Our First XV Rugby Team recently travelled north to Sedbergh School in Cumbria to compete in this year’s prestigious Sedbergh Tens competition.
On day one of the group stages, the team were drawn against Hampton School, Dulwich College and Kirkham Grammar School. After losing their first game against Hampton, they came back in their second game against Dulwich in spectacular fashion. With Philip (Upper Sixth, Gascoigne) pulling the strings from fly half, the boys dismantled their opposition with a barrage of free-flowing rugby, with tries from Philip, Finn (Upper Sixth, Queen Anne) and Jack (Lower Sixth, Gascoigne). Cokethorpe took their first win on day one at Sedbergh in ten years with a 21-0 victory. There was real jeopardy now in the match against Kirkham following their defeat to Hampton, meaning the loser would go through to the Plate, whilst the winner, to the Cup. Unfortunately, the First XV ran out of steam and succumbed to a very good Kirkham team, meaning it was playing for the Plate on day two.
On day two, Cokethorpe returned to compete for the Plate against Felsted School, King’s School Macclesfield and Barnard Castle School. In the final play of the game, Felsted showed their experience and finished off a well-worked try to win 5-0. Cokethorpe knew the King’s School Macclesfield game was their last chance to reach the Plate final and threw everything at their opposition, with tries from Edward (Upper Sixth, Harcourt) and Philip. But, again, squandered chances on the opposition try line meant they could not capitalise on the impending pressure, and it finished 14-19.
Ultimately, the goal of winning the Plate was not achieved, and the team were left devastated; however, what this team achieved on a national level was simply remarkable. To take the best rugby schools in the country to the wire over five games and to be in genuine contention is unprecedented. What the First XV learned throughout the Sedbergh Tens weekend is that resilience, belief and togetherness is profoundly important in team sport. They take away with them a lifetime of special memories and leave a legacy for Cokethorpe Rugby teams that will be incredibly difficult to emulate.
