On a wet and, at times, very windy Sunday I went to Sandy Park to watch all the matches at the Devon RFU Colts’ Final Day, as my son was playing in the plate final. I saw many current and former St Peter’s parents in the grandstand but, more importantly, I saw some spectacular rugby played by so many former St Peter’s boys, which included siblings and cousins of our current pupils! Oliver Baumber put in a storming performance in the second row for Exeter Saracens in the plate final and Josh Oliphant-Thompson, Rory Haddow, Jacob MacLellan, Ollie Gibbon and Tom Oxland were part of the Topsham team that dominated the cup final, winning 44 – 15 against Barnstaple.
It has been an incredible journey for these boys, most of whom I first saw playing tag rugby as under 7s. Next stop for them is adult rugby next season. I have no doubt that the PE team at St Peter’s played a significant part in introducing these boys to contact rugby and coaching them in basic skills, which have enabled them to become such proficient rugby players. What struck me as lovely, is that the boys left St Peter’s to go onto a range of different senior schools but they still come together as a cohort to play rugby every weekend for their local team and this has enabled them to maintain their prep school camaraderie and friendships. As always, thanks must go to the many current and former St Peter’s parents who give up their time at the weekend to coach the boys and to those, like me, who drive their sons around Devon to play their matches and support them. I am not sure my youngest son will sit with me to support a rugby match again. Apparently, I am too vocal! Good job he is usually on the pitch then…
Match report by Rachel Elliott (Rugby-mum and Registrar & Marketing Manager)
