Spring Term 2023: End of Season Reports

Spring Term 2023

Sports Update

Spring Review

It has been a busy term, with plenty of fixtures, tournaments, competitions and achievements – and just a small amount of disruption from the recent snowstorm that arrived in Uppingham, as it did much of the UK.

The playing fields are now turning beautifully green, albeit slightly muddy following a wetter Routh than we are used to.

As we review all of the action from this term, it is important that we acknowledge the hard work from our coaches and all staff who are involved in sport.

Uppingham Sport prides itself on providing sport for all, and the last week of term epitomised that; with the 800-person event of the Routh, to the international bicentennial celebration of Rugby Union at Rugby School, there really is something for everyone. The staff work hard to encourage and challenge out pupils to be their best self, whatever the level they choose to participate.

The end of term gives us the opportunity to not only reflect on the achievements our teams have had over the season, but also to recognise and congratulate the individuals who have worked hard and performed outstandingly throughout their time at Uppingham. At the end of this report, you will find a list of pupils who were awarded Sports Colours and Commendations in Chapel in the final week of term. They have each earned this recognition, and we are proud to have them represent our School.

As I leave you to enjoy a comprehensive round-up of our spring term sports, I would like to wish you all a wonderful Easter break.

Nick De Luca Director of Sport

Elliot Leong (Fgh) and Emmi Malai

Badminton Captains

Dr Dawes

Head of Badminton

Badminton

This term has yet again seen USSC packed full of senior badminton players during our scheduled training sessions and matches, as well as in the evenings and on a Sunday afternoons for informal social games.

Our senior mixed teams retained both of the East Midlands Independent School League titles won last term, giving Uppingham three consecutive titles at both 1st and 2nd VI levels.

It has been a superb term for the girls’ team, with Emmi Malai (C) and Denise Wong (L) leading from the front, defeating Bromsgrove at 1st team level for the first time ever in badminton, and contributing hugely to the success of our mixed teams (played 29, won 28) this academic year.

After some tough defeats last term, our senior boys came back fighting and beat Rugby and Stowe at 1st and 2nd team levels this term. With more than 60 seniors playing badminton this term, our strength in depth really showed and the boys’ 2nd team were unbeaten this year. Congratulations to all the boys who played for those teams.

The attitude of all our school seniors has been exemplary this term and our players have made superb progress under the expert tutelage of our coach, Mr Barron, and the badminton staff. Thank you to these staff members and the Vice-Captains of badminton, Maverick Chow (Hf), Maku Tianzhong (Fgh), Katie Judd (Fd) and Eva Deng (Sa) for their enthusiasm and help in ensuring that the term ran smoothly.

We wish next year’s players all the very best and hope they build on the standards reached during 2022-2023.

(C)

Edward Zhang (Fgh) Junior Basketball Captain

Mr Fletcher Head of Basketball

I take pride in the way the U15 basketball team were able to bed in quickly at the start of the term. Despite not knowing each other well, we managed to swiftly settle into the pace of training, and embodied the critical values such as inclusivity, encouragement, respect and communication during our sessions.

There has been significant progress in these areas within our group. The passion for basketball among the players is evident and is a result of the improvements we have made over the term. Notably, we have improved our communication and court awareness during matches, enabling us to find the best scoring opportunities. Additionally, the weeks of training have built trust and friendship between us. We have learned to support each other, and to appreciate each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

Our team consists of many strong and talented young players who have quickly developed a strong relationship in sessions and matches. Our results in the last four matches have been a reflection of our diligent practice, communication and selflessness during games.

We have a diverse range of players on our team, yet we work together efficiently and consistently during training sessions. For instance, at the start of the term, we did not know how to cooperate well and played more selfishly in training and in our first match. However, we have overcome these issues through persistent effort, successfully carrying out a range of plays during games and believing in each other.

As the team captain, I am proud that our players have forged stronger relationships and played more effectively as a whole at the term has progressed. I am pleased to have worked with such a group of mates who are so passionate and committed to basketball. I hope to see them in the senior team next year!

Ned Hercock (F) and Tabitha Todd (Sa)

Cross Country Captains

Mr Matthews Head of Cross-Country

Cross-Country

In 2023, cross-country returned with a bang – not in the muddy fields of Rutland, but instead on the volcanoes of Lanzarote. Our pre-season training camp took place on this sun-baked Spanish backwater, with our coaches relishing it as a chance to push us to our limits from the outset. Ferocious eight-mile runs and hill sprints were mixed with devious track sessions among the elite of the Danish sporting world, with individuals like Benjamin Maldonado (Hf) and Frederick Bidwell (M) demonstrating their dangerous potential for the season ahead, and Mr Davies furiously documenting events in the Twittersphere.

The term kicked off with the Uppingham Race, allowing the team a chance to set the work rate for the season ahead. Excellent performances were par for the course, with the girls’ team sweeping a top 1-2-3-4 led by Leonora Parr (Fd) – an especially magnificent effort for a junior. We then welcomed the new season with the crosscountry dinner, which gave us a chance to catch up with proud Old Uppinghamian cross country runners who had also boldly participated in that day’s race.

On 1 February, we took part in the King Henry VIII School Relays in Coventry, taking almost four teams to contest a series of 2.3 mile laps. Our teams put in a stellar shift, with our girls’ and boys’ teams coming 11th and 22nd respectively. The newcomers to cross country performed with commitment and rigour, notably demonstrated by Kitty Tweed (Fd) taking after the example set by her brothers Bertie (F 20) and Archie (F 22), who are both former boys’ team captains. The youngsters are set to strengthen the trajectory that cross country is on, bringing to the fore record numbers of runners for numerous competitions and starting their development as Uppingham runners early – Ryan Hajji (SH), William Howard-Vyse (F), Otto Rubython (B), to name a few.

The Junior Girls, including Fourth Formers Ottilie Willis (Sa), Kitty Tweed (Fd) and Eva May (J) and led by Dominique Dunn (J), also forged their way to the National Cross Country Cup finals in their first term, alongside the Senior Girls, Karina Wies (L) and Hana Perjuci (NH), going up against the country’s top schools. They also competed at the Harrow Invitational, where yet again we had a very impressive number of runners from Uppingham and some great performances, including a hard-earned bronze for Tabitha Todd (Sa).

One of the season’s most competitive races is the National Qualifiers, where a record-breaking seven Uppinghamians were successful in earning team places to represent the County. They will go on to compete in Nottingham, on behalf of Leicestershire and Rutland, against representatives from counties across the nation. The qualifier included an impressive performance from the girls’ team, with Leonora Parr (Fd) taking 5th and Tabitha Todd (Sa) 4th. They also won gold as a team alongside Marina Wies (L) and Charlotte Munro (Sa). From the boys’ team, Charlie Howard-Vyse (F), Benjamin Maldonado (Hf) and Oliver Clements (Hf) will take part in the final.

It was a wetter and windier Routh than we have experienced in recent years, but the muddy course didn’t dampen spirits on the day. Congratulations to Oliver Clements (Hf), who won The Routh and the boys’ competition, and Tabitha Todd (Sa), who won the girls’ competition. Highfield achieved a record-equalling seventh consecutive win against the other boys’ houses, with Constables coming out on top in for the girls’ houses.

These impressive performances are merely an added extra alongside the incredible camaraderie of the squad - which has been a good tool for bringing new members into the team over the years. We hope that effervescent Mr Clark assists the ever-capable Mr Davies in maintaining this fantastic environment next season as we say goodbye to Mr Matthews, who is setting off to conquer the cantons of Switzerland.

Thomas Knapman (M) and Billy Brooks (WD) Football Co-captains

Mr Surtees Head of Boys’ Football

Boys’ Football

Another season of football draws to a close, and it has been one of great learning and great fun. At times, it has also been very challenging as we play in a league system where we come up against opposition of excellent quality. As a result, matches have not gone our way over the course of the term.

This does not mean, however,that it has necessarily been a bad season. Although we have lost most of the fixtures this season, on a number of occasions for large parts of the game, we have matched teams who possessed superior quality, with just a few lapses in our concentrations costing us – examples of this include our fixture against Rugby, where the score was 1-1 heading into half-time, but a lapse in concentration at the start of the second half saw Rugby go 3-1 up; the heads drop and we have a mountain to climb.

This has been the theme for the majority of the season. Obviously, this has been of immense frustration for the whole squad, but the attitude, positivity, and commitment to play for each other this season, even when things have often not gone our way, has been incredibly pleasing for us to see as Captains. After every game, the boys always manage to find positives out of a negative result and are always willing to work and to try and put things right. We spoke at the start of the season about what we wanted to achieve with one of the main goals being a team with a ‘no blame’ culture, which we achieved through most of this challenging season. Although, at times, emotions can run high, our togetherness, accountability, and the standards shown throughout the season have been outstanding.

The highlight of our season was the match against Stowe. Stowe had been on excellent form all season, and as one of the strongest teams on our circuit they came into the game against us unbeaten. However, we fronted up to the challenge and came out of the game with an incredibly hard fought 2-2 draw –this game was a prime example of the togetherness and commitment the boys showed all season, from start to finish we kept fighting for each other.

Although as a team we have been very together this year, it is also important to mention individuals who have particularly excelled in both performance and attitude this season. Two of our most consistent performers have been Oscar Fenby (LH) (Left Back) and Hugh Heath (SH) (Goalkeeper), who have both been outstanding this season. Oscar, week-in week-out, brings quality on the pitch and an incredibly positive attitude, never complaining and always giving 110%. Hugh has probably been the most consistent performer on the pitch this season between the sticks, keeping us in several games through his magnificent glove work.

While this season has been tough and the results have not gone our way, what has been a huge success this year has been the team’s attitude and the standards we set ourselves at the start of the season which we always upheld.

A special thank you to all the coaches involved with the football programme this season – Mr Surtees, Mr Kirkby, Mr Ward, Mr Toland and Mr Hannigan – for their continued hard work to help us become better footballers.

Sienna Wheeler (Fd) Girls’ Football Captain

Mr Moosajee Head of Girls’ Football

What a season the girls’ 1st XI have had - in the words of our beloved coach Mr Moosajee, it was “what has to be our best season in memory”.

The Cup match against Nottingham Girls’ High School before the season began, when our team was little more than a Friday night kickabout, set us off to an incredible start, winning 5-2 and setting the tone for the coming matches. However, the team was quickly humbled in the second round against Repton. Despite fighting hard and trying our best, we were defeated.

Still, we trained hard, and with the addition of Miss Burditt to our training sessions, offering some vital advice and updating some of Mr Moosajee’s ancient drills and routines, the team’s heads were up. We continued to progress, working together, and learning that we can all be as good as Isabella Best (Sa)! After the cold turned our pitches to ice and matches against Bromsgrove and Loughborough High School were cancelled, we returned with a bang, winning 5-1 against Oundle. Our invaluable addition to the defence, Katie Smith (Fd), showed her skill and sheer power by launching the ball all the way from the halfway line into the goal. This high for the team was followed two days later by an impressive 9-0 win against Rugby.

A challenging game against Nottingham Girls’ High School allowed us to put our hard work into practice. After relentless defence and consistent shots on goal from a strong attack, the score was 2-2 at full time, and the match was decided with a penalty shootout. Although the result did not go our way, Katie Smith (Fd), Alice Winter (J), Isabella Best (Sa), Karina Weis (L) and Marina Weis (L) each showed their individual strength and resilience, despite the pressure both on the pitch and on the side-lines.

However, as the team has proved time and time again, our determination on the pitch is not dampened by the result of the previous match. We won 4-1 against Gresham’s after the half-term break, with Annabelle Morgan (L), one of our top goal scorers, setting the precedent for the rest of the season. The competitive and vital match against Oakham was tense, and the squad worked hard to remain connected, with a gathering of support from the side-lines boosting morale. Alice Winter (J) and Karina Weis (L) particularly shone in this challenging match, which ended in a 3-2 victory. Taking on Stowe the next week, we trialled a new line-up which Miss Burditt had suggested, and it clearly worked a treat – we won 5-1.

Finally, the infamous rematch against Repton had arrived, and after a long bus journey listening to Mr Prior’s questionable ‘hippy’ music, we arrived to show the team what we were made of and how much we had improved since the first match of the season. After a lively warm up and some inspirational talks from our coaches, we began the match, playing ‘our game’ from start to finish. The energy, determination and sheer skill from the team was undeniable, with Kara Poulton (NH) delivering at both ends of the pitch – once with a goal and on another occasion, an incredible goal-line clearance. We didn’t let our previous loss define us, battling with the Repton girls throughout to do our training justice. Driving home with a 1-0 win against Repton, being the only Uppingham girls’ football team to manage this, we were all thrilled with the result. Hard work really does pay off.

Our 2nd XI have had three matches, all of which they played hard and with enthusiasm. Even though the results did not go our way, the team has developed and their football has been steadily improving through the season under the guidance of Mr Knott, Mr Peltier and Mr Prior.

The annual interhouse tournament was, as ever, fiercely competitive. The season saw a very strong Lodge team bring home the victory, with Samworths’ finishing in second place. It is always a highlight of the season to see football played in such friendly yet competitive conditions.

Well done to everyone who played for the football teams this season. We have trained hard and played hard, delivering arguably our most impressive results yet.

Mr Baker Director of Hockey

Boys’ Hockey

This term, the focus of boys’ hockey has been based on our core values of enjoyment, confidence and respect, underpinned with the high-performance behaviours of altruism, bravery, and commitment. It has been wonderful to see so many players striving to be the best they can be, both in training and in matches, and for all teams to have developed their own scoreboards of success throughout the season.

Targets were set at the beginning of the season, such as styles of play and values, that were developed in training and brought into matches. The 1st XI decided to play with simplicity, ruthlessness, and positivity. The squad played some excellent hockey this season and were unfortunate to have fallen on the wrong side of some very close matches. Guy Salisbury (Fgh) and Ollie Dring (LH) both made their debuts for the 1st XI and have been excellent additions to the squad. Their tireless work rate, determination, and energy each week has been infectious. I am sure they will continue to set high standards next year.

Vice-Captain Milo Hoad-Reddick (F) also made his debut this year, settling into the team very quickly and, despite having previously played as a forward, adapting incredibly well to his new role as centre-back alongside Captain Sebastian Wheeler (B). Both developed a strong understanding and partnership during last term, and continued this into the Spring Term. Highlights of the season included our matches away at Rugby and Bedford, which are always tough places to go. The squad had been buoyed by their performance from the previous Saturday against a strong Stamford team. Having trained with great intensity in the week, they got off to a quick start against Rugby, taking a well-deserved lead after a slick short corner routine. Not long after, Lewis Cobb (WB) finished with composure to make it 2-0. Some more excellent build-up play from defence through to attack meant that the score was 3-0 to Uppingham at half time. Despite some late pressure by Rugby in the second half, the boys finished the game 3-1 and were rightfully delighted.

The next match was Bedford. Having looked at their results, we knew we were in for a tough match; however, with confidence high from the previous week, the boys again started brightly showing great teamwork and attacking flare. Guy Salisbury (Fgh) bagged himself a brace of goals before half time with a well-taken drag flick and then a sublime solo goal, finishing with an upright reverse on the move. At half time, the score was 2-1 to Uppingham. Unfortunately, a couple of lapses of concentration meant we conceded in the second half, but Sam Bateman (Fgh) calmly slotted home a third goal and Thomas Samworth (B) produced some outstanding saves in goal to ensure we left Bedford with a win. Special mention from this match must go to William Cardozo (F), who produced a commanding performance in midfield and controlled the tempo of the game beautifully.

Throughout the whole hockey programme there have been huge successes. The 2nd XI made it through to the Midlands Finals. They have also only lost three matches all season, with some fantastic team performances against Stamford, Oakham and Stowe. The 3rd XI has grown in confidence over the course of the season, picking up wins against Rugby and Stowe. The U16As have played some beautiful attacking hockey this season, scoring 30 goals. It has been a pleasure umpiring a few of their games this term and I have no doubt some of the squad will play an important role for the 1st XI in the coming seasons. A special mention

to the U15 pupils that joined the U16 squad for their Cup and subsequent Plate run: Toby Nichols (WD), Jago Bucher (B), Matthew Key (WB), William Macdonald (F), Edward Beaumont (M), Oscar Payne (WB), and Angus McKay (B). The U16Bs have also shown great camaraderie and tenacity this season, with excellent performances against Oakham, Rugby, Bromsgrove and Stowe.

The U15A team have been a delight to coach this term. They have had a very progressive and successful season, playing with flare, intelligence, and passion, although the boys have come across some stiff competition. A particular highlight was their 5-1 victory over Rugby, with Oscar Payne (WB) scoring a birthday hat-trick. This game proved to the boys how well they can play as a team, even when up against a strong opposition. Since then, they have carried this forward and have put in two further strong performances against Bedford and Stowe, securing two more wins. The squad finished the season with a strong game against Oundle. The U15Bs have worked on their breathing technique within the huddle this term to bring them “back to blue” within their mindset. This group focus has resulted in superb nail-biting wins against Stowe and Stamford. The U15C team have made great strides with their technical and tactical ability this term and have approached training in the right manner, led with great enthusiasm by Mr Knott.

The U14A team have shown that the future is certainly bright for boys’ hockey. They started their season very positively, winning their first game 4-2 against a strong Trent College team. It was a great time for the team to all learn their roles and responsibilities before their upcoming cup match against Oakham. This win gave the team good momentum and they managed to win the U14 County Cup Final vs Oakham 4-1, qualifying for the Midland’s Finals tournament later in the term. Captain Rory Wilkinson (SH) and Vice-Captain Alfie Rymer (WD) kept the team motivated as they went on to win their next three fixtures (Stamford 4-1, Rugby 4-2, Leicester Grammar 9-1) which set us up nicely for the their fixture against an also undefeated Bedford School side. The boys managed to keep their composure during the fixture, and with some calm finishing from Thomas Welch (WB), the squad earned a deserved 4-0 victory over Bedford. This was in no small part due to the hard work and dedication all of our defenders had put in all year to come away with their first clean sheet of the season. The squad represented the School and themselves exceptionally well at the Midlands Finals, narrowly missing out on a semi-final spot. They have put in terrific performances throughout the term and have shown excellent team spirit, really buying into the programme. At the end of the season, they had won seven out of 12 matches, scoring 35 goals, and only conceding 13. We will watch with anticipation to see how they progress. The U14B team have worked hard during training this term, and have approached each session with the right attitude. The U14Cs have made good progress throughout the season, with a few of the boys moving up to the U14B team. They have worked hard on their technical and tactical play and have been a joy to coach. The U14D team have trained well as a group in the week and have made good progress, especially as quite a few of the boys were new to hockey this term. They have enjoyed playing 11-a-side competitive matches on a Saturday.

A huge thank you to the coaches and staff who have made this term as successful and enjoyable as it has been.

Enthusiasm and anticipation for this year’s season started as soon as we finished last year’s National Competition, and Friday evening Lacrosse Club has been well attended by girls in all year groups.

An icy January meant a very late start to the season for the 1st X, but the girls began the season showing the teamwork and team pride of a group that has been playing together for months. Hattie Medhurst (Sa) impressed everyone in her first game as goalie, making saves left, right, and centre, and both Phoebe Wilkinson (C) and Amelia Wordie (C) put their bodies on the line in defence to help Uppingham earn a hard-fought draw (6-6).

A week later, Uppingham hosted Stowe’s 3rd X, where once again defensive determination proved to be a real strength for the team and kept the game close. It was our team’s midfield that drove the team to victory (5-2) in the 2nd half, exemplified by the unreal resilience of Katie Henderson (Sa): after getting hit by a hard shot by a Stowe player, she carried on playing and even scored during the ensuing penalty. The win against Haileybury (10-4) was another highlight of the season, with Jemima Curran (Sa) scoring a whopping five goals as she ran through the opposing team with ease time after time.

The girls showed immense dedication, determination, and teamwork throughout the whole season, and it all came together at the National Schools Championships in March. The first day of Nationals is always hard. We played against some of the top teams in the country and had to celebrate what small successes we could find, such as Isabella Wakeford’s (Sa) disallowed goal against Bolton. These small successes helped to bring the team together, and we ended the day with an intense win (2-1) over Queen Margaret’s – this time Isabella’s goal counted and was the game-winner!

We started the second day of Nationals by coming 2nd in our group, with a particularly satisfying win (2-0) in a rematch against Tudor Hall, in which Clara Middleton (J) finally ended her scoring drought in great style. The highlight of the match was the Round of 16 knockout match against Dunottar. Jemima Curran (Sa) electrified the team and their supporters by scoring ten seconds into the match, and the team kept up sustained pressure for the rest of game, winning (4-2) in the Nationals knockout stage – a first for lacrosse at Uppingham. A subsequent loss to a skilled St Bartholomew’s team, despite Charlotte Bingham’s (J) beautiful left-handed goal, did nothing to dent the team’s excitement at what they had achieved. The girls had an amazing season, and should be incredibly proud of how they developed, both as individuals and as a team.

The 2nd X improved leaps and bounds over the course of the season. The girls’ unwavering enthusiasm allowed them to bounce back from a tough opening loss to Oakham (3-10) to a much closer defeat (7-9) against a strong Tudor Hall team. Their continued development showed in a scrappy win (7-5) against Haileybury, where their defensive wall really began to take shape. The 2nd X finished their season on a high, avenging their opening loss to Oakham with a win (11-9) that saw India Wyatt (C) and Kelly Smit (C) absolutely dominate the draw circle after every goal.

Across the entire season, girls on both of our teams demonstrated the consistent enthusiasm, positivity, and love of the game that make lacrosse such an amazing group of girls to be a part of.

Florence Hamilton (Sa) Lacrosse Captain

Dr Oliver Head of Lacrosse

Eleni Malhan (L) Netball Captain

Miss Joseph Director of Netball

The 1st team have shown excellent grit and determination after a busy season full of very physical and tough contests, pushing us all to adapt and develop as the season progressed. This was aided by position-specific masterclasses from England netball players, video analysis sessions and athletic development.

At the County Netball Tournament in November, a promising tone was set, where we narrowly missed out on a place in the Regional Finals due to a draw against the eventual winners of the County Round. This strong performance meant that we were excited to see what we could do as a team when our season began in January.

We started the term with a day of pre-season training, which was hugely beneficial in grouping us together and setting our vision of what Uppingham Netball means and how we as individuals fit into our team. This day evidently resonated with the team as we started the season with a substantial and confident win against Stamford, who we played again two weeks later and almost doubled our previous winning score - showing our vast improvement in just a few weeks.

We then played Bromsgrove – a notoriously challenging team – which resulted in an eight-goal defeat. Every player gave their all and we were all extremely proud of our performance, with a lot of contest for ball and high shooting accuracy. This followed with more well-contested matches, with a few unfortunate losses that were very close at half-time but slipped away from us during the final quarters.

It has been inspiring to see how willing this team is to adapt to opponents and be ruthless on court. Knowing that, as individuals, we have the full support of those around us has been something we set out as a goal from our first session together, and we have carried it with us throughout the season with our teamwork, understanding and deep-rooted respect for each other. It has been rewarding to see this and holds netball in a strong place for the future.

It has been a privilege to lead the 1st VII this year and watch the girls never give up or drop their heads, despite some results not going our way.

Throughout all the age groups, there have been many achievements in netball this term. The 4th VII enjoyed an awesome unbeaten season, and the Under 16s had an extremely strong year with impressive results against tough opposition. It has been great to see their teamwork and exemplary sportsmanship, which they should all be very proud of.

Overall, netball has had a very successful season, both in terms of results and personal and team development. The future of Uppingham netball is definitely looking strong.

After a strong and promising end to the 1st XV’s season, the U18s had a welldeserved Christmas break. This allowed everyone to recover from a busy first term, whilst physically and mentally preparing for the gruelling term of 7s; a completely different game.

The initial weeks of training were particularly tough, getting everyone up to speed with match fitness and tactics. We faced adversity with the frozen pitch conditions, leaving us unable to train. Despite this, the boys persevered with some intense fitness work. We had mini tournaments every Saturday, with the U16s mixing into three teams to simulate a match environment and remind us how arduous a real tournament is. Just before half term, the U18s had a friendly against Rugby School as their first outing, displaying phenomenal skillsets with a first taste of contact and learning good lessons for the ‘global pass’ event later in the term.

In this tournament at Rugby, the U18s played three games. A loss to Bromsgrove in the first game woke us up before a closer encounter with Mount St Mary’s in the second game, followed by a huge performance with the boys beating Rugby on their home pitch. Whilst we had a lack of subs, the grit and determination highlighted our bravery as well as our commitment as a team. The half term then rolled around, allowing a full week of complete rest for everyone to fix up and relax.

Coming out of half term, the teams were fit and ready, starting with the U14s travelling to Oundle School for a mini tournament. They returned with two good wins to show that they were playing some solid rugby, shining a light on a very promising future.

On 5 March, the U16s and U18s made the short journey to Oakham for the first real 7s tournament of the term. The U18s were in Group A with Framlingham, Campion, Oakham and The King’s School, Macclesfield. A tough first match against Campion provided a wake-up call, but the boys battled well to come away with a 24-10 win – all made possible by a try-saving tackle from Robert Ryan (LH) that epitomised the team’s energy for the day. In the next game, the boys stepped up a gear. The pairing of Tom Ray (M) and Jake Brunner (B) seeming to control all airspace by claiming every kick-off, setting the boys up for a solid game of rugby and some incredible play, and leading to a comfortable victory against Framlingham.

Our next game was the local rival, Oakham. A huge first four minutes from everyone set the tone for the match as we managed to edge out to an early lead before the pressure turned. We managed to ride this section of intense pressure into half-time with some amazing scramble defence to stop them from scoring just before the break. We then reclaimed some newfound momentum to seal the win comfortably 34-7, leading into the final group game against The King’s School, Macclesfield. A top-of-the-group clash saw a gutsy performance from all the Uppingham team, however sadly falling 1 try short at 26-21 meant we took 2nd in the group. The plate semi-final was next against Bloxham School. A slow start conceding a couple of tries early in combination with a few injuries put us on the back foot, but the warriors who remained on the pitch really dug in, with a lastminute try from Henry Regis (M) in a heroic final team attack giving us the win. In the Plate Final, we met a strong Stowe side. After a demanding day, the boys continued to show the values of altruism, bravery and commitment right to the end, shown amazingly by Guy Salisbury’s (Fgh) brace of tries, but it wasn’t enough, and the final went to Stowe.

Ben Bowman (WB)

Dr Hall Director of Rugby

For the U16s, after a slow start with a loss to Bromsgrove in the first match, they dialled it up, winning against Felsted and Campion comfortably before finishing off the group with a 30-20 win over Framlingham to put them 2nd in the group. It was brilliant to see some of the new and electric U15s rising through the ranks, stepping up on the big stage. In their Plate semi-final, they comfortably beat Stowe 31-7 before an excellent performance in the final against Oundle. The team were victorious with a 33-12 win, giving Captain William Crossfield (SH) great pleasure in bringing home the Plate as winners.

After two strong showings at Oakham, both teams looked forward to the last week of term when all three teams (U18s, U16s and U14s) headed to the Rosslyn Park National 7s Tournament to compete in some competitive groups. The U16s and U14s made it through to day two, narrowly missing out on reaching the knock-out stages.

As term finished, the U18s went to Rugby School to take part in the International Festival of 7s Tournament. In a group with some of the best U18 teams from around the world, Uppingham played against Michaelhouse (South Africa), Blackrock College (Ireland), Llandovery College (Wales) and Waseda High School (Japan). After an amazing weekend, the 1st VII came home with the Bowl following a 24-17 win over Waseda Jitsugyo High School (Japan). A tremendous global occasion and fitting end to our 7s season.

Shooting

The shooting team has had an exciting couple of terms, with many new senior and lower school shooters. The shooting team is in good health, with some of our younger shooters achieving incredibly high scores, while still having fun and enjoying their time spent in the range.

Over the summer break, the team went to Bisley Shooting Ground to compete in the Ashburton competition. We came away with a great sense of success, having come third in the Ashburton 4s, second in the School’s Pairs and winning the District Challenge trophy, The Bermuda Cup, after beating Oakham, Oundle and Stamford. Our congratulations to the team; Alastair White (SH), Reeve Lim (SH), Declan Yuen (WD), Ruby Richardson (NH), Jiaxin Shen (C), Jeremy Tsai (Fgh) and Alister Wong (WB).

After the Ashburton competition, we enjoyed a barbecue at which three prizes were presented to the team members: Jiaxin Shen (C) was presented with the Ferrand Cup, as the shooter who contributed most to the team; Alister Wong (WB) was presented with the Watson Rose Bowl for the most improved shot; Alastair White (SH) was presented with the President’s Tankard for captaining the team.

Following the Ashburton Meeting, Alastair White (SH), Mr Gladding and Mr Fitzsimmons stayed on for a week to shoot at the Imperial Meeting. In the scorching heat of July, with temperatures reaching 40 degrees, this proved to be a challenging experience, but also very valuable as it really tested our durability and skills. During the meeting, we shot multiple competitions ranging from distances of 300, 500, 600, 900 and 1000 metres against some of the world’s best target shooters. Notable achievements included Alastair White coming 99th in the Conan Doyle Competition at 900 meters, and Mr Fitzsimmons achieving 4th place in the Admiral Hutton at 900m.

Autumn Term 2022

On 6 November, we shot our first away fixture since February 2020 against the Cambridge University rifle team. Although we lost by a narrow margin of 22 points, it was an incredible effort by the whole team as the Cambridge team were much more experienced than us and had the home advantage. Some highlights from the fixture included Alister Wong (WB) scoring his highest score yet on a ’10 bull target’, scoring 97, and Alastair White (SH) equalling the score of the Cambridge University Shooting Captain with an overall score of 193 out of a possible 200.

All members of the senior and junior teams who shoot in a jacket and sling were entered into postal competitions. A postal competition is where the competitors shoot a ’10 bull card’ and send it off to be scored professionally. After spending some time transitioning from full bore back to small bore in the school range, everyone is on target to reach their goals and gain a high average in these competitions.

Every year we submit a team to take part in trials for the County Team. Building on our success of last year, we were delighted to to submit two teams this year. The eight selected were Ethan Cousins (SH), Reeve Lim (SH), Jeremy Tsai (Fgh), Alastair White (SH), Eliazar Marchenk (M), Jiaxin Shen (C), Alister Wong (SH) and Declan Yuen (WD). The competition has almost finished, with the final cards due to be shot in the next few weeks.

Alistair White (SH)

Mr Gladding Head of Shooting

At the end of last term, we received a delivery of custom made TenPointNine shooting jackets made in Uppingham’s colours. We were able to acquire these following an incredibly generous donation from the UVRC (Uppingham Veteran Rifle Club). We have enjoyed wearing these jackets as we shoot side-by-side in home and away fixtures.

Before Christmas, Alister Wong (WB) and Ethan Cousins (SH) received commendations for their commitment and effort in shooting, and colours were awarded to Alastair White (SH).

Spring Term 2023

This term, we have competed in one home fixture and two away fixtures as part of the Midlands Schools Cup. Our home fixture against Rugby was hosted at the range on 21 January – the team of eight and the team of four both performed well, with the team of eight winning by a significant margin. Unfortunately, our away fixture against Oundle didn’t go as well as we would have liked, seeing us lose on penalty points. However, when we visited Oakham on 14 January, we won by a large margin. As a result of our success in this competition, we will be facing Oundle in the final which will be held at a neutral ground next term.

In preparation for our full-bore season, on 5 March we travelled down to Bisley for the day to practice at 300 metres on electronic targets. Alongside a similar event on 19 March, where we shot at marked and 900 metre targets, these trips are valuable full-bore practice sessions.

In the past two terms, there are two lower school shooters that have gone above and beyond; the first is Alister Wong (WB), who has been consistently scoring very highly, even in our head-to-head matches. The second standout performance is from Valentino Corbett-Englaro (SH), who is in Fourth Form and joined the School this year. Valentino, having never shot before, is finishing his second term at Uppingham already in a jacket and sling, scoring very highly on both ’10 bull’ and ‘5 bull’ targets, as well as joining us for our Bisley trip, a truly remarkable achievement. The future of Uppingham Shooting team is looking good .

Next term, we host the annual UVRC vs Uppingham School team competition, which is followed by a dinner in the Kendall Room. We will also be shooting in the final of the Midlands Schools Cup. The full-bore season will get underway, and currently we have pupils signed up to compete in the Ibis Open, Cobweb Buster and Birmingham Bisley competitions, which will involve shooting from distances of 300 meters to 1200 meters. In preparation for the Ashburton Competition in July, we hope a small team will also attend the Beckingham Range Day.

Finally, the whole team would like to thank Mr Gladding, Mr Fitzsimmons and Mr Scott for all of the time they put into shooting.

Commendations

Commendations

Commendations