Bishop’s Stortford College Upper Sixth student, Ollie, selected to tour South Africa with The Lambs rugby squad.
Bishop’s Stortford College Upper Sixth (Year 13) student, Ollie Sisterson, has been selected to tour South Africa in the summer, as part of The Lambs national team and touring squad.
Ollie picked up a keen interest for the sport from the age of six when he played for the Under Six team, Discovery Bay Pirates, in Hong Kong for two years. Following his family’s move to the UK, he joined and has played for Bishop’s Stortford Rugby Football Club (BSRFC) since the age of eight. He is now a member of the BSRFC Colt’s rugby where he plays for their Under 18 team, and occasionally trains with the men’s senior team. At the College, Ollie has played for the 1st XV team for the past two years in the position of loose head prop, shirt number one, and has scored the greatest number of tries for the team this past season.
After being selected from the College’s 1st XV team by Head of Rugby, Clive Bloemink, Ollie was one of four students who attended The Lambs rugby southeast regional try outs held at Felsted School in January, alongside 80 students from other local schools. Based on The Lambs’ slogan, ‘Play Fast & Free’, the try outs consisted of a skills-based session, various fast, free flowing games, and 20-minute matches. Ollie was selected by the coaches as one of 25 players to progress to the next round. Held at Oundle School, the next stage saw those selected from the southwest, southeast, and north regions all play each other in two 40-minute matches. Ollie was chosen to captain the southeast team during these matches.
Commenting on being chosen as captain for the southeast team during try outs, Ollie said, “I felt honoured. This is a very hard achievement, and the trials were very competitive. Being selected to captain the team gave me a real sense of pride and joy. Knowing I had never met the coach before, and that he recognised my leadership skills and confidence was a real boost.”
Following his successful trial, Ollie has been selected for The Lambs national team and touring squad to South Africa and Namibia. The tour, which takes place from 12 to 26 July 2024, will see the squad spend 10 days in Cape Town, where they will play three matches, and four days in Namibia, where one match will be played.
When asked what he is most looking forward to, Ollie commented, “I’m most looking forward to experiencing the different standard and culture of rugby in these countries. Rugby is one of their main sports, and with that comes a lot of passion and pride in what they do. The intensity of play will be more than I’ve experienced before, but I’m up for the challenge. I’m also looking forward to exploring well known attractions such as Table Mountain, Robbin Island, and going on safari in Namibia.”
In the lead up to the tour, Ollie will play in several matches for The Lambs. Opponents include Crawshays Welsh Rugby Club, Exeter Chiefs Rugby Academy, and Luctonians Rugby Club.
Founded in 2006, The Lambs exists for rugby players to showcase their skills at representative level, promote traditional rugby values, and be played in a player-led, rather than coach-led style.
Ollie hopes to continue his rugby journey whilst studying at the University of Exeter, whose team recently won the Super British Universities and College Sport (BUCS) League against 10 of the top university rugby teams in the UK.
The College extends its congratulations to Ollie and wishes him the best of luck for his upcoming Lambs matches.
Notes to Editors
About Bishop’s Stortford College
Bishop’s Stortford College is a co-educational independent day and boarding school, taking pupils from 4 to 18 years.
Academic excellence is a top priority at the College. Its track record is already first-rate and is aiming ever higher, with dedicated and talented teaching staff going the extra mile to give pupils the skills pupils need to develop and thrive.
The College believes the breadth of opportunity they offer, balanced with personal growth and strong values of decency and kindness, is what an education for today and tomorrow must deliver.
Underpinning everything is a unique community spirit that enables each pupil to succeed, and to be happy doing so.
The College does not look like most schools of its type. It is different in some important ways.
Bishop’s Stortford College is the modern face of independent education.
For more information, please contact Jo Rockel at joanna.rockel@bishopsstortfordcollege.org or 01279 838659