Winston Competing Against the Best
Winston had a fantastic three days at the Rosslyn Park 7s Festival, where all of our students demonstrated impressive determination, passion, and resilience. The scale and pace of the tournament created a brilliant learning environment, helping players build confidence and develop their understanding of what it takes to compete at a high level.
Our U14 Boys were tested early on, facing strong and well‑organised teams such as Stowe, yet they rose to the challenge with grit and teamwork, showing real growth throughout the day. In their final game they gave local rivals St George’ Weybridge a very competitive game, made even better as some of the students played at the same club.
Our U16 Boys faced an entirely different challenge: the weather. Competing through relentless rain, sudden snow showers, and even hail, they showed remarkable resilience and focus. Their determination to play through difficult conditions reflected their character and commitment, and they continued to represent the school with pride on and off the pitch. With a smaller squad, the boys showed determination and pushed through with some injuries to see out their final game of the day.
Thursday was especially memorable as our U16 girls’ team made their debut — an incredible achievement given that most of the girls had only started playing rugby just four weeks earlier. Despite their limited experience, they played with enthusiasm, bravery, and a fantastic team spirit. Students had an opportunity to have a picture with the Women's Rugby World Cup trophy, won by England just a few months earlier. Their day became even more special when they met former England World Cup winner Nolli Waterman, who shared encouraging words and inspired them with her journey in the sport. Her presence left a lasting impression and added an unforgettable highlight to their first tournament.
Across all teams and all three days, our students learned valuable lessons about teamwork and pressure. Rugby continues to grow at Winston, and we are excited to see how it will continue to develop next year.
Mr Reid
