Rugby 1st XV
(1967-68)

It is very difficult to evaluate a season in which 22 games were lost. However, there are some worthwhile lessons to be learned.

In fairness to the players it must be said that the 1st XV was never as poor as the record suggests. Many school teams of comparable strength but with a less ambitious fixture list would have won about half their season's matches The chief weaknesses of the side, I felt, were lack of experience and lack of confidence. Further, when certain key players were injured we had no adequate replacements and this led to disruptive positional changes.

In several of its matches the team was undoubtedly the better footballing side, playing attractive, positive rugby, but only to lose the game in the latter stages through inexperience and a failure of the will to win. This happened against Maidenhead G.S., Thames Valley G.S. and Hayes GS.

I think the Old Boys' game deserves a special mention, for here the school team displayed an understanding of the basic principles of the game beyond that of their older opponents. The School forwards produced only "good ball" for their backs while ensuring that the opposition was denied this advantage. Despite an excellent performance by the School side, however, the result was a win for the Old Boys.

Thirteen members of next year's team will have had a season's experience of 1st XV rugby and, if they can develop the essential determination to win, they should prove most formidable opposition for any school. Young players such as J. Checkley, S. Dennis, T. Roscoe, J. Cannon, M. Hughes, I Frazer-Barnes, D. Phillips and W. Sawyer lacked experience but showed tremendous promise and because of this much will be expected of them in 1968-69. Returning to school for his third season in the 1st XV will be C. Downing, who was one of the two most outstanding players of last year. The other was P. O'Connell. J. Miller, T. Parsons and J. Mist are three of the more experienced players who will be available in 1968-69.

I should like to congratulate D. Horne, the 1st XV Captain, on his success as a Middlesex Schools player and also on his captaincy of the School side. Also we wish him success in senior rugby. It is the objective of many schoolboy rugby players to go on to good class senior rugby and to enjoy it. Colours were awarded to C. Downing and D. Horne

DG. BRIGHT