball in contact and trying to force too many off loads when they were not in a position to do so. They however tightened things up and got their act together in the second half to score another five unanswered tries, as Harrow tired and started to slip off tackles. The final Radley rematch turned out to be the last game of the season and Tonbridge saved one of their best performances. Making a strong start, they raced to a 25-0 lead with Tonbridge’s forwards dominant in contact-repeated big carries by Etornam Klutse (Sc), Alex Collins (FH), Leo Hofmann (OH) and Archie Brooks (Sc) in particular made repeated holes in their defence, allowing the balls to take the ball going forwards. Radley rallied at times but too often ran into a back line which was flying up to shut them down. A scoreline of 55-7 was fully justified by what was a dominant display in which Radley could not cope with the physicality of Tonbridge’s pack. So, overall this was a very successful season for the U15C who went from only winning one game in the U14s, to only losing one (to a B team) this season. Just as satisfying as the scorelines was the expansive and ambitious style of play based around strong forward carries and offloading over a number of phases, before releasing the ball to a backline which was proficient at running onto the ball. The key was doing the basics well and getting a good organisation structure so the forwards in particular knew where they needed to be, and what they had to do. Kirsop became increasingly influential at fly half as the season went on, making the right calls and controlling field position well. Maximilian Copper (WW) at full back added something a bit extra with some well-timed and positioned joining of the backline in attack. The backs in general enjoyed contact more than your average backs, but mixed this well with good hands, strong lines of running and genuine pace out wide.

SPORT The boys clearly enjoyed the season and recognised how far they had come both as individual players and collectively as a team, over the term. I hope they all continue to play next year, and many will have a good chance of promotion to the U16B team. G M Barnes Squad A. Brooks (Sc) (captain), E. Klutse (Sc), H. Bromley (PS), D. Akande (FH), A. Collins (FH), Z. Hill (FH), J. Larkin (FH), A. Hawkins (WH), M. Charrington (SH), W. Jenkins (SH), A. Paizes (SH), M. Copper (WW). H. Kirsop (WW), M. Davidson (OH), L. Hofmann (OH) Also played: H. Indge (Sc), H. Attenborough (PH), B. Cheeseman (PH), L. Flint (PH), P. Worth (FH), R. Lam (MH), N. Staples (WW), J. Henderson (CH),

Under 15D Rugby

Under 15D Rugby Results Played: 9

Won: 6

Drawn: 0

v Brighton College v Ewell Castle School v Eton College v Skinners’ School U15C v Radley College v Sevenoaks School U15C v Harrow School v Radley College v St. Lawrence College U15B

Won Won Won Lost Lost Won Won Lost Won

Lost: 3 50 – 5 21 – 15 33 – 10 7 – 35 19 – 29 73 – 0 59 – 14 10 – 24 62 – 0

Squad H. Mannix (HS), L. Flint (PH), S. Brand (MH), F. Walsh (WW), R. Kaliuta (JH), N. Staples (WW), T. Hamilton (SH), A. de Silva Wijeyeratne (WW) (captain), H. Indge (Sc), A. Pan (JH), S. Stevenson (HS), A. Newman (WW), A. Soni (SH), J. Ballantyne-Grant (JH), A. Bigaliy (FH), G. Pearson (SH), M. Eluwah (JH), P. Worth (FH), W. Crosby (OH), A. Downs (WH), J. Henderson (CH). Also played: R. Iqbal (WH), A. Craughan (MH), B. Cheeseman (PH), J. Harrison (MH), B. Wontner (SH), B. Warburton (WH), A. Hawkins (WH), M. Davidson (OH), B. Bryden (PH), M. St. Matthew-Daniel (JH).

Under 15E Rugby

nfortunately, we did not get to play many fixtures over the season. That did not prevent us from enjoying each other’s company and developing new skills.

n the whole the U15D’s had a successful season with several huge victories and a few tight losses against strong sides. The team was blessed with some strong hard runners in both the forwards and backs allowing us to put pressure on oppositions from the outset and this was shown in number of tries we were able to score on several occasions. In defence we showed good aggression throughout the season which forced opposing players into mistakes, this was demonstrated exceptionally well in our final game of the season against St Lawrence B’s where we smashed them 62-0 and rounded off the season on a high. Aaron de Silva Wijeyeratne (WW)

J Cerezuela Ortega Squad B. Bryden (PH), A. Chau (CH), A. Collins (FH), J. Harrison (MH), M. Hummerson (OH), R. Iqbal (WH), J. Ogundipe (CH), G. Pearson (SH), H. Roberts (FH), J. Rodgers (WW), O. Sinclair (SH), B. Warburton (WH)

Under 15E Rugby Results Played: 2

Won: 1

Drawn: 0

v Eastbourne College v Dulwich College

Won Lost

Lost: 1 53 – 17 5 – 39

RUGBY

Under 14A Rugby The squad changed a fair amount week by week, through a combination of illness, injury, and a desire to try and find the ‘perfect’ fifteen. Although we suffered some tough losses over the course of the year it would be fair to say we learnt a lot through each match, improved significantly during the course of the season and ended the season a much stronger team and squad compared to when we started.

he first match of the season was against a much-fancied Brighton side, and it would be fair to say it was a slow start, losing to a side who had been together for a number of years. Although this was a disappointing start there was clearly potential with a squad made up of a number of talented athletes; some whom had played little rugby. I think it would be fair to say that 2022 was a developmental season and was about learning the game, improving our skills, and developing our rugby awareness, and with these building blocks in place, I am confident the results will come.

Our second half performance against Dartford Grammar (aka ‘The Comeback’ game) was a great example of what we can achieve and typified the growth and passion in the team during the season. We didn’t win this game, but kept fighting to the very end and performances like this spurred the team on to see our potential which helped with morale. Our season ended against an unbeaten Wellington team and it would be fair to say we produced our best performance of the season in that match and despite losing we were competitive throughout. After the match a certain World Cup winner (Will Greenwood) agreed with Mr Morgan’s assessment that we would eventually be “a really good side”.

SPORT Although there were a number of outstanding individual performance the impact of Dalen Kurmanbayev (Sc) halfway through the season had a hugely positive effect. Over the season he was the outstanding forward with Charlie Skarbek (FH) the outstanding back. The coming of age defensively of Luke Hague (WH) and the emergence of George Vassilev (WH) as a back row forward also positively impacted our performances.

Under 14B Rugby

We were lucky enough to be coached by the great Mr Morgan who encouraged us to show our true colours on the pitch and helped us when we were at our lowest. We will miss him next season. Thank you, Sir. Overall, I feel we have great potential as an age group and I look forward to September 2023 when we hit the rugby pitch again as a squad. Ferdi Haywood (JH) Squad F. Haywood (Captain) (JH), D. Kurmanbayev (Vice Captain) (Sc), L. Hague (WH), D. Barr (Sc), O. Richards (MH), E. Richards (WH), B. Santaolalla (PS), A. Macaskill ( SH), J. Dyckhoff (CH), C. Skarbek (FH), H. Thomas (OH), S. Ward (HS), H. Bingham (WH), G. Vassilev (WH), M. Stuttard (JH), N. Koep (PH), P. Zurita (Sc), G. Gilbey (OH), K. Nwaki (PH), L. Selvey-Clinton (CH), R. Paton (Sc), G. Shirley (WH), H. Munn (MH), T. Daly (OH), T. Baker (FH), G. Hughes (PS), E. Titchener (WH)

Under 14A Rugby Results Played: 12

Won: 3

v Brighton College v The Judd School v Eton College v Eltham College v Skinners’ School v Radley College v Dartford Grammar School v St Paul’s School v Harrow School v Dulwich College v Radley College v Wellington College

Drawn: 0

Lost: 9

Lost Won Lost Won Won Lost Lost Lost Lost Lost Lost Lost

17 – 37 22 – 7 0 – 41 36 – 7 36 – 14 7 – 41 25 – 33 7 – 13 0 – 24 0–7 0 – 48 7 – 28

he number of boys who represented the Under 14B team gives some indication of the unusual nature of the term. There was significant movement up and down as players developed and earned promotion or fell ill or suffered injury. Over the course of the season there were nearly enough players for three teams. It was certainly true that a number of players earned their place and became established members of the squad and continued to work hard ultimately earning a call up for the A team. It will be fascinating to follow this group of players over the years ahead to see which boys find themselves playing on the Fifty - I suspect that there will be some movement as the boys develop physically, change positions and learn more about themselves and the game too. The term started ferociously with a match against a strong Brighton College team who were eager to stay on their feet and keep the ball alive in contact. It seemed as though we spent much of the match making tackles only to find that the player had managed to stay on his feet or pass to a teammate who was also eager to make ground. Almost immediately we were playing the Ewell Castle A team who made good use of their strongest players and played themselves into the game having initially been behind. The boys were starting to gain some confidence and familiarity with each other managing a win against Judd though perhaps we could have scored more points if we had been ruthless and played for the whole game. The boys minds seemed to be on the imminent exeat and we never managed to establish a firm grip on a game that we could and should have won. The best team performance came against Cranleigh where we were able to dominate

RUGBY possession and carry the ball forward with good purpose and commitment. This gave us confidence and we started in determined fashion against Radley and had we scored more points with our early possession they might not have got back into the game. They did though and worked out that they could move the ball quicker to their speedy wingers than we could get there to stop them. We did bounce back after half term and produced an impressive and passionate display in the win against St Paul’s. We were tremendous against Harrow and deserved to win but turned down a kick at goal with the scores level at 12 – 12 only to lose the ball in contact and Harrow scored from the subsequent scrum. By this stage of the term injuries and illness were already starting to have an impact on selection but we patched together a team and secured a well-earned victory. We didn’t manage to get going in the return fixture away at Radley and despite having plenty of possession could not breach the Wellington goal line to score. The boys certainly deserve credit and praise for their enthusiasm and effort in training and matches. Some boys managed to keep going to the end of a very long term despite the illness and injuries, rain and snow around them in the depths of December – a remarkable feat in itself. It was a pleasure to spend the season with them and see their enjoyment and development throughout the term. K M Seecharan Under 14B Rugby Results Played: 11

Won: 4

v Brighton College v Ewell Castle A v Judd School v Eton College v Cranleigh School v Radley College v St Paul’s School v Harrow School v Dulwich College v Radley College v Wellington College

Drawn: 0

Lost: 7

Lost Lost Won Lost Won Lost Won Lost Won Lost Lost

0 – 35 10 –35 31 –15 0 – 22 21 – 7 7 –35 21 – 7 12 –19 14 –12 0 – 33 3–5

D. Murray (Sc), M. Gustard (WH), H. Way (FH), M. Stuttard (JH), H. Stockill (JH), T. Daly (OH), H. Dodds (PH), S. Ward (HS), N. Rayko (WW), R. Thomson (HS), M. Jobber (SH), P. Peggie (HS), E. Hewitt (HS), L. Hague (WH), T. Millet (WH), G. Shirley (WH), A. Morrison (PS), A. Olalekan (OH), H. Thomas (OH), N. Koep (PH), T. Tye (WH), G. Hughes (PS), O. Richards (MH), A. Da Costa (MH), E. Byfield (CH), H. Ejje (CH), H. Rogerson (OH), K. Nwaki (PH), P. Zurita (Sc)

Under 14C Rugby

e started off our season with a home game against Brighton College. We were rusty off the back of the summer holidays but put up a strong fight. Unfortunately, we lost narrowly 15-17. Following this, we looked towards a fixture which could’ve gone either way, enough said after a heavy defeat. The following week of exeat we pulled off a thrashing against Eton, with big performances from Harry Ejje (CH), whose line breaks dizzied Eton’s defence. We played some great flowing rugby and scored a brilliant try off the back of a scrum 5, sliding over the line from a backs move. The next week we prepped for our first away game of the season; we knew that missing players would be costly. However, runs from Harry Rogerson (OH), and a great game at scrum-half from Magnus Jobber (SH), meant that we went into halftime only behind by six points. In the second half, we were slow to react and let a couple through unfortunately resulting in a loss. After this came Radley, at a glance they seemed opponents worthy of a B team, but big hits from Finn Stanford (WW) and Douglas Murray (Sc) and

Squad W. Smith (Sc, captain), R. Paton (Sc, vice-captain), E. Titchener (WH), B. Wild (WW), G. Gilbey (OH), T. Hunt (HS), L. Selvey-Clinton (CH), G. Morgan (WH), B. Ellis (MH), H. Munn (MH), W. Brownsdon (OH),

SPORT pin-point conversions from Christopher Walker (SH), meant that we held a close game. With one of our best performances of the season we suffered a close defeat. Coming back from the two weeks off, we readied ourselves for a trip to London to face St Paul’s; with movement between teams, an unfamiliar squad kicked off. A slow first ten put us down by a score but big performances from Joseph Morrison (PS), Sam Butcher (PS) and Thomas Hunt (HS) as Captain, made it a close one. Next game against Harrow on a carpet of a pitch was due to be a tough one. David Olawale (HS) and William Brownsdon (OH) made great runs resulting in 12 points. We put up a respectable effort but sadly it wasn’t enough to falter a strong Harrow side. Dulwich away saw Elliot Barnes’ (MH) debut in the Cs; he slotted into the squad perfectly and played a brilliant game. We scored early on, Muna Enelamah (FH) eased through Dulwich’s defence and steamed 20 yards to dot down under the posts. Another try, from Amir Olalekan (OH) put us ahead. Sadly, in the second half, we struggled to break through and fell short in a game we knew we could’ve won. Next up was Radley away. A long trip meant that we went down early on but responded quickly with seven points and went into halftime 12-7 down. In the second half, injuries meant we had to borrow some of their players and we fell short, but couldn’t have done much with key players injured. What wasn’t due to be (but ended up being) the last game of the season followed the week after with a trip to Wellington. Hoping to close with a win, we went out and dominated for 50 minutes, with tries from Sammy Al Bayaa (FH) and hits from Will Kemkers (PH), we closed the season with a 47-0 win and high spirits. Overall, a great season - thanks to Mr Hillyard and Mr Salmon for their continuing support and encouragement throughout the season. Edward Byfield (CH) Squad A. da Costa (MH), S. Al Bayaa (FH), F. Stanford (WW), F. de Sisto (SH), S. Butcher (PS), E. Byfield (CH), C. Walker (SH), F. Eastwood (Sc), I. Gibbard (WW), D. Olawale (HS), H. Ejje (CH), T. Hunt (HS), R. Thomson (HS), J. Harrison (OH), W. Brownsdon (OH), D. Murray (Sc), H. Rogerson (OH), M. Jobber (SH), A. Olalekan (OH), J. Morrison (PS), M. Enelamah (FH), W. Kemkers (PH), E. Barnes (MH), W. Cruttenden (PH), B. Thomas (CH), T. Adams (Sc)

Under 14C Rugby Results Played: 10

Won: 2

Drawn: 0

v Brighton College Lost v St Lawrence U14A Lost v Eton College Won v Skinners’ U14B Lost v Radley College Lost v St Paul’s School Lost v Harrow School Lost v Dulwich College Lost v Radley College Lost v Wellington College Won

Lost: 8 15 – 17 0 – 51 4–7 21 – 54 14 – 27 10 – 27 12 – 45 12 – 26 14 – 45 47 – 0

Under 14D Rugby

his was a superb season from a very talented U14Ds squad: 10 played and 10 won, with some very stylish rugby played along the way. Like a boulder trundling its way inexorably down a mountain, the Ds began slowly, picking up solid but unspectacular wins against Brighton and Ewell Castle Bs. There were signs of resilience and fortitude and glimmers of talent from the backline, but the structure and powerful dominance needed time to be established. The team worked hard in the following weeks, forging a desire and will to win, and stamping a pattern of play in excellent victories against Judd and Eton. The forwards were the battering ram to create space for our very skilful backs, and success followed against Skinners’. Of all the qualities of this successful team, perhaps the most admirable was that they listened to advice and made steady improvements throughout: drills

RUGBY on Tuesday and Thursday showed fruits on the Saturday: not always the case for a Novi team and very much to their credit. Radley, the first of a double header, was the most serious test of this Tonbridge team: this was a good side and the Ds started poorly by managing to ship an interception try in the first minute. This was promptly followed by Radley’s pacy winger catching them by surprise and getting around for a converted try. 0-14 down and barely two minutes played: far from ideal. But the resilience of the team showed through: the players worked their way into the game, kept hold of possession and slowly ground Radley down, through crashing ball and fast secured rucks, through fleet-footed runs and clever probing runs from their scrum half. This Tonbridge team was one to be reckoned with, a team to build and improve, to grind out the win if needs be. Tries came and Tonbridge managed to secure a slightly edgy win. “We were a little lucky to win that, Sir!” was the honest summation from the players at the end. But it was a win nevertheless and the spirit of the players was superb. Pleasing wins against St Paul’s and an undefeated Harrow side followed. They were really hitting top gear now, new players rotating through, earning deserved promotions, and yet the formation stayed, the structure remained, and the players continued to improve. Dulwich proved the most complicated game of the season. Illness swept through the U14s and 13 out of 15 starting players from the week before were either ill or called up to higher teams to plug their contagion-struck ranks. Credit for securing the unbeaten season really must go here to the U14Es players who stepped up a team. Dulwich – also undefeated – started strongly, but some concerted tackling knocked them back, dented their forward momentum, and slowly ground them out of the game. Tonbridge drove at them with great spirit and tenacity, throwing everything into the cauldron to win. A wonderful victory, measured out in small acts of bravery across the pitch. The final game of their season turned out to be the reverse fixture away at Radley. Tonbridge neutralized their attacking threats and put in a solid performance: it was not the conditions for expansive rugby but the Ds ground out a good win. Throughout the season, the U14D rugby team demonstrated excellent teamwork, sportsmanship and a strong will to win. Their performances were characterized by quality passing, solid defence,

and a relentless pursuit of victory. Their undefeated record is a testament to their commitment and the hard work they put in. The team can be proud of their accomplishments and should continue to work hard to maintain their high level of performance in the future. Our thanks to Mr Hillyard and Mr Salmon for their support with Bantams 2, and also to the fantastic support and encouragement from parents on the touchlines throughout the season. H J M Swales Squad T. Adams (Sc), E. Barnes (MH), H. Bull (WW), G. Chiavarini (WH), W. Cruttenden (PH), A. Green (OH), E. Lam (JH), A. Laurencin (Sc), J. Moore (JH), A. O’Halloran (CH), L. Roberts (FH), F. Samuels (PS), M. Stockill (JH), T. Teacher (Sc), M. Teh (HS), B. Thomas (CH), S. Van Tiggelen (JH), D. Waldron (PS), C. Walker (SH), F. Whitehead (OH), W. Whitfeld (PH), J. Zhao (MH) Under 14D Rugby Results Played: 10

Won: 10

v Brighton College v Ewell Castle U14B v Judd School v Eton College v Skinners’ School v Radley College v St Paul’s School v Harrow School v Dulwich College v Radley College

Drawn: 0

Lost: 0

Won Won Won Won Won Won Won Won Won Won

34 – 17 34 – 33 46 – 5 24 – 10 30 – 0 33 – 19 36 – 7 27 – 12 29 – 10 22 – 5

SPORT

Under 14E Rugby conceded many tries in the first half. However, we managed to keep a winning mindset and finished with a brilliant turnaround victory. When we played Radley away, we were slow to get into the game and gave away too many penalties but overall, despite the loss, it was a good game.

he first training session for the U14E team was a brilliant training session in which players could show off their skills to the coaches and to their teammates. There quickly became an exceptionally good relationship between the coaches and players and soon enough we were able to play as a team and progress together whilst all learning from are mistakes and taking on ideas from coaches that would soon help us when it came to matchday. Looking back on the season, the U14E team had some outstanding performances and during this some players really stood out; Frederick Von Danwitz (HS) was one of these players. Freddie was not afraid to tackle no matter the size of the opposing player running at him, Freddie also showed some great enthusiasm for the game and would always give his all on the pitch. As a summary of this season, I am confident to say that every player on the team has improved hugely and should be enormously proud of themselves. Against Brighton we were strong in defence but were also lethal in attack so scored some fantastic tries and managed to keep a clean sheet. Playing against Eastbourne our set pieces were great and our attacking was also good, but we lacked quality in defence in not spreading out enough. Against Eton we were the stronger side and managed to score some fantastic tries, but our defence wasn’t great as we stood still and let their players run towards us which gave them ground. Playing against Cranleigh the team was slow off the whistle and we only really got into the game at the start of the second half. Radley at home were a very strong side and were always great in their defence and as a result we

St Paul’s were a very physical team on an unfamiliar 3G surface and so managed to score a few early tries and keep us on the back foot eventually resulting in a disappointing defeat away from home. We were the better side playing against Harrow but lacked much intensity in the second half and so gave away a few too many tries. A good win for us, but too many conceded points. Against Dulwich the team played well but just lacked a bit of physicality and so were very tired and easily beaten in the end. The final match of the season saw us up against a St Lawrence team who were a particularly good side and who managed to score some great tries. As a result we stayed on the backfoot and could rarely get into the swing of our attacking moves. Overall, a great season and well done to everyone. A T J Byfield Squad C. Sumner (SH), Y. Wang (PH), N. Longe (PH), M. van Rossen (OH), L. Gazizov (MH), B. Horner (WW), D. Waldron (PS), M. Davidson (CH), M. Meredith (WW), E. Condron (PS), W. Hall (Sc), H. Cleaver (JH), A. O’Halloran (CH), M. Gee (HS), C. Doughty (WH), F. Von Danwitz (HS), J. Williams (CH), B. Cook (SH), T. Stone (OH), W. Whitfield (PH) Also played: M. Enelamah (FH), A. Wiggington (OH), S. Wiggington (CH), F. Malone (WW), F. Stevenson (CH) Under 14E Rugby Results Played: 10

Won: 5

Drawn: 0

v Brighton College Won v Eastbourne College Won v Eton College Won v Cranleigh School Lost v Radley College Won v St Paul’s School Lost v Harrow School Won v Dulwich College Lost v Radley College Lost v St Lawrence Lost

Lost: 5 40 – 0 27 – 26 36 – 17 12 – 35 33 – 24 12 – 33 35 – 22 33 – 40 19 – 29 19 – 43

RUGBY

Under 14F Rugby Under 14F Rugby Results Played: 6

Won: 5

Drawn: 0

Lost: 1

Won Won Lost Won Won Won

43 – 24 27 – 17 34 – 41 64 – 10 19 – 10 24 – 5

v St Paul’s School v Cranleigh School v Radley College v St Paul’s School v Harrow School v Radley College

Under 14G Rugby

he 2022 season started with a match against the U14G team, where the U14F team won 8-5. It was during this match and, indeed, the home match against St Paul’s School, where Zachary Grobler (WW) converted a try at an incredibly high angle. Shock and elation were emotions that were experienced by the players, the referee, and the crowd. The U14F team changed after the match, with many players being promoted up to higher teams. A new U14F team was formed. Our first away match to Cranleigh School saw the U14F team win their second game of the season, however, the team picked up a few injuries following this. Despite the minor setback, the team gained in confidence and began to trust each other in their game play. The home match against Radley College afforded the team the opportunity to learn how to bounce back from a loss, which they clearly did as every match going forward a win was awarded. The latter part of the season saw a change in the weather, with colder weather and hard rain affecting the rugby pitches, which resulted in cancellations in some matches. In the end of term awards assembly, the award for Best Forward was awarded to Graeme Slater (JH), and the awarded of Best Back was awarded to Jamie Neill (MH).

fluid U14G team took on a number of challenging teams. An initial slim loss against the F team did nothing to dampen their spirits (despite the day’s downpour that certainly dampened the onlooking coaching staff), with the game ending 5 tries to 8 to the Fs. The team continued to take shape, but were met with stiff competition against St Paul’s G team. Despite some strong attacking play from Alex Tsukanov (SH) and Sam Wiggington (CH), Tonbridge took the loss. However, with increased confidence in positioning, the G team continued to give it their all in training with the Es and Fs. Next came a triumphant win against Radley College at home, with a great weaving try scored by Jayden Chow (MH) and assisted by Wiggington. After a run of cancellations due to flooding, Tonbridge faced an inexperienced Harrow team to take a 15-0 win with 13 men. Scrum half Raphy

S X Sneddon Squad C. Chung (JH), R. Lane (HS), Y. Wang (PH), A. Rice (WW), L. Gazizov (MH), G. Li (FH), G. Slater (JH, Captain), O. Sanders (OH), Z. Tilley (SH), A. Millns (MH), T. Usher (WW), R. Cai (JH), J. Neill (MH), S. Wigginton (CH), F. Malone (WW), Z. Grobler (WW) Also played: M. van Rossen (OH), E. Lam (JH), M. Teh (HS), , S. Hendrick (CH), K. Fernando (CH), F. Stevenson (CH), K. Guan (JH), A. Tsukanov (SH)

SPORT Though the squad saw a lot a fluidity between other teams, as well as positionally between the teams, they never lost their up-beat attitude and tenacity both in training and in matches. A fantastic first run out for rugby at Tonbridge. S J Hargreaves A R Cooper Squad B. Kong (Sc), T. Fisher (SH), E. Tse (PS), S. Booth (PH), J. Seddon (WH), K. Fernando (CH), R. Burbidge (SH), A. Tsukanov (SH), G. Lipman (FH), R. Pointon (WH), P. Samuels (PS), Z. Farooqi (PS), O. Richens (PS), N. Tam (MH), J. Morris (MH), G. Brown (WW)

Pointon (WH) displayed enviable agility, able to evade the opposition’s lunges. Opportunities came for some of the team to rise through to the E and F teams, around this time. Though the last two matches of the season against Skinner’s and Radley College were lost, each time the team maintained drive right until the end, with Captain Piers Samuels (PS) and Vice-Captain George Lipman (FH) keeping the team focused and disciplined.

Under 14G Rugby Results Played: 5

Won: 2

v St Paul’s School v Radley College v Harrow School v Skinners’ School v Radley College

Drawn: 0

Lost: 3

Lost Won Won Lost Lost

10 – 55 34 – 17 15 – 0 10 – 45 15 – 20

FOOTBALL Under 18A Football

he first game of the season was the classic opener: Wilson’s School. With last year’s game ending in a 4-0 defeat and having had only one training session, we were not the most confident going into the game. The game started brightly for Tonbridge, with Max Ejje (CH) scoring our first goal of the season after only 3 minutes played. However, the subsequent kick-off led to the ball finding the back of the Tonbridge net after defensive frailties that proved to be a common theme for the whole season. The game then swung back and forth, with Tonbridge putting together some nice play with Alex SmithStephens (OH) providing a constant threat down the right wing. Wilson’s came at us again, and with strong resilience from Jimi Adesanya (PH), the badminton player commandeered to play in goal, the score stayed at 1-1 until half-time. Coming out after the break, Wilson’s put on a big target man who proved too much for our defence, leading to two quick goals conceded within the first ten minutes, ending our hopes of a positive start to the season. Full Time: 1-3.

Next was Claremont, a side who turned up with a different training kit to their match kit: that tells you all you need to know! Within five minutes, we were 1-0 down (a recurring theme) after a lack of tracking of opposing players meant that a free header at the back post put Claremont in front. Tonbridge fought back, with David Oteng-Ntim (Sc) offering a constant threat by virtue of his pace. On the ball, Claremont were too much for us, having more than 70 per cent possession in the game and using the central midfielder to switch the play. We conceded two more goals before the half-time whistle blew. Shortly after the break, Byron Doughty (WW) dragged us back into the game with a mazy dribble that led to an Oteng-Ntim tap in, and then, two minutes later, he broke through the middle and slotted past the keeper. Claremont responded with another goal, and with the game proving to be an end-to-end affair, it was a good game for the neutral. Tonbridge were not done yet, and Ejje popped up with an outstanding finish, volleying off his weaker foot, to provide Tonbridge

FOOTBALL with a modicum of hope with 10 minutes left on the clock. However, Claremont continued to dominate, and after a needless penalty was given away, they slotted one more with the game ending 3-5. The third home game in a row saw us welcome Brentwood, the school of Frank Lampard, as Doc Richards would regularly remind us. Tonbridge hoped no one of Frank’s quality would turn up, but again, within ten minutes, Tonbridge conceded first through sloppy play in the defence. Brentwood added to their tally either side of the half time break, leaving Tonbridge with a big deficit with 25 minutes to go. Tonbridge battled hard and managed to convert what was virtually their only big chance in the game, with new signing Oscar McIlwham (PS) delivering a delightful cross to talisman Ejje who headed the ball home. This was not enough, and the game ended in a 1-3 defeat..

including skipper Konstantin Mamkhegov (PH), and the pace of our attack fed by Byron Doughty in his role behind the front two. Just before half time, a mistake in the Tonbridge defence led to a goal against the run of play - the worst time to concede in a football match. This demoralised us, and 15 minutes into the second half, the Eton right winger strolled through our defence leaving Jimi Adesanya with no chance in goal. Finally, with 10 minutes to go, Ollie Grant (PS) played a through ball to Oteng-Ntim who was ‘tripped’ in the box and the referee pointed to the spot. Doughty stepped up and converted. The game was not done there, as our late substitute Tobe Onyia (FH) crashed the ball against the crossbar with only 2 minutes left. Despite the late pressure, Tonbridge could not convert their chances, resulting in our fourth straight defeat and a score line that did not truly reflect the game. Final score: 1-2.

Next up was an old rival, an all-time classic, Eton College. They sent their 2nd XI (thankfully) down to Knotts to face an up-for-it Tonbridge who were left waiting for an hour down on the lower fields before kick-off. A strange looking line-up due to illness and injury for Tonbridge meant that we knew we had to play our best football to get a result. We started well, for once, using the width provided by our wingbacks, the skills and flair from our central midfielders,

Inspired by the good football on display against Eton, a slightly larger squad was taken to Sevenoaks for the first game of the three-match series, the B245 derby. More injuries gave George Thomas (CH) and Noah Durling (SH) the chance to show the coaches what they had been missing, playing alongside some of the regulars like Tom Instance (PS) and Harry Clarke (OH). The game was promising, as Tonbridge started well, and George Thomas was

SPORT getting some good chances to convert. For the fifth time in five games, Tonbridge fell behind from a setpiece play, where Sevenoaks lobbed it into the box, Tonbridge failed to clear their lines, and a smart finish from Sevenoaks’ number 9 put Tonbridge behind. The second half saw Tonbridge completely dominate the game, having around 65% possession, but the final pass simply was not there, and the attacking players could not get on to the end of anything, leading to the game ending 0-1 and Tonbridge’s record standing at 0 wins and 5 losses. The following game saw us take on Wellington College, and the team felt confident going into the match. However, Tonbridge were 1-0 down within the first two minutes and would be lying if they said the score line was unfamiliar. However, there were some promising plays on the pitch, with Ed Middleton (PS) coming close to scoring just before halftime. After a passionate team talk from Doc Richards, there was no way we were going to lose the game. Most of the game was spent in the Wellington half, with continuous pressing but without a final product, the closest being Doughty hitting the crossbar after 20 minutes. In the final ten minutes, after a switch to a back three, Tonbridge finally broke through a stern Wellington defence, with Thomas slotting home at the back post. Only a minute later, Oteng-Ntim pressed the goalkeeper, leading to a rebound off his chest and the ball trickling in. The infamous ‘Tonbridge squeeze’ did not stop there, as Tonbridge won a penalty, with the seemingly Mr Reliable Smith-Stephens stepping up, only to be denied by the keeper. If Wellington’s hopes were raised, these were soon dashed when OtengNtim managed to seal the win, providing the side with their first win of the season –finally! Full time: 3-1. Following the two-week break over half term, some fresh and well-rested legs made all the difference against Lingfield College. It appeared not much had changed as we once again found ourselves 1-0 down in the first ten minutes but we were determined to change our habits, and quickly responded through a rocket from 25 yards by Mamkhegov, putting the score at 1-1 going into half-time. Tonbridge were dominant and were rewarded for their efforts with some good play down the right-hand side, giving Oteng-Ntim a chance he could not miss to put us 2-1 up. A third goal quickly followed, with Middleton slotting home from 6 yards out, taking a slight deflection on its path to the centre of the goal into the top corner. Doughty scored another goal from the penalty spot to wrap things up. Full time: 4-1. Bede’s came next, and the boys were shocked on the bus when they discovered they would be playing

against the current National Cup champions, in the form of their 1st XI. The nerves were slightly relaxed when the much-anticipated poster of Solly March was spotted, as Doc Richards promised. The pitch was looking lovely, it was a calm day, and the performance of a lifetime was delivered. The addition of Charlie Lockhart (HS) gave the defence extra strength, and speed (or so he claims). 15 minutes in, a simple ball out from Adesanya found the left back Grant. Skipping past two on rushing attackers, he delivered a defencesplitting pass to meet a lovely diagonal run from Thomas, who took it past the keeper and stroked the ball into an empty net to send the travelling support into raptures. On the ball, Bede’s were clearly the better side, having around 85% possession. With only 5 minutes to go, a questionable decision by the referee gave Bede’s a penalty. The taker made no mistake, and the score was 1-1 at half time. An inspired Mr Waite team talk saw Tonbridge become ‘passion merchants’, showing greater composure in possession, and knocking it past any pressure put on them. A free kick won in a dangerous position saw Doughty step-up and put in a delicious ball for Mamkhegov to scissor kick home, sending the crowd wild. Next came 20 minutes of pure pressure from Bede’s, with the Tonbridge defence led by Instance holding up well. However, with the last play of the game, Bede’s put in a hopeful ball to the back post, leading to a scrappy finish from their striker, meaning the game finished 2-2. An unbelievable effort from all involved. After a devastating loss in the first leg of the trilogy of fixtures against Sevenoaks, Tonbridge were out for revenge on a nice-looking OT pitch. The first half was scrappy, and neither side really managed to control the game, with Tonbridge dominating the opening exchanges but Sevenoaks coming back later in the half. After half-time, both sides knew the first goal was crucial and could cause a major momentum shift. Some good play down the left saw SmithStephens play Grant through. He glided into the box but was tripped. Penalty. Grant converted the penalty but the lead did not last long, because after a wave of Sevenoaks pressure, their talisman levelled with a nice finish, leaving the game at 1-1, and Tonbridge knowing they had to win the final game. The final away game of the season saw Tonbridge travel to Lancing College for what was known to be a tough test. The first ten minutes of the game saw Lancing pressing Tonbridge hard, and we could not get the ball past the half-way line. An incredibly wellorganised team, the Lancing press involved all their outfield players in a quarter of the pitch whenever out of possession. Somehow, despite constant pressure

FOOTBALL on the new keeper, Reuben Walsh (CH), the score remained 0-0 going in at half-time. The second half began, and it was more of the same from Lancing. Finally, the Tonbridge defence buckled and a ball across the goal meant that Instance could do nothing more than turn it into the back of his own net (unbelievable finish, to be fair to Tom). A second was quickly added by Lancing after a corner fell to their man just outside the box, and the failure to press gave him time for a shot which beat Reuben at the far post. With Tonbridge deflated, a third was added with 10 minutes to go. George Wilson (SH) offered us our first shot of the game with only five minutes left, but a good save by the Lancing keeper denied us a consolation goal for the journey home. Full Time: 0-3. The next game was the much anticipated, deciding game against Sevenoaks. The big one was upon us. The third of the trilogy. Mr Huxley wanted the B245 trophy back home, safe and sound. A short journey up to the Sevenoaks Town Stadium, with picturesque views as a backdrop meant the boys were pumped for the game. Tonbridge started incredibly brightly, with Oteng-Ntim going on a fantastic run before hitting it just wide of the left-hand post. Doughty, around 15 minutes into the game, beat his defender and cut in onto his left foot. The shot was perfect, a good mix of power and accuracy, letting the ball nestle in the top right-hand corner of the Sevenoaks goal. Another good passage of play down the left involving Clarke and Grant put Thomas in a situation that only Darwin Nunez could miss, but unfortunately George managed to join him in failing to score. We went into the break 1-0 up but knew that we needed another goal to avoid penalty kicks to decide the trilogy. The second half saw more of the same, Tonbridge having the ball and pressing the Sevenoaks defence. The wide pitch saw legs get more tired, and a silly mistake in the midfield led to the Sevenoaks striker, who had scored both goals for them so far, score yet again in a shot that Walsh could not stop. Tonbridge went again, and only two minutes later Smith-Stephens got to the by-line and put a ball in for Lockhart to thump into the net to make it 2-1. That was full time. With both teams all square at 3-3 aggregate score over three games, a penalty shoot-out would decide the overall winners. Mamkhegov won the toss, deciding Tonbridge would take the first penalty. Charlie Lockhart slotted home, with Sevenoaks also scoring. Byron Doughty was next, and snuck the ball in, with Sevenoaks doing the same. Ollie Grant calmly sent the keeper the other way, whilst the next Sevenoaks player sent the ball blazing over the bar. All the skipper had to do

was score, and with a composed head, Konstantin Mamkhegov slotted home for a deserved 5-4 victory, bringing the B245 trophy back to Tonbridge where it belongs. Konstantin Mamkhegov (PH) Ollie Grant (PS) Squad K. Mamkhegov (captain) (PH), O. Grant (vicecaptain) (PS), O. McIlwham (PS), T. Instance (PS), C. Lockhart (HS), J. Adesanya (PH), E. Middleton (PS), A. Smith-Stephens (OH), G. Thomas (CH), B. Doughty (WW), D. Oteng-Ntim (Sc), H. Clarke (OH), M. Ejje (CH) Also played: R. Walsh (CH), A. Belliere (CH), S. Duda (PH), W. Malet de Carteret (JH), S. Pike (JH), T. Onyia (FH), N. Durling (SH)

Under 18A Football Results Played: 12 v Wilson’s v Claremont v Brentwood v Eton v Sevenoaks v Wellington v Lingfield v Bede’s v Sevenoaks v Lancing v St Edmund’s v Sevenoaks

Won: 3

Drawn: 3

Lost: 6

Lost Lost Lost Lost Lost Won Won Draw Draw Lost Draw Won

1–3 3–5 1–3 1–2 0–1 3–1 4–1 2–2 1–1 0–3 1–1 2–1

Under 18B Football

The U18B squad had a good season overall, recording some good results and some fine individual performances. The standard of play was mesmerising at times whilst the style of play was an expansive blend of marauding full backs (Nick Webber the FH Cafu) and a relentless high press typified by the waspish Robin Docherty (PS). The Lingfield game will live long in the memory as the game where it all clicked and our attacking talent came to the fore. Archie Wareing’s (HS) silky skills out wide were a constant threat and he helped himself to a goal and a couple of assists while Dara Fagbemi (FH), George Wilson (SH) and Dan Domanski (OH) bagged braces apiece. Lingfield were better than the scoreline of 7-0 suggests, but the team in red were at their unplayable best.

SPORT Squad W. Spedding (PS), G. Glen (SH), C. Howard-Sneyd (FH), R. Docherty (PS), N. Durling (SH), N. Webber (FH), O. McIlwham (PS), A. Schreurs (FH), D. Domanski (OH), G. Thomas (CH), G. Wilson (SH), A. Wareing (HS), D. Fagbemi (FH), B. Fountain-Barber (CH), T. Laurencin (Sc), R. Stevenson (WW), E. Middleton (PS), R. Adams (Sc), S. Deans (OH), W. Horrell (OH), C. Hayward (MH), C. Lockhart (HS), S. Duda (PH), V. Kapur (MH) Scorers: G. Wilson (3), W. Horrell (2), Fagbemi (2), Domanski (2), G. Thomas (2), Docherty, Schreurs

In the other 3 victories against Eastbourne, Wellington and Claremont it was all about the midfield battle and Alexander Schreurs’ (FH) love of a tackle and a simple pass to start the transition proved invaluable. Cosmo Hayward’s (MH) ball carrying ability was another decisive factor, and against Eastbourne in particular his dribbling was a constant menace to the boys in blue as we ran out 3-1 winners. The games we lost were close fought affairs, not least because of Caspian Howard-Sneyd’s (FH) indefatigable and towering presence at the back. His strong, and often last-ditch, tackling meant that two good sides in Bede’s and Lancing side had to work incredibly hard to edge us out 1-0. So a pleasing season and lots of positives for the boys to take with them to their Lent Term football squads. S M Cleary Under 18B Football Results Played: 9 v Wilson’s v Claremont v Brentwood v Eton v Wellington v Lingfield v Eastbourne v Bede’s v Lancing

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Won: 4

Drawn: 1

Lost: 4

Draw Won Lost Lost Won Won Won Lost Lost

1–1 2–0 0–2 1–2 2–1 7–0 3–1 0–1 0–1

Under 18C Football

his team deserved a better overall set of results than it achieved, as we were evenly matched in several games only to go down by a single goal. The boys never stopped trying and giving their all, and there were several feel-good games, especially the last match of term, where everything came together, but overall we suffered from not having a fixed out-and-out striker all term. Things began badly, conceding a goal at home ten seconds into the season! We ended up losing that game 2-0 to Wilson’s but had a much better outing against Claremont, with Max Wilkinson (WW) demanding to take two penalties even after Seb Deans (OH) had scored one so he could complete a hat-trick which he can dine out on for years to come. Reuben Walsh (CH) scored too before reinventing himself as a goalkeeper in the second half of the season with some success, even breaking into

FOOTBALL the A team. Xavier Nagberi (CH) pined without his Cowdrey mate alongside him in centre mid however, only recovering on the last day of the season to score a hat-trick. In the meantime we had a run of four defeats on the trot, though only the Brentwood game had more than a goal in it. We bounced back commendably against Lingfield, with yet another hat-trick from a C team player, this time Will Horrell (OH), borrowed from the B team, with a penalty scored by Tim Laurencin (Sc) as well, unlike the next game where we had the ball in the net only for the referee to call play back for a penalty which Tim blasted over the bar. That, I think, was the moment where I thought it was not only not our day, but not our season! A predictable defeat away at Bede’s on the most slippery pitch ever (at least if you were Olly Jamison [JH]) followed and a controversial loss to Lancing, in a game dominated by the referee. But harmony in the universe was restored on the final day with a satisfying thrashing of St Edmund’s, when players who had toiled away for many weeks without reward finally got something to show for their season-long endeavour. N J Waywell Squad S. Louca (captain) (SH), A. Yusifli (FH), O. Scott (CH), X. Nagberi (CH), T. Bleakley (WH), D. Little (WH), T. Laurencin (Sc), O. Jamison (JH), N. Laidlaw (WW), T. Horrell (OH), V. Kapur (MH), T. Williams (JH), E. Norris (WW), T. Bright (FH), A. Dodd (CH), W. Kerr (PH), M. Wilkinson (WW), R. Walsh (CH) Also played: N. Kahl (OH), S. Iqbal (WH), F. Evans (PS), W. Horrell (OH), J. Horta-Machado (PS), D. Domanski (OH), A. Wareing (HS), S. Deans (OH), G. Slater (SH), B. Jiang (MH), I. Malovanyi (Sc) Scorers: Wilkinson (3), Deans (2), Horrell, W. (3), Little (2), Nagberi (3), Laurencin (2), Jiang (2) Williams (1), Yusifli (1), Walsh (1) Under 18C Football Results Played: 11

Won: 3

v Wilson’s v Claremont v Brentwood v Ardingly v Eton College v Wellington College v Lingfield College v Eastbourne College v Bede’s v Lancing College v St Edmund’s Canterbury

Drawn: 0

Lost: 8

Lost Won Lost Lost Lost Lost Won Lost Lost Lost Won

0–2 6–2 0–4 1–2 0–1 0–1 5–1 0–3 5–0 4–2 6–0

Under 18D Football

No Report Available

Under 18D Football Results Played: 7

Won: 1

v Wilson’s v Claremont v Brentwood v Ardingly v Eton College v Bede’s v Lancing College

Drawn: 2

Lost: 4

Lost Won Lost Lost Draw Lost Draw

0–3 1–0 0 – 10 1–2 0–0 1–3 1–1

Under 18E Football

rom the first training session it was apparent that a ‘Golden Generation’ of Tonbridge U18E team players had come through the ranks. A rough start to the season with losses to Brentwood and Ardingly, followed by a 6-3 loss away from home to a stellar Eton team, perhaps on paper indicated it would be a tough campaign for the lads, though defeat at Eton was ironically an encouraging result and acted as a volta for the E’s season. A brace by debutant Rhys Love (Sc), including an outside of the boot finish from the edge of the box, and creative midfield performances from Adam Chalmers (CH) and Justin Lam (FH) laid the foundations for what would become a solid spine in the team. Above all, though, the team’s tenacity, passion and overall zeal for the game was the most impressive takeaway from the match. With goalkeeping issues remedied and the eccentric Marius Kobler (WW) captaining the side between the sticks, the E’s now appeared a formidable force.

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SPORT Squad M. Kobler (Captain) (WW), R. Love (Sc), A. Beverton-Smith (Sc), A. Cubillo (OH), S. Desai (OH), G. Li (FH), A. MacPherson (SH), M. Mussavian (WW), J. Lam (FH), T. Gardner (CH), J. Cook (SH), A. Walker (SH), H. Streets (FH), A. Chalmers (CH), E. Newman (WW), T. Karangoda (SH)

A comfortable 3-2 win against Eastbourne followed at home with the shorter half of the team’s ‘Crouch and Defoe’ partnership Alex Walker (SH) inspiring the team to an easy victory with two well taken goals. A kaleidoscope of shifting emotions, a real ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ performance exemplified prime ‘Huxball’ as the E’s put eight past Solly March’s Bede’s, while also conceding six, playing on a lopsided pitch on the South Coast. ‘Attack is the best form of defence’ was the maxim that characterised the team’s approach with Walker and Love again paying dividends up top and a second half performance by Alex BevertonSmith (Sc) swinging the game in the E’s favour. Sachin Desai’s (OH) strike from halfway begged the question of whether it was a cross or a shot, but nonetheless the ball went in the back of the net. A wicked left foot combined with the team’s off the ball movement, Beverton-Smith was instrumental in the turnround from 3-2 down at half time to an 8-6 win at the full, a monumental victory. Unfortunately, the E’s finished on defeat at home to Lancing. A 3-2 loss, the lads played with their hearts on their sleeves and left it all on the pitch. A backline marshalled by a one-eyed Gerard Li (FH) and Archie Macpherson (SH) put in a Herculean shift

Under 18E Football Results Played: 8

Won: 3

v Wilson’s v Claremont v Brentwood v Ardingly v Eton College v Eastbourne College v Bede’s v Lancing

102

Drawn: 0

Lost: 5

Lost Won Lost Lost Lost Won Won Lost

2–4 2–1 2–6 1–2 3–6 3–2 8–6 2–3

with the imperious Alex Cubillo (OH) locking down the right flank. Thomas Gardner’s (CH) Kante-esque performance as a box-to-box midfielder (although pigeon-holing him into a position does undermine his ability) also proved a thorn in the side of the opposition attack. Alas, despite two well taken goals giving Tonbridge the lead twice, the E’s succumbed to defeat against a team, cynically perhaps, fortunate to win. A star-studded side and a brilliant campaign, on and off the pitch the E’s played a gentlemen’s game and it was pleasure to be a part of such a group of players. Rhys Love (Sc)

Under 16A Football

t was a joy to welcome Mr Moen as an expert coach for this year, giving him the chance to pay back some of the lessons taught to him by Dr Lawrence and others back in 2015! As always, we started with a small but keen squad that was gradually bolstered with refugees from other sports. There was talent all over the field and our job was just to fit the right pieces into the right places. We started with a typically challenging visit to Wilsons School in glorious sunshine at the start of September. We started brightly, Freddie Cockaday (JH) scoring a good goal on the break but Wilsons’ greater experience playing together eventually told. We bounced back with an excellent performance against Claremont, where we began to show our passing prowess. Centre-back Jacob Louis (OH) also managed to round off the scoring by accidentally lobbing the hapless Claremont keeper from 60 yards. My highlight of the season was playing against Brentwood on their 2nd XI pitch. Again, we basked in beautiful weather, only to fall three goals behind to a disappointingly agricultural Essex side. The second

FOOTBALL

half saw us fight back terrifically, and literally in the case of captain Louis, who took offence to some overly physical behaviour from the opposition, unleashing a stream of words that shocked his mother on the touchline. Tiresomely, we were matched up against Eton’s U15B team, who proved to be a different class, before good competitive games against Wellington, Lancing and St Edmund’s. The season was characterised by excellent team spirit, genuine progress throughout the term, mixed levels of control, often suicidal attempts to play the ball out from the back, warm-ups exclusively involving firing shots over the bar, and a widespread aversion to heading the ball. This is a group of players who should be looking forward to senior football and I look forward to two years seeing them continuing their footballing journeys.

Under 16A Football Results Played: 7

Won: 2

v Wilson's v Claremont v Brentwood v Eton v Wellington v Lancing v St Edmund’s Canterbury

Drawn: 0

Lost: 5

Lost Won Lost Lost Lost Won Lost

1–7 7–0 2–3 0–7 1–4 5–0 0–3

J A Fisher Squad J. Louis (captain) (OH), F. Cockaday (JH), N. Lane (FH), C. Hinds (SH), A. Fu (PH), E. Hudson (OH), T. Cubillo (WW), J. Cameron (SH), H. Panayiotou (WW), C. Osborne (FH), C. Ho (JH), S. Barker (OH), J. Montague-Davie (Sc), T. Carruthers (JH), I. Chan (MH), P. Somasundram (HS), A. Chau (CH), O. Clarke (CH), J Forman (PH), E. Horn (PH)

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SPORT

RACKETS Rackets Report

he term began with a tough fought match at Winchester for the 1st pair, coming out with a close defeat 3-2. Yet, despite the 1st pair loss, the rest of our pairs played well, and we ended the day winning three and losing three matches, impressive at a complicated Winchester court. The week after we travelled to Eton, again another tough match for the 1st pair resulting in a 3-1 defeat. Despite this, the 2nd pair came out on top, cruising to a 3-0 win. Then came a big call from our Pro. Ollie Sykes (HS) though a top-rated player was replaced in the first pair by Sam Seecharan (OH). The new 1st pair started by ruthlessly and mercilessly dismantling Haileybury’s 1st pair, 3-0 in about 5 minutes. Overall, we won 3 out of 5 matches against Haileybury. The following week, another away day, off to Harrow for what we knew would be one of the hardest matches of the season. Despite a strong Harrow 1st and 2nd pair, both Tonbridge pairs came out on top winning 3-1 and 3-0 respectively. In total, 3 out of 6 matches won at Harrow. After Harrow we travelled away to St Pauls to play another top pair who included the 1st seed in the Foster Cup, James Rossiter. Despite playing a supposed Messiah of Rackets, Seecharan and Alex MacPherson (FH) fought a tough battle to win 3-1. The St Paul’s junior pairs are the best on the circuit this season and we suffered three losses from the U16A, U16B and U15A pairs. A highlight of the day would be the founding of ‘Statman’, an U15 player from St Pauls with a spreadsheet of different player’s chances of winning the Foster Cup, perhaps a touch of irony that James Rossiter was his favourite to win. Another week, and yet another away day, off to Charterhouse for a day full of strange lets. The 1st pair secured a simple 3-0 win, the 2nd pair fought hard for a 3-2 win, and the U16A won 3-0 as well. The two final matches of the term were played against Cheltenham and Wellington where we brought out two weakened 1st pairs who won both matches. In summary, a very successful term especially for both the 1st and 2nd pairs. Alex MacPherson (FH)

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Queen's National Singles December 2022

ith perhaps a couple of remote chances of reaching a Final at Queen’s at Christmas, this was always likely to be a somewhat disappointing Queen’s, particularly after last year’s excitement. In reality, nearly all of our 21 players reached where I had expected them to in their respective competitions. There were 4 main exceptions. The major disappointment of the week was the earlier than we had hoped defeat for Alex MacPherson (FH), who lost in the first round of the Foster Cup (Top 16 schoolboys on the circuit selected by the Professionals). Alex played well enough but lost 2-3 in a hard-fought battle against ComptonBurnett of Eton, and though Alex played a decent match, and it went down to the wire, it was a tough loss to take. Our other three exceptions were boys who performed above their expectations, and they were Sam Seecharan (OH), Robin Cox (FH) in the Colts, and Sebastian Cox (PH) in the Junior Colts. Sam Seecharan reached the last eight of the Foster Cup and was defeated by the 1st seed, James Rossiter of St Paul’s, but it was a superb performance and Sam did win the 2nd game, playing the finest rackets of his life. It was an extremely high-quality match. However, Rossiter was just too good, and he won the next two

BADMINTON

Rackets Results v Winchester v Eton v Haileybury v Harrow v St. Paul's v Charterhouse v Cheltenham v Wellington

1st Pair L 3–2 L 3–1 W 3–0 W 3–1 W 3–1 W 3–0 W 3–2 W 3–0

2nd Pair W 2–1 W 3–0 W 3–0 W 3–0 – W 3–2 L 3–2 L 3–0

3rd Pair – L 3–0 W 3–1 L 3–1 – L 3–0 – –

4th Pair – L 3–0 – – – – – –

games to complete a 3-1 victory. Also selected for the Foster Cup were Jake Hazari-Webb (OH) and Ollie Sykes (HS). Both played well but lost in their first-round matches. Jake, to eventual winner of the cup, Tarquin Sotir of Harrow, and Ollie to another Harrovian, and Sotir’s doubles partner, but in an extremely close thriller that went to the final game. Robin Cox and Seb Cox both played much improved rackets throughout the tournaments in the U16, and U15 events, and both defeated much higher ranked players in early rounds. Robin Cox eventually losing to our No 1 Colt Hugh Jacobs (FH), in the quarter final, but played well enough to take Hugh to the final

U16A W 3–1 W 3–2 L 3–0 W 3–0 L 3–2 W 3–1 – L 3–0

U16B W 3–2 W 3–1 – – L 3–0 – – –

U15A L 3–0 L 3–2 L 3–0 L 3–2 L 3–0 L 3–1 – –

U15B L 2–1 – – L 3–0 – L 3–2 – –

U14A – – – – – – L 2–1 –

deciding game. Hugh Jacobs lost in his semi final the following day to the 2nd seed from Malvern. Sebastian Cox improved with every round he played in the Junior Colts tournament (Jim Dear Cup) and reached the quarter final. This was an encouraging run and gives hope not just to Seb but our U15 squad as a whole to continue practising hard. No finalists in the singles in December but we have extremely strong doubles pairs, particularly in the seniors and hopefully one or more of them can be in contention for the National Doubles Championships at Queen’s at the end of the Lent Term between19th and 25th March. D J Makey

BADMINTON Under 19 Badminton

t has been a tough season for the U19’s with some really tough opposition to contend with. The opener against Sevenoaks at home was a shock to the system with only the first pair of Ryan Lum (PH) and Aidan Chow (PH) picking up a single rubber. A similar picture emerged against Judd at home with the top pair winning two rubbers this time. With some training under their belt and slightly weaker opposition the win the boys craved came to fruition. There were some hard-fought battles in this match against Epsom but Tonbridge emerged the victors. The return Judd match resulted in the same result as before with Judd fielding a couple of good county players. The final showdown against Sevenoaks was a marginal improvement with Louis Mok (PS) playing with Ryan Lum to win all three of their rubbers. Hayden Lam (FH) and Adrian Lam (JH) were the other Upper Sixth students, who worked hard and who have given great service to the club over the years. Their commitment has been impressive even if the wins were hard to come by!

It will be James Hutton (Sc) and Ryan Ng (FH) who will be taking up the mantle next year where I hope they, and the incoming 6th formers, will strive for more wins! J M Woodrow Squad R. Lum (PH) A. Chow (PH). L. Mok (PS), H. Lam (FH). R. Ng (FH), J. Hutton (Sc), A. Lam (JH)

Under 19 Badminton Results Played: 5

Won: 1

v Sevenoaks v Judd School v Epsom College v Judd School v Sevenoaks

Drawn: 0

Lost: 4

Lost Lost Won Lost Lost

8–1 7–2 6–3 7–2 6–3

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SPORT

Under 16 Badminton

hings were no easier for the junior team. Some new blood in the form of Alida Chan (JH), Julian Cheung (MH) and Dylan Kieu (JH) helped to strengthen the side. Aaron Lee (PH) and David Ng (PH) fought hard against the second Sevenoaks pair in the opening match losing 24-22 in the second game. However, they, along with Alida and Julian managed to secure a rubber each. The first Judd encounter was again tough, but the team was beginning to gel and experience was growing. The Epsom match provided some light relief where the boys were able to play with less pressure on them and played with more fluidity and skill. They had more time to think and react. The second Judd result was another carbon copy of the home fixture. Alida and Dylan showed great resilience to beat the third pair. The third game finished at 19-17 when it should have finished when the first pair got to 11! The odds were stacked against the Tonbridge team going into the final match against Sevenoaks away. The six boys played a blinder. They worked hard, though on court and came away with a fantastic 6-3 win to finish the season. Aaron and David along with Ethan Lam (PS), Toby Mok (PS) and Ed Lumb (Sc) will move on to the senior squad next year where I am sure they will acquit themselves well. J. M Woodrow Squad A. Lee (PH), D. Ng (PH), A. Chan (JH), D. Kieu (JH), E. Glucina (PS), J. Adesanya (PH), E. Lam (PS), T. Mok (PS), E. Lumb (Sc), J. Cheung (MH), A. Chen (Sc).

Under 16 Badminton Results Played: 5

Won: 2

v Sevenoaks v Judd School v Epsom College v Judd School v Sevenoaks

Drawn: 0

Lost: 3

Lost Lost Won Lost Won

7–2 7–2 9–0 7–2 6–3

House Badminton

ouse Badminton competitions followed the same format as last year. The senior (Sixth Form) and junior (Novi, Second years and Third years) competitions were held on separate Saturdays. Each House team played doubles and singles with the aim of accruing as many points as possible. In the junior competition, Judde played Park and Parkside played Smythe after winning their groups. After some keenly fought matches Park and Parkside were placed in the final. It was all square after the singles matches so it was all down to the doubles. Ethan Glucina and Toby Mok from Parkside struggled to deal with the consistency of the eventual winners – Aaron Lee and David Ng from Park House. The senior tournament was also buzzing with great competitive energy. After winning the group stages, Park played School and Judde played Smythe. Park beat School with relative ease and met Adrian Lam and Conrad Phillpot from Judde in the final. The Park House pair of Ryan Lum and Aidan Chow proved too strong for the Judde boys and secured the win. Congratulations to Park House for winning both tournaments. J. M Woodrow

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FENCING

FENCING Fencing Report

n stark contrast to last term, the fencing club has had a rather busy season, with nine fixtures (a whopping nine times the previous term’s). With one exception, at least one squad won one match at every fixture, which is very encouraging, with a clean sweep of victories against Dulwich, Worth, Ardingly and Sevenoaks.

who won the Kent championship for U16 foil, and Miles Raymond (CH), who represented Britain in Serbia over half term, and represented Britain again in France in November.

Special commendation goes to Abraham Chan (MH), who won the Kent championship for U18 foil and came second in U18 epée, Antonio de Vivo (HS),

Foil: Seb Chamberlain (HS) Epée: Abraham Chan (MH) Sabre: Laifu Fan (PH)

Fencing Results Played: 30

Won: 19

Lost: 11

v Invicta FC Foil A Foil B Epée A Epée B Sabre

Lost Lost Lost Lost Lost

13 – 45 42 – 45 44 – 45 38 – 45 35 – 45

Nick Samuel (WH) Fencing Captains

v Charterhouse Foil A Foil B Epée Sabre

Lost Lost Lost Won

43 – 45 33 – 45 35 – 36 45 – 38

v Brentwood Foil A Foil B Epée

Won Won Lost

45 – 39 45 – 18 27 – 45

v Benenden Beginner Foil A Beginner Foil B Foil A Epée

Won Won Lost Won

45 – 27 43 – 27 40 – 45 45 – 27

Won Won Won

45 – 19 45 – 26 45 – 12

Won Won Won

45 – 25 45 – 12 45 – 27

v Westminster Foil A Foil B Epée

Won Won Lost

43 – 29 45 – 17 36 -- 45

v Dulwich Epée A Epée B

Won Won

45 – 43 45 – 34

v Ardingly Foil Epée Sabre

v Worth Foil Epée Sabre

Won Won Won

45 – 15 45 – 29 45 – 26

v Sevenoaks Foil A Foil B Epée

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GOLF Golf Club Report

ichaelmas Term golf is quite a thing – practice, Order of Merit, friendlies, HMC Foursomes, tournaments, normally played out in sunshine, biblical storms and/or darkness. Or cancelled at the last minute. And if ever the phrase “a term of two halves” gets going in school sport, its origins should surely be traced back to this term’s golf; the first half-term packed with internal and external competitive golf; the second half on a stricter diet of “Ryder Cup” internal matches, the One Club Competition, and a few trips to the local driving range. So, buckle up for a quick flight over all the term’s events.

Practice, Order of Merit and One Club Competition As the list of fine players opting for Golf this term was unfurled, it was a challenge for the organisers not to declare the upcoming term to be oozing with promise, given the fine body of golfers and people and the list of events scheduled.

The school remains fortunate to be able to call on Wildernesse, Knole Park, Hever Castle & Royal Ashdown Forest GCs to host our internal events, which this term involved plenty of chances to practice without the pressures of marking a card on either a real course or e-course at the range. But to keep the players sharp, build pressure situations and to have the chance to see the best come out in competition, the centrepiece of the internal schedule was the Order of Merit played across 3 of our 4 courses, where a player’s best 2 scores would count – with organisers watching both gross and net scores. Edward Greenslade (OH) and Ollie Whittall (SH) led after Round 1. There were many excellent performances in Rounds 1 and 2, meaning several were in the frame going into the final round, but in the end there can only be one winner… actually not true, as when the sun had set at Hever and the numbers were crunched, Greenslade and Talan Overton-Edwards (HS) had finished level and it was felt fitting these two players share the prize and the Awards Assembly moment of fame as Order of Merit Winners. One new internal competition to be added to the schedule this term was the One Club challenge, which as the name suggests has each player using only,

One Club Golf

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GOLF

ahem, two clubs (a club of their choice and a putter that must only be used on the greens). It’s a great format to developing shot-making skills while not lugging around a bag of clubs. Despite the subzero conditions at Wildernesse, it was an absolute pleasure to see the players embrace the format – one for the future, I suspect - and to see Freddie Warren (OH) become the inaugural winner of the event – a trophy for the future, I suspect.

Matches & Tournaments Looking across all the stats of the term, it continues to give the organisers a real thrill to see just about every player involved in a school match. But a feature of this term is the number of events that require our top players to venture out and do their stuff – two HMC Matches and three tournaments in the first half of term. All are summarised elsewhere in the report, but a special mention to the OTGS and its running of the Generation Cup, a one-stop shot for the boys to play with top quality opposition, gain valuable experience in putting a good score together and spend time with a group of OTs who are so supportive of school golf. On the HMC front, the team had a wonderful time down at Sandwich over the fine links of Royal St. Georges, enjoying some nearly rude margins of victories in a 3-0 win against Kings, Canterbury, before handling the very different proposition of Worth at Pyecombe GC to win through to the SE

Regional Final that will be held in the Summer Term. Given the quality of the current cohort, and should our top players be on form at the start of Summer Term, the team has a real chance of heading off to the National Finals – to once again dine at the top table of HMC golf. The three tournaments provided excellent experiences to all those involved – alas, a fourth event, the West Sussex Invitational, had to be cancelled at the last minute due to a month’s worth of rain landing and mostly staying on the course overnight. The Runners-Up spot at the Smarden Bell was excellent, with a score that has comfortably won the ‘Team Bell’ in the past. But perhaps it was Ed Greenslade’s individual performances that had most tongues wagging (and Parents’ Newsletter buzzing) this term with his Second Place in the ‘Individual Bell’ (32 points at Hever GC) and Third Place in the HMC Strokeplay (70 gross at The Berkshire GC).

Second Half of Term After the numerous events, late returns and ‘million calorie’ burgers of the first half of term, the second half takes on its own rhythm: sharp exits from the Quad for Wildernesse one day; drifting over to the driving range another. It also sees a small number of changes of players and/or some players electing to prioritise other sports. But in its own way, it is an equally fun part of the term as a smaller, brothers-

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SPORT referee, then school golf would not happen with no staff to organise and drive the boys. But final thanks are saved for all the players, so ably captained by Barry, for their wonderful attitude and play throughout the term that ensured all the correct boxes were ticked – individual success, team success, reliability, attitude, and enjoyment. I got the sense the group really appreciated all that had been provided. By the time this report goes to press, the Summer Term will be just around the corner, kicking off with that SE Regional Final in the HMC Foursomes – it will be a tough match, but our team should dare to dream of a return visit to the National Finals. K A Froggatt

in-arms group emerges, which then subdivides again for the Ryder Cup matches which this year saw Team Barry, led by club captain Matthew Barry (JH), see off Team Greenslade. But this term had one special bit of extra news – and it’s that fellow Ed Greenslade again. Ed won through to the Finals of the Junior European Open, held in Spain in late November. The standard of players is as good as it sounds, especially when being told Sky Sports was televising the event. Just to qualify was a wonderful achievement, but Ed was never going to settle on just showing up, making it through to the final day after the field had been trimmed and finishing 16th – wonderful. I would like to think his Order of Merit success brought him much satisfaction earlier in the term but would understand his play in Spain just pipped it as his highlight. As ever, there is much planning and many moving parts in a term’s golf – and this term appeared to present many more changes to plans for reasons beyond most people’s control. Our thanks again must go to all the host golf clubs - with a shout-out this time to Wildernesse GC and Hever GC for being able and willing to provide a relatively bespoke offering – and all the opposition schools and tournaments organisers and hosts. Closer to home, a huge thanks again to the Porters who ensured all our minibus needs were met, especially when plans had to change late on, and to Mr Schweitzer and new-recruit Mr Barber for their reliable assistance and adaptability. Much like a rugby match doesn’t happen without a

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Squad M. Barry (Captain) (JH), R. Docherty (PS), F. Evans (PS), B. Harvey (WH), F. Ogilvie (HS), O. Whittall (SH), O. Brown (HS), E. Greenslade (OH), D. Hudson (CH), W. Lacey (PH), T. Overton-Edwards (HS), C. Tuffield (SH), W. Malet de Carteret (JH), J. Chambers (WH), W. Huddy (JH), J. Kirkland (WH), Z. Moore (WW), J. Stone (OH), F. Warren (OH) Player of the Term: Ed Greenslade (below)

SAILING

Golf Match Results Opposition Result Charterhouse Lost Kings, Canterbury * Won Cranleigh Lost Reigate Won Sevenoaks Draw Sutton Valence Lost Worth * Won

Golf Tournament Results Score

Venue

OT Generation Cup (Wildernesse Golf Club)

0–3 3–0 0–3 3–1 2–2 1–2 2–1

Wildernesse Royal St Georges Bramley Reigate Hill Knole Park Redlibbets Pyecombe

Team Event: 4th place Barry, Greenslade, Tuffield

* HMC Foursomes Competition

Smarden Bell (Hever Castle Golf Club) Team Event: 2nd place Barry, Greenslade, Docherty, Harvey, Kirkland Individual Event: 2nd place Greenslade HMC Strokeplay (The Berkshire Golf Club) Individual Event: 3rd place Greenslade

SAILING Senior Sailing

BSDRA Midlands

onbridge School’s First 6 had several chances to test themselves against the top schools in the country. Two key events were held at Farmoor reservoir in Oxford. Up first was the British Schools’ Dinghy Racing Association Midlands event.

Despite the early start, the team arrived ready to go, excited for the high wind. Although we had a slow start, we soon picked up a few crucial points. It was a fantastic opportunity to get used to the venue and to learn to work together as a team. Everyone enjoyed the event, and it proved to be great

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SPORT training for Team Racing in higher wind. All things considered, it was a perfect day to practice ahead of the event to come. Oliver Pattison (WH) Staff i/c J. Moss Team H. Collins (Captain) (FH), D. Fulton (WH), T. Dunnet (HS), A. Popov (HS), O. Pattison (WH), R. Beare (Sc)

BSDRA Midlands Results Played: 12

Won: 6

Lost: 6

v Rutland Sailing Club v Claires Court v Reading Sailing Club v Oakham v Magdalen College School Black v Sherbourne School v Magdalen College School Red v Winchester School v Reading Sailing Club v Winchester College v Magdalen College v Claires Court

4,5,6 3,5,6 1,2,6 3,4,5 1,3,5 3,4,15 1,2,6 1,2,5 1,2,6 1,2,7 3,4,6 4,5,6

Lost Lost Won Lost Won Lost Won Won Won Won Lost Lost

RYA Team Racing Nationals

he RYA Team Racing Nationals saw Tonbridge School Sailing Club have a strong first day against some of the top teams in the country. The team had several fantastic races earning lots of 1 and 2 placings. A couple of hard races left us with an average of 10.2 points and in 15th place. Achieving a 50% win rate we made it into the silver division. Once in Silver (after another early start) we raced against tough teams like Claires Court and Bryanston and came 7th in Silver. Overall, it was a fantastic event in which the Sailing Club put in a strong performance, missing out on the final for Silver by only 1 point. Oliver Pattison (WH) Staff i/c J. Moss A. Moppett Team H. Collins (Captain) (FH), T. Lumb (Sc), S. Collins (FH), A. Popov (HS), L. Dobson (SH), O. Pattison (WH),

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BSDRA Midlands Results Played: 15

Won: 7

v 420’s The Way v Sherborne v RGS v Radley v Burghfield Black v Ryde Red v Claires Court Green v OSTT v RHS Pink v Radley v Claires Court Green v DRSC v Winchester v Bryanston v Embley

Lost: 8 3,4,5 1,2,5 1,3,5 1,2,3 3,4,5 4,5,6 3,4,5 1,3,4 1,4,6 2,3,4 2,4,6 1,3,16 1,3,4 2,4,6 1,2,3

Lost Won Won Won Lost Lost Lost Won Lost Won Lost Lost Won Lost Won

Junior Sailing RS Feva Winter Championships 2022

n Friday 20th November the RS Feva team headed for Weymouth and the Winter Championships at the Olympic Sailing venue of Portland Harbour. This was the last Feva event for the Third Years who were hoping for a last blast in the Feva before moving on to team racing Fireflies. The sailors woke to bright sun but very little wind on Saturday morning. Despite the rather tranquil conditions, we rigged and launched into a further diminishing breeze. After a wait of several hours, though, the wind filled in and started gusting about 10 knots. Two races were completed that day with any mistake or deceleration being punished, especially for the heavier pairs - something that showed clearly

SAILING

on the leader board that evening. The forecast was for strong wind the next day, however, so the teams slept in hope of a more exciting day on the water on Sunday. We woke to a fresh, building breeze that set the halyards tapping at the masts, bringing a bit of anticipation as the forecast was for some gnarly wind and waves out in the harbour. The fleet launched into a freshening 20 knot wind, building to 25 knots by the first start. The upwind legs were a real test of the sailor’s determination and strength as those who kept powered up and moving through the waves found themselves rounding the top mark in comfortable positions. The downwinds were radical, with monumental gybes and exhilarating reaches, planing over the building swell with trademark black and white Tonbridge spinnakers set. The wind peaked in the last race and many Tonbridge boats finished on a high. It turned out to be an excellent weekend. For a good proportion of the team this was their last event in the Feva and “Weybiza” certainly delivered, with conditions ranging from tactical light wind racing to force 6-7 winds giving the team some mega sends out on the water.

Staff i/c J. Moss, B. Burnett, A. Moppett Team T. Wilkinson (HS) and O. Dimond (PH) B. Sheppard (Sc) and A. Chernyshov (WW) G. Curtis (PH) and B. Bryden (PH) T. Burnett (WW) and O. Pattison (WH) J. Lai (JH) and L. Dobson (SH) E. Lumb (Sc) and (PH) R. Beare (Sc)

Tommy Wilkinson (HS)

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CLIMBING Climbing Club Report

limbing as a sport has been a feature of Tonbridge School since the creation of the outdoor climbing wall, now over fifty years old. Whilst visits to the local outcrops and trips further afield continue, the tradition of climbing outdoors on proper rock halted. With the building of the TSC and the Prosser Memorial Wall, the sport at Tonbridge moved to indoors and onto plastic. This has the advantage of meaning climbing can continue in all weather conditions and has helped propel the standard of climbing to higher levels. Until now this has only occurred in the Easter and Summer term, but for the first time, an ‘elite’ group of eleven, with Mr Powell and Dr Chalk, was able to climb in the Michaelmas term. At first, the boys were a little suspicious that their time would be structured around training, with lots of requests for ‘projecting’ occurring at the start of the term. The training format was simple, drilled climbing at the wall on Tuesday, bouldering offsite at ‘The Climbing Experience’ on a Thursday followed by, for the first time ever, training for climbing on a Friday, sometimes without any pulling on plastic at all. The elite group soon got into the swing of it, becoming familiar with terms like ‘four-by-fours’, ‘max weight pullups’, ‘windscreen wipers’ and the infamous ‘deadbug’ with some even noting it may help them climb better in the long run. The Climbing Experience in Maidstone were welcome hosts to Tonbridge, providing a venue where the boys could try some hard boulder problems. Fortunately, William Chittick let sleeping dogs to lie and whilst the new-fangled climbing more akin to parkour was often a little too much for Mr Powell and Dr Chalk, the boys enjoyed the challenge and, to use the Americanism, many sends were got and tops were had. The first real test came in the Michaelmas half term with the trip to El-Choro. Whilst university entrance tests, history trips and frozen thumbs stopped all from attending, for those who went, the standard of climbing was very high. James Moore (PS) topped his project ‘Judas’ (f7b), returning to the crag on the hunt for Arthur Scott’s (PS) lost rope, Ralph Edmundson (OH) sent ‘Coming on Strong’ (f7a+) and Matteo Bradshaw (JH) and Arthur Scott also made it into the 7s climbing the low in the grade ‘Viejos y puretas’

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On the pinnacle at Escalera Arabe, Andalusia

(f7a). The standard of all the boys was very high with grades once considered excellent on a Tonbridge climbing trip now run of the mill. The second term saw an informal competition at the white spider with St Johns and Epsom College. Here the benefit of regular climbing became apparent, with the Tonbridge boys flashing (climbing to the top first go) many of the routes and taking the first eleven places in the rankings. Not bad for a squad of eleven. Overall, an excellent term with the ‘elite’ group benefiting from climbing throughout the year. We look forward to what the summer term will bring as the boys head out onto the local sandstone, with its sandy slopers and rounded topouts, increasing their exposure to the rich tapestry that is rock climbing and mountaineering. C T E Powell Squad M. Bradshaw (JH), J. Booth (CH), W. Chittick (Sc), J. Moore (PS), C. Philpot (JH), S. Healing (WW), I. King (CH), L. Yang (JH), R. Edmundson (OH), W. Holden (CH), A. Scott (PS)

CLIMBING

The Andalusian Adventures of the Dirtbag Climbers Climbing Trip to Andalusia, Spain – October 2022

ime was when rock climbing was an uppermiddle class sport. Invented on the crags of the Lake District by pipe-smoking Victorian gentlemen of leisure wearing deer stalkers, tweed britches and nailed boots, it was the preserve of clergymen, doctors, lawyers and schoolmasters. George Mallory, perhaps the most famous of them because of his exploits on Everest, was a Charterhouse schoolmaster and, by the time of his death in 1924, he had a good few routes to his name in the Lakes and in Snowdonia. The years after the second war, however, brought a welcome democratisation to the sport – its leaders became working class lads from Glasgow and Manchester – while the high unemployment of the 1980s catapulted a new generation of hard-up, skinny youngsters into the arena and standards rocketed as these crag rats invented a dynamic, new climbing scene. Things have, in recent years, shifted back to the middle ground and, with the advent of indoor climbing and the greater participation of women, today you can find yourself climbing alongside pretty much anyone. That is not to say, however, that the determined aesthete can’t evoke the spirit of earlier years and recapture something of the crag rat, the dirtbag climber.

Kittens in the Finca

Sam Healing being nice to kittens...

On the pinnacle at Escalera Arabe, Andalusia

...CMH about to eat one

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Toby Lumb on High Bolt Two (6b+) at Turon

This was certainly the essence of last October’s Climbing Club trip to El Chorro in Andalusia – a demonstration to anyone with any curiosity about such matters that a combination of cheap flights, cheap car hire, cheap bunkhouse accommodation and cheap food may inflict a few bites from bedbugs and a few unpalatable breakfasts but it is also capable of delivering a climbing trip of immense value. The dirtbag climber can find everything that he needs in Spain and at a low cost.

Isaac King tops the pinnacle at Escalera Arabe

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Having arrived in Malaga close to midnight on the first Saturday of the Michaelmas half term break, however, the first thing which everyone needed was a place to sleep… and so developed a 50 kilometre race to our bunkhouse in poorly navigated hire cars which inadvertently took in multiple wrong turnings, gravel tracks ending in olive groves and single track roads blocked by railway lines. CMH arrived first (because he’d been there before) and put on the kettle for the twitching, white-faced arrivals who appeared over the next 40 minutes; it was concluded that a bit of adrenaline at the start of a climbing trip was a good thing. A short sleep gave the group enough momentum to head up to a local crag on foot and, pausing only to play with the tiny, flea-ridden kittens in the bunkhouse and for Arthur Scott (PS) to mislay his chalk bag, there followed a day of solid middle-grade route

Sam Healing romps up a climb at Escalera Arabe on a top rope

CLIMBING

Ralph Edmondson on the crimpy, steep moves of Coming on Strong (7a+) at Escalera Arabe

ticking. This, in turn, opened the door to a series of superb outings to harder climbing at a range of terrific venues on subsequent days; when it was cool and cloudy, the tremendous south facing crags of Escelera Arabe and Las Escandatas proved distinctly exciting while, on days of hot sunshine, the north facing crags of Desplomilandia provided both magnificent climbing and welcome shade. And standards were very high… A top three of club secretary James Moore (PS) and third year chiefs Ralph Edmondson (OH) and Arthur Scott soon emerged as key players as, driven on by the relentless positivity of DB, all of them succeeded in leading 7a, a remarkably high grade. Ralph and James both pushed on to climb 7a+ and then James set a new club record for a school trip by leading 7b – standards only matched by both DB and CTEP. It was only a pity that a late change in the date of Cambridge’s aptitude tests and a bout of ill health deprived Will Chittick (Sc) and Conrad Phillpot (JH) of places on the trip as it is certain that they would also have climbed at this elite standard if they had had the opportunity. Just behind this trio were James Booth (CH), Matteo Bradshaw (JH), Isaac King (CH) and Toby Lumb

(Sc) who were happy to route tick at 6b and above while Sam Healing (WW), Luca Krishnan (Sc) and Lifu Yang (JH) hit the decidedly significant headgame landmark of being able to lead routes graded 6a and 6a+. Respect to all. Climbing exploits aside, other highlights included Matteo Bradshaw’s Italian cuisine – easily the best evening meal of the trip – and CTEP just managing to avoid totalling his hire car on steep gravel tracks as the group returned from Escalera Arabe in the dark after a late finish. Fittingly, though,

CTEP on Bladerunner (6a) at Escalera Arabe

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Isaac King on Bladerunner (6a) at Escalera Arabe

the climax of the trip came on the seventh and final day of climbing when James Moore journeyed to Desplomilandia with DB (to retrieve a rope which Arthur Scott had left there on the previous evening) and, with a last throw of the dice, he succeeded in leading “Judas”, the 36 metre 7b climb which had spat him off repeatedly for most of the previous day. Fantastic! After that, all that remained was to head back to the airport – with Arthur managing to leave his phone behind at the bunkhouse – and cope with some last minute chaos as Isaac King managed to miss an

CMH showing his lack of belaying skills

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important rendezvous (and nearly the flight) in the terminal and, predictably, as Arthur managed to lose his passport. These were, though, mere hiccups in an otherwise smooth process and, with no further distractions on the flight, everyone was able to reflect on a remarkable week’s climbing. So, can Tonbridgians be proper dirtbag climbers? Well, given that the term originated in Yosemite in the 1960s and dirtbag climbing involves a relentless commitment to the sport while eschewing a career, living out of the back of a van on the fringes of society and sometimes subsisting on leftovers from tourists’ picnics, it seems unlikely. That said, though, the commitment is there, the climbing standards are getting there and dirtbag climbing culture has its attractions – and if dirtbag climbers like Yvon Chouinard, Alex Honnold and Chris Sharma can evolve into the iconic giants which they have become, why not? C M Henshall Photos by Lifu Yang (JH)

Participants James Booth (CH), Matteo Bradshaw (JH), Ralph Edmondson (OH), Sam Healing (WW), Isaac King (CH), Luca Krishnan (Sc),

CLIMBING Toby Lumb (Sc), James Moore (PS), Arthur Scott (PS), Lifu Yang (JH), Dr. Ackroyd (MRA), Mr. Byrne (DB), Mr. Henshall (CMH), Mr. Jacob (IJ), Mr. Powell (CTEP) A selection of the routes completed: At Bueno Sombre, Desplomilandia Cosas Caseras (7a) Debora Cuerpos (6b) El Chaparrón (6b+) Fran Sin Natra (7b) Judas (7b) Liron Careto Lower (7a) Sin Mantenimiento (6a) Viejos y Puretas (7a) At Cocina Caliente Toast (6b) Happiness is a Warm Pasty (6b)

IJ showing his belaying skills

At Escalera Arabe Arabesque (7a) Bladerunner (6a) Coming on Strong (7a+) El Arabe Perdido (7a) Engendro Caneri (6a+) At Las Encantadas La Dura Vida de un Frekee (7a) Redders (7a) At La Vida Misma Captain Sardina (6c) El Chaparrón (6b+) Si te Gusta-el Pique (6b) WiFi (6a+) At Turon High Bolt Two (6b+) DB looking strong on a 7a+ at Las Encandatas

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Matteo Bradshaw shows good slab technique on High Bolt Two (6b+) at Turon

The end of the day after some excellent cragging

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Sam Healing finally tops a route!

BeReal – BeEditorialTeam

FBBG, BCSB

Back Ollie Grant (PS), Alex MacPherson (FH) Middle Jean Van der Spuy (FH), Robin Docherty (PS), Wilf Stokhuyzen (JH), Finlay Horner (MH), Archie Heslop (MH), Harry French (PH), Tom Birch (MH) Front George Thomas (CH), Oli Bamford (JH), Ben Morrison (FH)

BeRe.al/1stXI

BeRe.al/Maestro

BeRe.al/Doc

BeRe.al/TheTonbridgian