Wellington and boys sport

[timmytoes]

DS loves playing sport and is quite talented at cricket, hockey and football etc but at 13 (judging by parents height and weight etc ) he really is not going to be a great rugby player. I think it would be wrong to think about sending him to a school where the majority sport is rugby but I cannot find a South East England academic co-ed boarding school that fits the bill. Wellington comes close but i wonder if anyone can advise me on just how rugby orientated it is.

Why don't you buy The Good Schools Guide for independent advice.

I've never come across any public school that hero worships the Rugby players.

Maybe Rugby School does though!

Thank you Milkshake3 , i will look into all 6 and oohermrs i already have Good School Guide but i was looking for first hand experience.

I'm afraid what you are looking for does not exist. Believe me, if it did, I would know. I have done my homework for my DS who is bright, quirky and seriously crap at all sport as well as being tiny. Charterhouse is as near as you are going to get. I have told my son that in most schools rugby is compulsory for one term in the first 2/3 years. After that you can probably duck out. So out of a total of 15 terms he will have to play for 2 or 3. At least your son can enjoy being in teams for some other sports. My son just finds the whole experience humiliating and hates getting 'squashed'. He will have to just put up with it if he wants to go to boarding school and doesn't get into Winchester.
I wish there was a viable alternative for you, but I am pretty sure after my extensive research no such school exists. If he is a fast runner he should be able to dart out of the way of the bigger boys, thus avoiding getting 'squashed'!

timmytoes, in my experience Eton is a whole lot less "laddish" than a lot of co-ed schools. Boys can become more, not less, laddish when girls are around. Counter-intuitive, I know. The same goes for Winchester BTW.
Eton do football, rugby, the Field Game and countless "minor" sports in the winter terms.
I agree that Wellington's relationship with rugby borders on the unhealthy.

I've watched rugby all my life and seen lots of small, slim rugby players. This includes junior matches as well as mens's. If he is as sporty as you describe he'll been fine. Google 'Rob Burrow.' He plays League rather than Union but is 5'5 and weighs less than 10 and a half stone. He's also one of the most outstanding players of his generation.
Unfortunately there are lots of things all our dc will not be especially cut out for. They still have to get on and do it.

In 2010 Radley had 140 new boys. 76 of them had played for their Prep school first team at rugby. So, some boys who had been in the firsts at Prep school found themselves in the fifths. Just saying.....

St Edwards? Coed loads of rugby but also loads of other sports as well. If he's tiny coxes are always being looked for. Full boarding or day no weekly boarders. The bright seem to do well loads of London parents so commutable to watch a match (not rugby obviously).

PS no rugby at Winchester and you will read lots of different views on Winchester but I don't think it can be described it as ladish.

St Paul's boys? Games only on Wed and lots of lunch time activities a it has two hours for lunch. Although registration was/is early.

Now you've just sold me on boys schools again. Maybe I should accept Radley!

No idea about schools but Shane Williams is only 5ft 7in and I'm sure you would be delighted if your ds grows up to be a tenth of the player he is.

It sounds like you're looking for something built entirely around your son. You're unlikely to find it. Everyone has to compromise somewhere.

The schools suggested are all good as I understand it (including Wellington). Visit them and work out which is best for your DS. He will grow and change physically and mentally so what works now might not work later and vice versa.

IME the hero worship extends across all talents if the school is any good - music, rugby, drama etc And rugby is usually only the focus for one term.

Keep an open mind and go and have a look.

Has Malborough been in any post here at all?

no rugby at Winchester

Winchester football sounds to be as tough as rugby if not tougher. It's a shame that such minor sports is ever get played in limited society. I personally enjoy watching fives.

You only have play Winchester college on Wednesdays the rest of the week there are loads of others to choose from.

I?m afraid, I?m going to upset a few apple carts here.

1. Contrary to common beliefs, it is possible to go to at least one top academic and sporty boarding school in the South East (but boys only), and still never touched a rugby ball in your entire career there. Eton! You can play football instead of rugby. In fact, I don?t think you?re allowed to play both in the same year.

2. One can still play rugby without being unduly squashed by choosing to play in a few ?safe? positions in the team e.g. scrum-half, wing(s) three-quarter and full-back.

3. One of the greatest rugby players in modern time stood no taller than 5 ft 4 ins and weighed only 145 lbs. Jacques Fouroux captained France to Grand Slam victory in 1977 and again coached the French national team to Grand Slams in 1981 and 1987. Here he is again in action.

Go and have a look at the school. I think your sporty son will fall in love with it in no time.

Proof you don't need to be a heavyweight giant to play rugby. Here's All Black left-winger, , 5ft 5ins but runs like a Mini Cooper intercepting a pass against Wales and scores a try in 30 seconds dead from kick-off!

Well there is the small point that that clip is what 35? years old and he was regarded as a small player even then but Pete is right Rugby can be avoided at Eton,Eton has never had a strong rugby reputation,many schools are far better for Rugby including one that starts with H.
There are no safe positions in Rugby.

I agree, no safe positions in Rugby. In fact, DS had his worst injury when he was one of the guys at the back - no idea of the terminology - and has been injury free as a prop!

When did this become a thread about 'safe' positions in rugby

propatria, in 2010 Eton's 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th XVs all beat Harrow on the same day. So did Eton's Colts A.

I was there.

The problem is that most independent boarding schools will do lots of sport they have lots of time to fill. That?s why sporty schools like Milfield or St Edwards may be a better choice. Your DS can probably virtually opt out of rugby and choose something else that interests him.

Well my link to Shane Williams is current. He retired from international rugby last month!

Govel,you need to look at all results over a period of time not just one year for 3 or 4 teams,you need to look at the school rugby rankings , how strong are the schools oppos, you need to look at Rosslyn Park 7s etc, how many boys play divisional,group rugby,how many go on to pro careers etc etc Eton has many many fine points but I would hope all parents and people connected to it were big and mature to admit that on the odd one or two things it isnt the best or indeed anywhere near the best.