A Thrilling Week of Sport at King’s St Alban’s

U10 Rugby v Winterfold

The U10 team concluded the term with an exciting and unique rugby experience. This week, we joined forces with King’s Hawford to create two combined King’s Worcester teams. This collaboration offered a wonderful opportunity for the children to bond with their future teammates.

Both games were highly competitive, showcasing an impressive standard of rugby across the board. A special highlight was Martha scoring her first try for the U10 rugby team – a proud moment for her and the team! Martha’s commitment and enthusiasm have been invaluable throughout the term, as has the entire squad’s dedication to improving their skills and enjoying the game.

This match also marked a bittersweet milestone, as Henry I played his final rugby match for KSA. Henry’s rugby journey has been nothing short of inspiring, with consistent growth and determination leading to remarkable progress over the years.

It has been a pleasure working with such a motivated, hardworking, and enthusiastic group of children. Their passion for rugby and eagerness to improve have made this term truly enjoyable for all involved.

Well done to everyone for a fantastic term of rugby! We now look forward to switching our focus to football after Christmas.

Player of the match – Pip T and Henry I.

U11 A Rugby v Winterfold & King’s Hawford

After a fantastic team performance against RGS The Grange the previous week, the Under 11 Boys’ A team were in high spirits on the way to play their final rugby matches of the term against Winterfold School and King’s Hawford.

First up was a very competitive team from Winterfold. Despite conceding two rather soft, early tries from two missed tackles, the boys quickly settled into the match and picked up where they left off last week, playing some more impressive rugby. The boys all worked hard for each other on the pitch, with everyone making crucial tackles and turning the ball over when the opportunity presented itself. Their hard work was soon rewarded when some great passing, ball retention skills and patience resulted in a well-worked team try in the corner, after several phases of controlled rugby. Although the match finished 3-1 to Winterfold – a scoreline which didn’t reflect the closeness of the match – the boys all played extremely well and should be proud of this performance. The player of the match must go to Luca for his all-round performance, making strong runs with the ball, great decision-making and securing the ball in contact. Well done, Luca!

The team were keen to finish on a high with a win against King’s Hawford in their final rugby match for St. Alban’s, before the focus switches to football next term. However, it wasn’t to be, as playing a fresh King’s Hawford team straight after the boys’ first match proved to be one game too far for the boys, with one of the lads from King’s Hawford proving the difference between the two teams, scoring every time he got the ball.

Archie, Arlo, Ben, Charles, Harry, Jake, Leo, Luca and Uriah all played some excellent rugby and represented their team and the school extremely well. I have been really impressed with the team’s effort, determination, commitment, perseverance and teamwork skills this term, and I know that they all have the ability to continue playing high quality rugby as they get older.

The P.E. team is now excited about the opportunity to help all the Year 6 boys to further develop their sporting, teamwork and leadership skills after Christmas, when we transition to playing football in the spring term.

U11 B Rugby v Winterfold and King’s Hawford

The U11B team rounded off the term in style with a thrilling triangular fixture against Winterfold and King’s Hawford. The boys put on a fantastic display of rugby, showing how far they’ve come this term.

Captains Ben F and Oscar T led the team superbly, organising and encouraging their teammates with confidence and composure. Their leadership set the tone for a day of determined and passionate performances.

Henry S stood out once again, delivering brilliant tackles and running strongly with the ball. Jackson celebrated a personal milestone by scoring his first try for KSA and putting in his best performance of the term – a great achievement! Ben F continues to impress, with his rugby skills improving week by week, and he is quickly developing into a formidable player. Crispin capped off the afternoon in style, finishing a great team effort with a superb try.

A special mention goes to Oscar T, who was named Player of the Day. Oscar’s performance was nothing short of exceptional; he was everywhere on the pitch, making fantastic tackles, rucking tirelessly, and winning vital possession for the team. His hunger to stop the opposition and his newfound confidence with his tackle technique were truly impressive. On the attack, he carried the ball brilliantly, exploiting gaps with skill and determination. Well done, Oscar!

It has been a privilege to work with this talented and hardworking group of boys this term. Their progress has been remarkable, and their enthusiasm and dedication have been inspiring. Congratulations on a great term of rugby – now onto football after Christmas!

U11 County Hockey Tournament

On Wednesday, our school participated in the U11 County Hockey Tournament, fielding a mixed team of Year 5 and Year 6 girls. Despite knowing the challenges that lay ahead, the team demonstrated remarkable determination and enthusiasm throughout the afternoon.

Our first game was against RGS, the reigning IAPS National Tournament champions. Undaunted by their formidable opponents, our girls started strong and showcased tremendous energy. Although much of the play took place in our defensive D, the team displayed exceptional resilience and defensive skill. Madie, in particular, was outstanding; earning praise from RGS staff for her exceptional performance.

In the second match, we faced Bromsgrove in what turned out to be a closely contested game. Both teams had opportunities to score, with our girls creating more chances on goal. Unfortunately, Bromsgrove managed to capitalize on a breakaway opportunity, scoring the decisive goal and securing the win.

Our final match of the day was against King’s Hawford. Despite having played two intense games, the team’s energy and drive remained impressive. Year 5 players Thea, Nell, and Romi worked brilliantly together on the right-hand side, resulting in two fantastic first-half goals. However, King’s Hawford’s strength on short corners proved decisive as they converted three of them, ultimately winning 4-2.

Though the results did not go our way, the girls can be incredibly proud of their performances. Their effort, teamwork, and resilience were evident in every match, and they never gave up despite the challenges. As their coach, I am extremely proud of their hard work and determination throughout the tournament. Well done, girls!