An outstanding display of running rugby was served up at the College on Sunday as the 2016 National Schools Rugby Tournament (NSRT) reached its thrilling finale.
Over 1500 players, coaches and spectators descended on the College grounds as 75 teams from 35 schools around the country battled it out for the right to be called national champions in U8 (tag), U9, U10, U11 and U13 age groups.
As always, the playing fields were dotted with school tents to provide the players with shelter between matches but this year the weather was kind and offered the perfect conditions for a feast of grass roots rugby at its finest.
On the day, the vociferous crowd of spectators was able to enjoy a total of 171 matches of 5-7 minutes duration played on 14 separate pitches.
In the U8 tag competition, the final pitched Thomas’s Fulham against King’s College Junior School (KCJS) and despite the lead changing hands several times the teams could not be separated at the final whistle and the trophy was shared.
Danes Hill took the U9 trophy, beating Queen Elizabeth Grammar School Wakefield (QEGS) in a hard fought final, while Shrewsbury House School from Surbiton showed their class as they beat Ludgrove from Berkshire in the final of the U10 tournament.
KCJS won the U11 trophy with Hazelwood School from Limpsfield in the runner up spot and Shrewsbury House showed what a strong all round rugby school they are by beating Dulwich Prep in the final of the flagship U13 competition.
Following the matches the players were delighted to meet former Ireland rugby international, Paul Burke, an Old Epsomian and the College’s Director of Rugby Elect, who presented the trophies to the winners and runners-up in each age group.
Now in its 21st year, the NSRT is the largest event of its kind in the UK for players in the U8 to U13 age groups and is widely regarded as one of the highlights of the Prep School sporting calendar. This was the 15th year in succession that the finals have been staged at Epsom College.