SPORT// RUGBY
1st XV
P11 / W7 / D0 / L4
A season of transition and change with
over 25 boys appearing for the 1st
XV began with 2 solid wins, before a
tough stretch of fixtures where injuries
took their toll. But after half-term the
team knuckled down and performed
impressively to win 5 out of 6 including
excellent away victories at Ampleforth
to retain the Webber-Dallaglio Trophy,
Call-up for Alex
Pocklington School 1st XV Rugby
captain Alex Todd has been selected to
represent the North of England as part
of the Under 18s team in the England
Rugby Divisional Festival later this
month.
Alex, who is in the Upper Sixth, also
plays for Pocklington RUFC and
Yorkshire Carnegie Academy. He is
the fifth generation of his family to play
rugby for both town and school - and
his grandfather, Geoff, also gained
representative honours, playing in
the second row for Yorkshire Schools
against Wales in 1950.
Pocklington School’s Director of
Rugby, Richard Wareham, said: “We
are very proud of Alex. He has continued to
work hard at his developmental areas and the
dividends are here for all to see. It is a great
2nd XV
P10 / W5 / D0 / L5
Despite the frequency with which the
2nd XV have had to field a weakened
side, they have had a very enjoyable and
successful season. They have played 11
matches, winning six and losing five,
whilst scoring 225 points against 170
conceded.
The best performance was early in the
and a barn-storming second half at
Hymers College which saw us run up 31
unanswered points, in a stunning win.
Highlights included a Try of the
Decade contender against St. Peter’s,
the Hymers victory and a gritty on-the-
road win in dank and dark Otley against
Prince Henry’s.
All the boys involved played a part in an
excellent season of exciting rugby, and
special thanks to those stalwarts in the
reflection on him, his team mates and the staff
who have supported him.”
After impressing in his three recent
games for Yorkshire U18s, Alex, a back
row forward, was one of 46 players
from across the north who were invited
to trials at Bradford last month. He was
then selected for the 23-man North
squad that will play against London &
South East in the Divisional Festival at
Stourbridge on 22-24 February.
Upper Sixth who played such a huge part
in Rugby at Pocklington over the years.
Full School Colours are awarded:
T Brash, S May, R Boddy, C Laudage,
H Matthews.
Half School Colours are awarded:
L Powell, T Bean, J Goddard,
L Sangwin
Award Webber Dallaglio Trophy:
Alex Todd
called up to the U18 Academy squad
of Yorkshire Carnegie, one of Rugby
Union’s top northern clubs, a year ago.
Its players are regarded as the best in
the country and some have already
made their Aviva Premiership debuts.
The Divisional Festival brings together
the top players from the North,
Midlands, South West and London
& South East and is used by England
Rugby selectors to pick the England
Counties Under 18s team.
Alex, from Millington, started out as
a mini rugby player with Pocklington
RUFC Under 7s, and has played at
every level for the club, making his first
team debut earlier this season. He was
season, beating Sedbergh by 45 points
to 5. Although there were many fine
performances afterwards, so many
players were missing so often due to
injury, illness and 1st XV calls that it
was very hard to achieve any continuity.
Nevertheless, further excellent wins
were recorded against Hymers (55 – 0)
and Ampleforth (15 – 12) whilst three
of the remaining games, which were all
lost by a single score, would have been
won if we had been able to call on a
truly reliable place kicker.
The side was well lead by a succession
of captains, as one after the other they
were injured or called up to the first
team. All the players who were called
upon performed to the very best of their
abilities.
2nd XV Colours being awarded
to: Henry Foster, Sam Noble, Luke
McAllister
THE POCKLINGTONIAN
55