Rugby Sevens Triumph

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ISFA Cup Run

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MartinTylerInterview

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ScottishRugbyInsight

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Old Hamptonian and England international cricketer Zafar Ansari, announced his retirement at the start of the summer.

Zafar, who represented England in both Test and One-Day matches, had just come back from England’s tour of the Indian sub-continent when he announced his decision.

The Surrey all-rounder, who had previously captained Cambridge University, had returned early from the England tour with a back injury.

In widely-reported comments on his feelings about the summer game, Zafar had said that though he felt committed to cricket, he had other interests he wanted to pursue.

Zafar, who secured a double first while at Cambridge, had recently completed an MA at London University, specialising in the Civil Rights campaigns in the USA during the 1960s.

According to newspaper reports, Zafar, whose parents are

distinguished academics, aims to study Law in the next phase of his career.

The England player, who was School Captain while at Hampton, made an immediate impact on his debut in first-class cricket when, playing for Cambridge University, he clean bowled England opening batsman Alastair Cook.

In his third match, he completed a remarkable double when, again representing Cambridge University, he clean bowled Kevin Pietersen. Like his older brother Akbar, Zafar was subsequently appointed captain of Cambridge, having previously captained England at Under 15 level.

Hampton School Headmaster Mr Kevin Knibbs said, “Everyone who spent time with Zafar while

he was at our School remembers him as a class act and an exceptionally thoughtful person, on and off the pitch.

“His recent decision is entirely in keeping with this and I am certain that he will also get to the top in his next chosen field. Whichever path he now decides to follow, Hampton will remain very proud indeed of him.

“I tend to agree with Michael Atherton’s typically shrewd assessment in his recent Times article: ‘I suspect Ansari will look back on the decision he made at 25 as the day the rest of his life began’.”

Former Hampton School Head of Cricket Mr Duncan Peel adds: “What is most noteworthy about Zafar is not so much his talent per se, as the fact that he always was and remains so grounded in the face of all of his achievements and all of the praise he receives.

“He is as unfailingly polite and courteous now as he always was, and he always has time for and shows an interest in others.”

Hampton

ZAFAR’S SECOND INNINGS

Zafar scored over 3,000 first-class runs in his career and took over 100 wickets

Sports Chronicle

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The Hampton Sports Chronicle is written and edited by Hampton boys from across the year groups. Editor Summer 2017: Lourenco Anunciacao

Following an unprecedented three major tournament victories, Jamie Lashley writes about what has been called ‘the best Rugby Sevens season in Hampton School history’.

A Fifteens season which showed plenty of promise came to an end, a season when players with previous first team experience combined with those new to senior rugby to produce some fantastic wins.

Victories over NatWest Cup winners Warwick and long-term rivals Dulwich, as well as a triumph in the Plate at the St Joseph’s Rugby Festival, meant the squad could be fairly optimistic for the forthcoming Sevens season, confident that their adventurous style of play combined with individual skills would make Hampton Rugby a force to be reckoned with.

Despite this confidence, no one could have predicted what would follow, as the 1st VII proceeded to win the Hampton Founders’ Day Sevens, the Middlesex Sevens and the Surrey Open Sevens, all while playing a scintillating brand of attacking rugby that very few school sides could live with.

Founders’ Day Sevens

For the first time in the tournament’s history, Hampton would be defending the trophy. The campaign started against Campion, but Hampton recorded a 29-10 victory against a team who would go on to cause problems for many strong schools. Then against John Fisher, a superior skillset on the wide

Hampton pitches meant the home side impressively ran out as 31-5 victors.

Next, against London Irish Academy side St Paul’s Catholic College, an eventual 41-15 win put the hosts in good stead to qualify for the final, but not before one more group game. A convincing 40-5 victory against St Joseph’s was evidence that the side was now comfortable with their style.

With the sun setting, the referee blew to kick off the final. Once

more it was Cranleigh who stood in Hampton’s way, desperate for revenge after defeat last year. Cranleigh started the match as favourites, having won the Rosslyn Park National Sevens last year, and with just three minutes to go, they had a 10-7 lead with the ball deep in the Hampton 22. But two Hampton tries handed victory to the home side. A fantastic moment for the squad and the crowd.

Middlesex Sevens

Next came the Middlesex Sevens, hosted by Ealing-based St Benedict’s. Hampton entered the tournament in great form,

but unfortunately the weather was against us, as a rainy night before the tournament meant the pitches were so torn up that the main pitch eventually became unplayable. But this didn’t stop Hampton running riot.

The opener against Beechen Cliff was a tight game at first, but Hampton eventually ran out 26-14 winners. Hampton’s next challenger was Gordon’s but once again, the class was clear for all to see, with Hampton thrashing the side in green 36-0. The final group game came against UCS,

but three tries in 2 minutes saw Hampton advance to the semi-final after a 34-7 victory.

Harrow stood in Hampton’s way of another cup final but tries from Nick van der Merwe and Louis Lynagh handed Hampton a 22-14 win and a place in the final against Henley College. Hampton would once again have too much for their opponents. The fitness work of the squad clearly paid off, as Hampton ran their challengers off the park. Using ball carriers to suck in the defence, the playmakers could then use their creative ability to produce five tries, all converted, and help Hampton record another

memorable cup success.

Surrey Sevens

With 40 teams involved and a tough group to negotiate, Hampton would have to produce something special to win the Surrey Sevens, but on the wide Richmond Rugby Club pitches under the beating March sun, conditions were perfect for the team to reproduce their familiar attacking brand of rugby. A 21–12 win over Eton College was followed by a 24–24 tie against St Joseph’s. Next came a 59–7

win against Wallington, followed by a 52–5 win over Stroud College to put the team through to the quarter-final.

St Benedict’s were Hampton’s last eight opponents, but by neutralising their dangerous attackers, Hampton won the match 31-20, and marched on to tackle St John’s Leatherhead in the last four. Here, an incredible 15-12 win put Hampton in the final to face

Beechen Cliff, where the team’s pace and power brought four tries as Hampton ran out 22–10 winners.

No Hampton side had ever progressed past the quarter final of the Surrey Sevens, so to win this and two other tournaments put the 2017 Hampton side in the history books. One would hope that such impressive feats can be repeated next year, with the younger members of the side now experienced in first-team rugby. Who knows what they’ll be capable of ….

Jamie Lashley

MAGNIFICENT SEVENS

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On a brisk Wednesday afternoon, Hampton stepped up their ISFA campaign with a convincing victory against St Bede’s School, Manchester, writes reporter Adam Khan.

Hampton kicked off in the classic yellow top and black shorts against St Bede’s in their blue top with yellow sleeves and blue shorts. St Bede’s started with a high press, but Hampton

maintained their composure and dominated possession, forcing the ball into the opposition’s half.

It was Hampton who broke the deadlock around the 20 minute mark after James Randall’s pass down the line, prompting Kai Hanley to guide it past the opposing keeper. After a period of stale play from both sides, Hampton were unlucky to concede an equaliser as a lofted goal kick led to a St Bede’s goal five minutes after Hampton had broken the deadlock.

From there on, Hampton commanded possession and forced mistakes out of their opponents The rest of the first half was dominated by Hampton but they were unable to capitalise on their chances and goalkeeper Adam Lee made a solid save from a curling shot to his right. Stalemate at the break.

The sun came out as Hampton aimed to maintain their good first

half performance into the second, their command of territory forcing St Bede’s into their own half. The team-talk proved useful as Hampton started to force more corners: one led to another disallowed goal after a mishap in the box gave George Gregory the chance to head the ball into the back of the net, but it was ruled offside.

Two successive corners paid dividends, however, as a juggle in the box caused Harry Fuller to leap on the chance and power a

header into the top left corner! This early goal spurred on more Hampton dominance as excellent build-up play led to Fuller gliding past two defenders and striking a magnificent shot into the left corner, leaving the goalkeeper stranded. 3-1.

St Bede’s continued to struggle, seemingly trapped in their own half. Hampton put the game to bed as a Hanley free kick led to

Will Christophers volleying the ball into the back of the net to put Hampton 4-1 ahead. Lee closed out the game with an astonishing save from a powered shot; forcing it over the bar with one hand, he then caught a corner to end St Bede’s hopes of a consolation goal.

Having navigated a number of early rounds, Hampton found themselves in a nail-biting quarter final encounter against Forest School.

The match started with Hampton immediately dominating the game - but without any tangible success.

Chances came their way, notably from crosses put in by the left foot of Hanley, and Max Matchett came close with a few headers, even hitting the bar. But Hampton failed to capitalise and went into the break with the score level at 0-0.

The visitors continued pressing into the second half, but Forest looked dangerous on the break, coming close from a long throw, but they were kept out by a few good saves from Lee. Neither side could break the deadlock and at full time the score remained 0-0.

Extra time started in much the same fashion, with Hampton pressing and looking for a goal and Forest looking to break quickly and score on the counter attack. George Gregory came close, but his header was cleared off the line from a corner.

Penalties loomed and it seemed it wasn’t going to be Hampton’s day, especially when Fuller was sent off for a second bookable offence.

However, one last late attack was all that was needed as Will Davey fired a shot into the back of the net, and this proved the difference between the two teams as Hampton progressed through to the semi-final and a home tie against Royal Russell.

After once again dominating large parts of the semi-final, Hampton were cruelly punished by a penalty shootout against Royal Russell School, after a magnificent cup run.

PAYING THE PENALTY

Join the team: Fridays, 1.15pm, Room 543

Martin Tyler is a world famous football commentator who I recently had the privilege of catching up with, writes James Dowden. Martin has been the leading commentator for Sky Sports since 1991 commentating on hundreds of matches around the world.

He was named the Premier League Commentator of the Decade and is known for his memorable moments in commentary - perhaps most famously for his commentary on Sergio Aguero’s last minute goal to win the Premier League in 2012. Alongside his career as a commentator he coaches with Hampton and Richmond Borough and has worked on the popular video game series FIFA.

Q: As the voice of the Premier League for many fans, how did you first become a commentator?A: I was very lucky. Nowadays there is a pathway into broadcasting through media courses and training schemes but they did not exist when I was young. I wanted to be a player and reached a good non-league level and I was obsessed with football (and still am). Through a friend I heard about a new football magazine, and managed to get a trial as a staff writer.

I then found myself in the right place at the right time when one of the ITV regions, Southern TV found themselves short of a commentator. As I say - very fortunate.

Q: Which has been your favourite match of the many that you've covered?A: Liverpool 4 Newcastle 3, April 3rd 1996. The twentieth anniversary was last Sunday and I have done a few interviews about it this week. Fantastic excitement from first whistle to last. Both clubs were going for the title but in the end neither won it.

Q: Conversely, is there a match that you did not commentate on that you wish you had?A: 1966 World Cup Final. I would love to have said "England have won the World Cup."

Q: Has the job changed since you first took it up?A: In one way yes, as almost all my games are now "Live". When I started, it was recorded highlights. but in another way, not at all. The aim of the job

is still the same. To identify the players and give relevant information.

Q: How does your role with FIFA the video game compare to a real live match commentary?A: Well there are no pictures to work to, but the match situations we are asked to describe are just as in real games. It is a case of using your imagination.

Q: Is there any commentary line you're particularly proud of?A: No - that is for the viewers and listeners to judge. My words are reactions - not pre-prepared.I just try to capture the moment.

Q: Are there any moments you look back on and regret?A: Plenty I am sure. I am very self-critical. You cannot do the perfect commentary but it does not stop you trying! But looking back

is only for improvement. I am always looking forward. The next game is the most important.

Q: How much pre-match work goes into a 90-minute match?A: As long as I have from the previous game. If it’s three weeks, then three weeks. If it’s 24 hours, then 24 hours.

Q: What would you think you would be doing do if you were not a commentator and coach?A: Whatever it would have been I would have been retired by now!!! I am very lucky to be able to continue in my chosen field. Sky Sports still show great faith in me and I am very grateful.

I would like to thank Martin for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer my questions and to Mr Smith for encouraging me to pursue this interview.

Hampton Sports Chronicle is written, edited and designed by Hampton School students. If you’d like to write for the paper, take photos or participate in its design, speak to Mr Smith in English or come to our meetings in Room 54 on Friday at 1.15 pm.

Sky Sports’ lead commentator prepares for another hard day at work

THE VOICE OF FOOTBALL

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Nick Powell meets Harry Fuller, the promising footballer who is going to Cornell University on a sports scholarship.

It’s been a wonderful year for Harry Fuller on the footballing front. Scoring 19 goals and providing 14 assists for a Hampton team performing heroics in the ISFA Cup, the 1st XI Vice-Captain has had a fine season, but next year will be the biggest of his footballing life as he prepares to go to the USA as a soccer recruit for the Ivy League Cornell University.

“I’m excited, I can’t wait to step out on the pitch for the first time,” he says as he ponders what his first experience will be like. “It’s weird to think that the next time I’ll do the whole football season thing, it will be on a completely different scale.” And he mentions he gets two pairs of free football boots on arrival too.

Fuller was always interested in the prospect of playing football in America. “I’d seen movies of course, and then I started seeing adverts for soccer showcases, and going to the U.S.A. to do it.” He was so interested, it prompted him to go away for two weeks at the end of his GCSEs to scout some of the USA’s top universities.

At Princeton, he participated in a football camp. “Princeton is division one, but there were no division one camps so I settled for a division three version to get my bearings. But at that stage I was testing the waters, so it didn’t matter where I started.” However, from the off he stood out.

“Immediately they were both trying to get me tied into the system” he says, referring to two coaches that approached

him. He quickly got involved with a recruitment agency and began playing at showcases in the U.K. These are elite training academies where matches are staged for top young players to be scouted.

Importantly for Fuller, it was a chance to be found. The recruitment agency helped him send out a highlights video to top coaches from footage of games he’d played for Hampton.

And quality highlights they were. Fuller can drop the ball on a sixpence and has the awareness to pick out the best available option, and execute it. He’s also got the skills, and looks immensely composed on the ball, in spite of his coach (Mr Mills) incessantly shouting “pass” and “simple” every time the ball is at his feet.

Coaches were excited about him, and he soon got in touch with the new head coach at Cornell University. “It was May, I only had one game left…and he put his assistant coach on the

next flight to the UK”. That was to watch Fuller play in his last showcase game of the season, and despite feeling the pressure of the occasion, he put in a strong performance.

Pennsylvania came calling, and it was a straight choice between that and Cornell. He went for the latter, opting not to put Penn to paper.

A number of factors swayed his decision to join Cornell: the

superb Engineering course, the fact that the soccer team had potential for real growth and the fact that he would be joining up with the new coach, the aptly named Englishman John Smith, who has burning ambition. Fuller was “very hopeful for a lot of game time next year and the projection is that by the fourth year, we really want to be winning the national tournament.”

Once he had confirmed his place, he couldn’t help but feel a weight off his shoulders. “The recruitment journey is

a long one, and when I finally verbally committed, it was a huge relief. There are a lot of people, particularly international students, who don’t end up completing the journey.” Being flown out to America in October to see the coach and squad really brought it home to him: a dream was being realised.

But he’s not resting on his laurels, far from it, and if he wants to succeed in the Ivy League and National tournaments, he knows

he needs to improve. “Finishing, physicality and left foot. Those are my big three for the future.” It’s the mark of a great player who knows his weaknesses, and he will be determined to work on them before he attempts to make his mark.

He also accepts that he may not be a footballer

in the future though, but for him that makes the choice of going to an American University all the more logical. “In England you chase football, or academics. The reason why people choose the college scene is you can chase your sport just as hard, and you’ve got a degree at the end of it.”

So, between now and the end of the year, he will have to work hard. Not just on the pitch, but in the classroom as he looks to meet the required grades.

Photo: Adam Scott

FULLER AMBITION

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Rugby: England vs ScotlandTwickenham

18th October 2015

Go back eighteen months, to Twickenham Stadium, and it is England’s World Cup – though the hosts have already been eliminated. The match is Scot-land vs Australia, and the score is Scotland 34-32 Australia. After a tumultuous quarter-final, Mark Bennett’s interception try seven minutes from time appears to have secured a semi-final berth for Scotland in one of the great World Cup upsets.

But as is often the case with Scotland, they are denied by the misfortune that is now associated with them. A shocking call from South African referee Craig Jou-bert, and suddenly Scotland were a point behind. And time was up.

6th February 2016

Without a Six Nations victory in seven games, Scotland hosted England at Murrayfield in the opening game of the 2016 Six Na-tions. England had endured a hor-rific World Cup campaign under Stuart Lancaster, while Scotland had hugely over-performed, com-ing so gut-wrenchingly close to a place in the last four.

The game was tight, and Scotland trailed England 15-9 when Stuart Hogg received the ball just inside the Scottish half, with just one defender to beat before the try line. Hogg had Tommy Seymour’s speedy presence beside him but he kicked ahead regardless and the ball was lost. It was a play which summed up Scotland at

that time – a lot of promise, but a lack of clarity in decision-making at key times.

Defeat in Cardiff the following weekend meant that Scotland had lost their last nine Six Na-tions games – the national rugby team’s worst ever return.

March 2017

Now, Scotland have one of the most promising teams in Europe, reaching their highest ever po-sition of fifth in the World Rank-ings. Ahead of their crunch Cal-cutta Cup clash at Twickenham, HSC photographer Toby Booker and I were offered the opportuni-ty to catch up with the team.

As we arrived at Scotland’s base for the week at The Lensbury, we were greeted by Katharine Armstrong, the Executive Assis-tant of Scottish Rugby’s CEO Mark Dodson.

Whilst the team were going through their warm-ups with a game of touch rugby, we man-aged to speak to Michael James, Scotland’s Media Manager. He talked us through his prepara-tions for the game, and how he controls the Press in the build-up to key games.

We then spoke to the team man-ager, who could offer an insight into how the different players prepare for games of the magni-tude of the Twickenham match.

The Scottish team opted against taking part in a “Captain’s run” at the stadium, instead deciding to involve themselves in a practice session at their hotel. We were told by Vern Cotter, the Scotland head coach, that he and the play-ers preferred to finish the training session in the morning.

Next, we spoke to Stuart Hogg, Scotland’s star full-back and the ‘poster boy’ of the up-and-com-ing Scottish side.

Hampton Sports Chronicle meets at 1.15 pm every Friday

Josh and Toby meet Scotland coach Vern Cotter before their Twickenham match in March

FLYING SCOTSMEN Josh Bartholomew joined HSC’s photographer Toby Booker at Scotland Rugby’s final training session before their Twickenham encounter with England in March.

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In this interview Josh Bartholomew meets up with Scotland Rugby star Stuart Hogg.

JOSH BARTHOLOMEW: Do you feel more pressure going into the England game knowing that a Triple Crown and hence a probable Six Nations is on the line?

STUART HOGG: For us, I think we’re just going to concentrate on this game and getting a win – nothing else really matters. Obviously there’s a lot to play for, but we’re just looking to get this one finished.

JB: Is there an added pressure as well due to England’s winning run?

SH: We’re just concentrating on ourselves. Credit to England, I think they’ve been outstanding over the past year or so, but we’re here to spoil the party.

JB: How does it feel to be labelled Scotland’s most promising team ever?

SH: It’s good for us. We’ve worked hard to get to where we are, but we’re never a complete team. We’ll continue to put the effort in, and results will come our way.

JB: You’ve been seen by many as the ‘poster boy’ of this Scottish team. Is that an added pressure for you?

SH: For me, the key thing is to keep working hard on the training pitch and hopefully I’ll continue to get opportunities to play. I want to perform to the best of my ability in helping the

team get a win, and that’s all I’m concentrating on.

JB: England’s bench tomorrow is remarkably strong with the Vunipolas and Anthony Watson returning from injury. Do you need to be 10 points ahead after an hour to win?

SH: We’re just concentrating on how the game goes. We’ll try and get as many points on the board

as we possibly can, but our bench is just as strong. We have good finishers as well!

As Richie and Jonny Gray finished their training session to be the last off the field, we also managed to speak to fly-half Finn Russell, the man credited by many with Scotland’s upturn in results over the past year.

JOSH BARTHOLEMEW: Do you see England’s winning run as a challenge for you to overcome or does it daunt you?

FINN RUSSELL: The pressure is on England. It’s their run, not ours. That doesn’t affect us - I’d say it’s more on them as it’s their streak to continue. As a team, this spurs us on.

JB: Are you Scotland’s most promising ever team?

FR: After the Wales game, we reached fifth in the world, which is the highest we’ve ever been, so

there’s a good mood around the camp, but we’re excited about improving and moving forward as a group.

JB: Has it been hard making the switch mid-tournament from Greig Laidlaw, who you’ve played all your international rugby with, to Ali Price?

FR: Not so much. Greig’s been here cheering us on from the side line and helping us out, so he’s still a presence around the camp. It’s been good having him around again. I play with Ali Price all

the time at Glasgow, so it hasn’t really been a problem for us. The only slight change has been that Greig takes a lot of leadership, so certain individuals have had to step up.

JB: Are you one of those individuals who has had to step up?

FR: I think as a fly-half, you look to attack and play a crucial role in

the team, so for myself, I’ve tried to help the team out and step up as a leader.

JB: Do you find yourself practising your kicking more now that Greig has had to relinquish goal-kicking responsibility?

FR: I kick every week at Glasgow, and it’s something I enjoy, so I’ve relished kicking on the International stage.

After meeting Hogg and Russell, we went to watch the press-conference, where assistant coach Jason O’Halloran was fielding questions. The whole

aura around the Scottish camp throughout the day was one of relaxation, and if you didn’t know otherwise, you’d never have known that there was a game the next day.

In the event, although Scotland’s first foray to Twickenham since their heartbreak at the World Cup ended in huge disappointment (losing 61-21), this array of talent remains something that the nation should be proud of.

European player of the year Stuart Hogg discussed tactics with HSC reporter Josh Bartholomew

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CAPTAINS’ CORNERGeorge GregoryFootball

Has captaincy been an enjoyable experience?

It’s been a good experience. I have tried to not let it change anything but it does push me to play that bit better with the extra responsibility for the team. It’s been really enjoyable with a great bunch of lads. I’ve relished any added pressure that comes as it makes me want to play and perform better.

How tough was it to deal with the ISFA Semi-Final defeat to Royal Russell as captain?

It was tough to take given how we played, because we created so many chances but just failed to capitalise on them. Having said that, I can’t fault anyone for their performance. It was a great day in itself and the fans were great. In the end these things happen in football.

Did you learn from Matt Wisdom, captain of the 1st XI last year?

Definitely. Matt was very vocal on the pitch and this is something that I have tried to do as much as possible. He was a great role model. I feel a bit

unworthy to be on the board next to him.

There’s a big Upper Sixth contingent in the 1st XI this year. Has this aided you?

I captained in the Fourth Year before playing for the 1st XI in the Fifth Year so we all know each other’s game really well. The entire back five is Upper Sixth and that has been invaluable for our defensive stability as they’ve played with each other for years.

How have you found captaining?

It was a massive privilege for me and something I will always remember. It was also helped by having a great group of boys in the team.

Will VerdanRugby

How would you evaluate the season?

On the whole I’d say the season was a success. We were unfortunate to be drawn against Tonbridge School in the first round of the NatWest champions trophy who went on to win the entire tournament. Our fixture list had been made

considerably more difficult this year so despite coming second best in a few tough fixtures, we finished the highest any Hampton side ever has in the Daily Mail Trophy competition.

How much did you enjoy the success that you had in 7s?

It was a great way to end the season. We were expecting to do well but not as well as we did. Winning the Hampton 7s followed by the Middlesex tournament was incredible, but winning the Surrey 7s was the highlight and probably one of the greatest achievements ever for a Hampton Rugby team

Chris SearleCricket

Having captained last season when the Upper Sixth were absent, do you think this put you in a good position for this year?

Yes, that certainly gave me some really good experience in some tough situations with a succession of last over finishes. It worked perfectly seeing Toby captain so assuredly at the start of the year and learning from him, and then sharing it a bit with others.

What are you hopes this season for the team?

This should be one of the strongest teams we’ve had in recent years with a strong core of Upper Sixth and some really talented younger players, so I guess hopes are high all round. As ever the aim is to beat one of the big three (Whitgift, Eton, Harrow), and I think we have as good a chance as any of doing so this year; and then to win as many of the rest as possible. In the T20, rumour has it that Whitgift’s team of cricket scholars won’t be awaiting us to put an inevitable cap on things if we win our group, as they usually do, so again we’re pretty excited about it.

As a bowler first, how do you feel about bowlers captaining?

I think it’s a personal thing, but there’s no reason why it shouldn’t happen more often. Some bowlers like to focus entirely on their own game and it would be a distraction to them. I’m pretty simple minded when I bowl, I just try and do the same thing over and over, so I enjoy captaining as well. It can sometimes get a bit tricky when you’re having to change plans at the death, but as long as there’s others in the team who can give their opinions it’s fine. I think bowlers are often more aware of their strengths and limitations in plans and ways of getting batsmen out so it can be beneficial in that respect.

Fridays, 1.15pmRoom 54

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Rory GilliganRowing

How has the season gone this year?

The season so far has gone well. We had a few early wins at our own Hampton Heads as well as a few other races, including beating university 1st VIIIs by 30 seconds at a race in York. We then came sixth at the first national race of the year – Schools Head.

How often do you train per week?

In a typical week we train nine times - which includes sessions on the water, in the gym and on the ergos. I know this sounds like a lot but the number of sessions gradually increases from the Third Year, so you have time to adjust for it and improve your organisational skills!

What was it like rowing for Ireland?

Rowing for Ireland was a truly memorable experience. For me it justified all the early mornings and late nights that I’d put in during my four years of rowing for Hampton. Rowing is mentally tough which means that it is important to have your

goals very clear in your mind during training so it was nice to be able to achieve one of my goals of gaining an international cap. However it wasn’t too enjoyable going all the way to Cardiff to be beaten in the last 5 strokes by another Hampton boy - Lewis Owens rowing for England in a boat coached by the Hampton boatman Mr Liversage!

What was your proudest moment on the water?

My proudest moment on the water was definitely rowing at Henley Royal Regatta last summer. Henley is arguably the most prestigious rowing competition in the world and it was incredible to race there. It is a very traditional event and it felt special to be competing alongside Olympic gold medallists. We managed to beat Bedford School on the first day before narrowly losing to our old rivals St Edward’s on the next day.

Do you want to continue rowing beyond Hampton?

Yes, that’s definitely the plan: all the universities I’ve applied to have a strong rowing programme so my aim is to row with them and then see what happens after that.

Theo GranstrÖm-LiveseyGolf

How many years have you played golf?

I can’t remember a time when I didn’t play golf so I have played for years. However, it kicked on when I joined my local golf club when I was nine and since then I’ve taken it pretty seriously.

How did you first get into golf?

It was mainly due to my dad but also partly to my older brother. When they would go to the driving range I’d always tag along and just be left to hit shots whilst they practised and I absolutely loved it! Also growing up and watching Tiger Woods dominate the game was always so interesting and only made me want to play more.

How much do you practise a week?

It varies based on school work. During term time I’ll play two or three times a week and during the holidays it will be most days. The summer holidays are definitely the busiest and when I’m on holiday I’ll practise basically every day.

Do you see yourself continuing it for years to come?

Definitely. I’m not looking to pursue it as a career but I don’t think I’ll ever stop playing. I would like to kick on at university and see how good I can become and then I can hopefully challenge in national amateur tournaments in years to come. It’s also something which is very social - you can make great friends and meet loads of great people through golf, so yes I don’t think I’ll ever stop playing.

Could you describe your journey to the ISGA final?

The country is split into different regions and there are draws within each region and then it is a straight knockout from there. We managed to get a bye into the second round where we faced Ibstock at Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club, who we beat comfortably. We then had a much tougher test against St George’s Weybridge at our home course, Fulwell, who had a pretty strong team. However, we all played well and beat them 3-0. That put us through to the regional finals where we faced KCS Wimbledon at Coombe Hill Golf club. We knew this would be a very tough match as their team had handicaps of 2,3 and 8, which was very similar to ours of 2, 5 and 8. However we played very well in the final and managed to come out on top by two matches to one.

Interviews conducted by Lourenco Anunciacao and Mikey Godsmark. Thanks to the captains for their co-operation and support.

The HSC is particularly keen to hear from younger reporters who would like to write about sport and publish their views. Come to our Friday meetings if interested or contact Mr Smith in English.

9

Since leaving Hampton in 2009, Joe Terry has, in his own words, ”fallen into the world of sports journalism”. Having heard about his exploits, Lourenco Anunciacao met him to find out more about his roundabout journey.

Joe is fluent in both Italian and Russian having studied both at Durham University, before tackling a translation course at Bath, with the aim of working for the European Union or United Nations. This path was blocked by some very real obstacles, including the requirement to speak French to work for either organisation.

Joe had always been interested in Italian culture. Meanwhile his interest in the Russian language was sparked during a Hampton Second Year trip to Moscow and St Petersburg. Thirteen years later, Joe has just jetted to Portugal to interview the Russian Women’s Tennis Team for the Algarve Cup.

His most memorable moment thus far has been an interview in Italian with the mastermind behind the greatest story in Premier League history, ex-Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri. In fact, this was his first proper interview, unless you count an interview with the local theatre director for The Lion during his time at Hampton.

Despite submitting the odd article to The Lion, Joe never saw himself becoming a sports journalist, until shortly after he finished at Bath University. He was told about an opportunity to be part of a translation project at the 2014 Football World Cup in Brazil. Himself a football fanatic, he leaped at the chance. “One day I was in a classroom and the next thing I knew I was

remotely translating post-match interviews.”

During the European Championships in 2016, Joe was part of the International Broadcasting Centre in Paris where he received audio files to translate.

His forays into sports reporting have not been limited to covering major sports tournaments, as Joe was also required to interpret for the Kazakhstan U21 team after they were asked to take a random drug test. He explains that he had to tell them “to chin bottles of water so they could provide a urine sample for the test.”

Having not set out to become a journalist, Joe attributes a number of his opportunities to his language skills, stating “it definitely set me out as someone useful from the offset.”

Joe told me that approximately

30% of players in the Premier League are English, with the great majority from abroad. While some players make the effort (such as university graduates Juan Mata and Vincent Kompany), the majority still struggle with the language, even after half a decade in the country. One

example is Sergio Kun Aguero. Therefore, it is imperative to bypass the language barrier and to “speak to them in their native tongue.”

Joe is part of the next generationof Sports Media, and he said that there is a trend for more and more of theyoung recruits to understand the importance

of languages as a way to create a niche in the industry of sports journalism, which he sees as “ever changing and evolving”. Most of the journalists he met while with UEFA speak three or four languages.

When asked about how the industry is today he said that “the traditional concept of a sports journalist has died off, it simply does not exist any more”. Now, there are fewer and fewer long form articles and in the internet age their centre of attention has shifted.

Joe has found that nowadays social media is “absolutely everything”. His main advice for young budding journalists at Hampton is that “languages and technology are massive soif you can get a grip on those you are set”.

Finally he wanted to emphasise that, while writing for your school’s magazine is a great first step, there is no conventional road to journalism any more. Before leaving, he left me one piece of wisdom: “don’t assume you need to go one specific way into journalism. There are so many different routes and if you want to make it you will”.

Joe Terry (far left) at the 2016 European Championships

Joe interviewing Claudio Ranieri in his native tongue

UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE

10

Ex-HSC Editor Will Kelleher of the Daily Mail discusses his career in sports journalism with Josh Bartholomew.

As a student at Hampton School, Will Kelleher featured in the team which won Schools Rugby’s Team of the Month award in early 2010. Playing outside England international cricketer Zafar Ansari for the 1st XV, Kelleher helped the team to 17 wins out of 26 in his final year.

Seven years later, Kelleher has made the switch from the pitch to the press-box, writing for the Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday. Will told me that he decided to make the change ‘’when I realised, about the age of 15 at Hampton, that I probably was not going to make it as a dazzling international inside centre, so I started looking into sports journalism as the next best thing.

“What better alternative to playing the game than being paid to watch it - which you would do in your spare time anyway!’’

From this age, he always knew that journalism was what he wanted to do with his life, despite the competitive nature of the industry: ‘’whenever I mentioned wanting to become a sports journalist I was told it was a saturated market, unbelievably difficult to get into and badly paid.

“But I did not take too much notice of that! I thought – as with any career choice – if you are good enough, you will make it.

“If you put yourself in a position to be someone an employer cannot turn down, with so many

strings to your bow, a desire to learn and a good work ethic, there will be a job for you. Also, if you are brilliant, you will be able to make a decent living.’’

Kelleher tells of his meteoric rise to the dizzy heights of sports journalism: ‘’I started at Hampton. I began writing small articles in these very pages, first under HSC editor Adam Hunt, who is now a presenter for Sky Sports News.

“By 16 I started to gain work experience – the first of which was at the now defunct Setanta Sports News TV station.

“I enjoyed it and so went about adding skills and more experience over the next few years. Eventually I became the editor of the Hampton Sports Chronicle under the guidance of Mr Smith and then at Exeter University immediately joined the student paper, Exeposé. “I reported on rugby matches for them before becoming the Sports Editor in

my second year, a position I held until I graduated in 2014. By this stage I did not want to pursue any other career.

“Next I found out that you really need a journalistic qualification to separate yourself from the rest, so I applied to, and got into, one of the best training colleges in the country, News Associates / Sportsbeat in Wimbledon.

“There I completed my ‘gold standard’ NCTJ (National Council for the Training of Journalists) qualification. During that 40-week course I spent a week on the sports desk of the Daily Mail; following that, and a few interviews, I was offered a place on their graduate scheme in May 2015.’’

There are positives to studying on both a more traditional course and a media course, and Kelleher believes studying a core subject is key.

‘’I studied Geography at Exeter and firmly believe I learnt more doing that, especially gaining a critical eye, than I would have done writing pretend articles for pretend publications. Some of those courses are dragged out over three years and are not especially practical. You can always convert on a short, practical course after University if you need to. That’s what I did.”

Journalism is an industry craved by many, but are there any downsides? ‘’The least enjoyable part of the job may be the late nights and lack of free weekends, but then again, I’d only be watching sport anyway….

“Without any doubt the best is that you are paid to watch sport. Someone actually gives you money to go to a match, write about it and then speak to the players afterwards. If there is a better job than that, I’d like to know! It is an immense privilege and one I hope never to take for granted.’’

Kelleher’s advice for any budding sports journalists at Hampton would be to ‘’throw yourself at every opportunity. Hampton is such a wonderful school for finding your niche. Do everything. Work out what you like. Do more of that. Keep your options open and keep writing – you’ll only improve by working out what is rubbish and what isn’t. Even if you write a short report of your own match on the weekend, start somewhere!’’

WHERE THERE’S A WILL...

11

Paul Wilkinson recently interviewed the potentially record-breaking young chess player, Koby Kalavannan.

Paul: For those who do not know who you are, could you please tell us what you do?

Koby: I am in the Fourth Year and I play chess competitively for England.

P: I believe that you recently won a big competition in the sport?

K: Last summer I played in the British Chess Championships and I won the U14 and U15 British Chess Championships.

P: Wow! Is this your greatest achievement to date?

K: Yes, winning the two titles at a higher age group is one of my best achievements, as well as representing England.

P: So why did you take up chess in the first place?

K. My parents thought that I could join the chess club at primary school and then they realised that I understood the game quite well.

P: How often do you practise?

K: Throughout the week I play for about three hours, but at weekends I normally play tournaments that can last the whole weekend.

P: What would you say to encourage others to play chess?

K: Even though it may not be the most popular sport, chess is really helpful in developing skills you need in everyday life

such as: time management; thinking ahead; performing under pressure and helping to improve your memory. Oh, and also it is a fun game which can be a relaxing and helpful break!

P: Finally, what other chess honours do you want to win?

K: Hopefully by the end of this year I can get an international title such as the Fide Master Title. However, when I get older my aim would be to hopefully win the main British Chess Championships and in the future I hope to become a Grandmaster myself, which is the highest rank in the chess world.

So there you have it, an interview with one of the most promising sportsmen (with chess being recognised as a sport in over 100 countries) in the world. We wish you luck in your future. endeavours, Koby!

In late February, the Hampton Senior Boys Tennis Team qualified for the National Finals of the British Schools Tennis Competition after a gruelling victory against Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School in the semi-final.

The team, was made up of Gustav Durlind, James Hughes, Ben Court and Ollie Ross who played a mixture of singles and doubles matches. Thanks to excellent performances all-round, the match finished 8-4 in

Hampton’s favour. Credit must go to the captain, James Hughes, who performed extremely well to come back from 2-4 down to triumph in the subsequent tiebreak.

However, in Bolton the team came up short in the final, despite putting in a grindingperformance. Praise goes to Gustav Durlind who pulled off a dominant performance againstTonbridge’s number one seed and the doubles pairing of James and Ben who beat the Taunton pair in

a stellar tactical performance.

All in all, Hampton produced an outstandingteam effort and displayed their prowess on the national stage.

Captain, James Hughes, said that the team aspires to “get to the finals again and hopefully win it this time, as we’ll have the same

team but with a year’s experience more”. Surely the youth of the team bodes well for the future and we wish them good luck for next year.

The future of Hampton tennis is in good hands, writes Adam Khan.

SERVING UP SUCCESS

A MASTER OF THE ART

12

Josh Bartholomew spoke to ex-HSC Editor, Adam Hunt, about life on television.

One of the most respected presenters on Sky Sports News, Adam Hunt has worked his way up from Editor of the Hampton Sports Chronicle to the man who tells you what’s going on in the stratosphere of sport. His rise has been, admittedly, fairly swift, as he told me.

“I started more on the writing side and eventually editing the Sports Chronicle. When I went to university in America, I started working for the radio station there, working as a sports reporter and newsreader. I did as much as I could at university to give myself the most thorough experience and just get better!

“At the time, one of the Journalism professors was quite happy to critique my work: I used to take my tapes to him and get him to tell me what he thought. I just listened to what he said, and every time I did it I tried to improve, and tried to copy what I saw and heard on the television and radio.

“Eventually, I improved, and that helped me when I came out of university. I got some freelance shifts as a teaboy at a radio station, just helping out. Over time, I started to do some demos for them. They gave me shifts, and I got some work for Sky and Talksport that way. There is no set route. To be honest, I made sure I gave myself the best opportunity and gave myself lots of chances to get it right and wrong. Eventually, you figure out the best way, and make contact with people who can give you work.”

A common misconception in the world of journalism is that the hardest part is getting a job. Quite the opposite, Adam says: “A huge challenge is that you have to accept that not everybody’s going to like you. Broadcasting is very, very subjective and especially so with social media nowadays. Sometimes it’s good, and sometimes it’s bad, but you just have to accept that not everyone will like the way you do it.

“Having said that, I always knew the industry was competitive, and I was often told this too. Without sounding too negative, I think that there are a lot of people who want the jobs that are out there, but I don’t know if there are that many who are well suited for them. I’ve always thought that if your skills and your ability were good enough, you’d get the jobs. I made sure that I learnt and got better and better at what I do, and that was followed by work and people liking me.

“I haven’t got every job I’ve gone for, but I’ve been able to find work consistently because I made

sure I got better and responded to feedback people gave me. It is competitive, but if you focus on what makes you better, you’ll find the work.”

Something that Adam feels worked in his favour was that he always knew what he wanted to be, and hence could go about trying to fulfil his goal while still at school. “I knew I wanted to be a sports journalist from a very young age. I loved playing sport, but I also loved talking

and writing about it – everything to do with it. When it became apparent that I wasn’t good enough to play professionally, I figured that talking and writing about it was the next best thing. I began to think about it as a potential career when I started at Hampton, and it was something I followed all the way through as I got older. “

A question which polarises opinion amongst the UK’s elite writers: an academic degree or a media degree? “I did a journalism degree in America, and that worked well for me, but that’s not to say that it has

to be done this way. I would say, pick something you enjoy doing at university, whether that be a traditional subject or journalism.

“The main thing is to get the experience. Just do journalism! When you leave university and go for a job, you’ll soon find that whether you have a good degree is less important. The second question after ‘Have you got a degree?’ is ‘What’s your experience?’ If you haven’t got that, no one will give you work.”

Adam tells me that he believes practice is the key to a career in the media: “There’s nothing to stop you from taking your phone and going to watch a Hampton 1st XI game and writing about it. You could even interview Mr Mills or a key player after the game! That’s a great way to practise standing by the side of a pitch and watching a match, and condensing it into a concise report. I think it’s key, while you’re at school, to

just practise, practise and practise. Take it to your teachers, get feedback, but

most importantly, listen to it.”

And finally, how did the Sports Chronicle equip him for a distinguished career in broadcasting? “It taught me about the nuts and bolts of journalism. It was a huge part of my growth as a journalist, learning how to write to a number of words. I didn’t choose to go into written journalism, but it still really helped me. I write my own scripts for TV every day, so being able to write is crucially important. I also learnt how to interview people, and get good soundbites and quotes out of people.”

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT

Ex-HSC Editor Adam Hunt at work for Sky Sports News

13

LOCAL HEROESWhen you think of football, what comes to mind? Bright lights? Incredible skills? Trophies and success? Perhaps not the sixth tier of professional football, where 22 teams compete for the right to reach the heights of the National League or even the Football League itself.

In a league sponsored by Vanarama - a company I had been vaguely familiar with due to the occasional game I had encountered on BT sport - Hampton and Richmond Borough FC (to give them their full name) ply their trade.

Hampton started out in the South West Middlesex League in 1921, having been founded as Hampton FC. They then spent until the turn of the century in a variety of leagues such as the Spartan League (winners four times), the Athenian League and the Isthmian League.

In 2003, Alan Devonshire (a former England international and FA Cup winner) took over as manager, guiding the club to the Premier Division before going on to reach the Conference South (the sixth tier of football). The club were then relegated in

2011/12 but under new manager Alan Dowson they were crowned Isthmian League champions in 2015-16.

In the past the team has played against various major sides, in matches such as pre-season friendlies, meaning the following players have played at the Beveree (the home ground):

Michail Antonio - Tooting & Mitcham United (now West Ham / England)

Chris Smalling - Maidstone United (now Manchester United / England) played for non-league sides against HRBFC

Craig Bellamy - scored twice against HRBFC (played for Liverpool, Cardiff and Wales among others)

Rob Green - former England goalkeeper (now with Leeds United)

Mark Noble - current West Ham captain

Scott Parker - former England national team captain (now at Fulham)

James Collins - is still at West Ham

All played for West Ham United during a full-strength friendly in 2009.

Other top players to have appeared include:

Havard Nordtveit (currently at West Ham)

Vito Mannone (currently at Sunderland)

Wojciech Szczesny (currently on loan at Roma from Arsenal)

All played for Arsenal in a friendly in 2007.

I ventured down to the Beveree on a cold winter’s day, for the visit of Maidenhead United, in what was a top of the table clash in the Vanarama National League South. I entered the turnstile, and purchased a youth ticket for just £3. That’s less than the cost of a programme at many Premier league grounds!

I took my place close to the end Hampton were attacking in the first half - standing of course, as is the tradition. The game started brightly with 3 goals inside the opening half-hour.

Another feature of non-league football is spotting potential future stars, such as the Jamie Vardys and Charlie Austins who have made the rise up the football ladder. Jamal Lowe (who scored HRBFCs first goal) may be one of them.

He recently signed for

Portsmouth FC in League Two, having fired in 15 goals last season. He was also capped for the England C team, scoring on his debut against the Estonia Under-23 team. Jamal Lowe - remember the name.

At half-time I made the pilgrimage to the refreshments area. I grabbed a bag of chips for only 80p, a bargain by my reckoning. Standing on the side I heard the coach, none other than Martin Tyler (the Sky Sports commentator) barking orders at the players in the second half.

Unfortunately, Maidenhead extended their lead to 3-1 after a slightly fortuitous deflected header. Hampton pulled one back with 10 minutes to go (Jamal Lowe again) to set up a grandstand finish, but alas the home team could not rescue a valuable point.

As I wandered out of the ground I was struck by the Hampton and Richmond players coming over and clapping their supporters. A true show of support, given the nature of the result. So I would encourage you to find your closest local team and get out there and support them!

James Dowden

14

Tanmay Thanawalla describes his trip to India for a cricket tour.

Indian cricket redefines the rules of the game. Yes, they have the basics. They train and play matches much like us, but the way they play their game is so different. If you have ever watched England play in a stadium on Indian turf, you will have seen the passion of the home players and their supporters. When I visited India during the Christmas holidays, I was lucky enough to experience playing cricket in these conditions.

The coaches are referred to as ‘sir’. Their charges religiously arrived on time every day. They have a daily structure to follow. Firstly, they arrive, change into their whites, then put on their cricket shoes. Then they start warming up: a ten-minute routine involving every single body part. Their mentality is that if they are going to do something, no matter how monotonous it is, they must do it well.

Next, two of the players get padded up to bat in the nets, while the others mark their bowling run ups and start practising. Once the batsmen are ready, the nets begin in full flow. For an hour and a half, the boys put their heart into playing the game at their best. What we treat as a normal practice session is almost treated like a test match in India. They are so well trained

that they have the ability to bowl the same ball for multiple overs, frustrating the batsman until he makes a mistake.

There was also another reason why the standard was so high. All of the boys had one aim. To impress the coaches – who were almost like their second fathers - and receive an opportunity to play in the club matches. This is their first step to being noticed for a higher level of the game. A good performance meant they had the chance to play for an older group so their talent could be assessed. Reaching state level here would be nearly as hard as getting into the England team.

There is one main reason for this: there are so many people. The whole population plays the game. Hardly any boys or girls are not interested in cricket. Wherever you go, cricket. They use anything to play. As simple as a water bottle as a bat and a rock as the ball. They have idols around the world, from Joe Root to AB de Villiers. Yet no one compares with MS Dhoni. The world knows him as a legend of the game. Yet Indian cricket fans treat him as a God. They would do anything to meet him.

I was lucky enough to have the chance to play in two matches. In one match, there was a point where I was standing at cover, facing the batsman on our pitch, yet I was also standing at short midwicket, back to the batsman,

on the other pitch, due to the shortage of playing fields. A very odd scenario, yet very common in Mumbai. They simply do not have enough space for multiple pitches which have separate squares. The outfield was very dry and contained more rubbish than fresh grass. There was hardly a point where you picked the ball up cleanly when it rolled towards you, even at a slow pace.

Despite my mediocre batting scores in the matches (25 and 1) I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of playing abroad. It showed me that not all of the people in the world are privileged enough to buy expensive sports equipment, but they still have the passion for the game. They don’t wait for opportunities to come. They work for them and create them themselves. With such a populous country, players often don’t get second chances to impress. One run or one wicket could make all the difference between being selected for the next level and being ignored.

In England we have multiple chances along the age groups to progress as cricketers. For them, it’s not so easy. Some of the boys I played with had not progressed but they still treated every session with the same mentality. Another factor the players possessed was their welcoming attitude. I was only in Mumbai for 3 weeks but I felt like I could have stayed there for a much longer time. They were happy to have me join their academy and play alongside them. They pretended there was no language barrier and communicated with cricket instead.

INDIAN SUMMEREditor’s NoteI would like to thank all those involved in making this issue what it is today with a special mention to Mr Smith who has been running HSC for many years. With everyone’s effort we pulled through and we are all very proud of this edition.

The future is looking bright as there are many more young journalists and photographers than ever, keen to get involved. Nevertheless, we are always on the lookout for more talent so if you want to be part of the team speak to Mr Smith in the English Office.

Lourenco Anunciacao

SPECIAL MENTIONS:

Josh BartholomewToby BookerJames DowdenAdam KhanJamie LashleyNick PowellPaul Wilkinson

Special thanks to Mr Marc Sutton-Edwards and Mr Lewis Owens for their support in producing this issue of the HSC.

15

HSC Editor Lourenco Anunciacao speaks to Hampton’s rowing supremo Colin Greenaway.

I was fascinated reading all the bizarre boat names – do they have any meaning?

The pairs are named after Hampton rowers who have either won a junior medal or have represented Oxbridge. The fours are named after coaches and the eights are named after notable people from in and around the boathouse – often headmasters or parents.

How do the logistics for a race work?

It’s a nightmare! Obviously we have to get all the equipment down there so it is a logistical challenge. All the boats have to be de-rigged and put on a trailer. The trailer is then driven to the location of the next event. Then all that equipment has to be put back together, and finally there is the actual race!

Then at the end of the race we have to pack it all up again, load it back onto the trailer and return it to the boathouse where it has to be unpacked all over again.

So it is an awful lot of work to go to a race; it is very different to a football match where you jump off the coach and off you go.

Is the Hampton Head a headache to organize?

Yes, it is a massive event with over 500 crews and 2000 competitors. It gets built on year after year – to make sure that it runs well we have to communicate with the local council and with over 30 clubs that turn up to race. Also there is a lot of safety to deal with – it takes up a huge part of our time.

How was rowing changed at school level since your time?

Now it is much more professional: the boys now are training - not necessarily harder - but just more like pros. The equipment far exceeds anything I would have rowed in as a junior – the boys are now racing in boats that are not too dissimilar to what is used at international level. In my day we would race in tub boats.

One massive change is that now you are getting ex-international oarsmen as opposed to school teachers to coach rowing at schools – their experience and knowledge is being fed through into junior rowers and makes a huge difference.

Are there any tactics involved in rowing?

The reality is that it depends on the type of race – in the Summer we go to some regatta events where there are sometimes even six or eight boats side by side, Olympics style. In a multi-lane course like that, you can try to go

out there hard to lead the race or you might wait until halfway for a sprint, but you can never know what the other crews are going to do – it is not like rugby or football, it’s just getting from A to B as fast as possible and so there are not really any proper tactics.

At the top level what is it that makes the difference between winning and losing?

I think it comes down to training – it comes down to doing the basics very well. So it has to do with the hours you put in during the winter, and then on race day you are looking to replicate those to the best of your abilities. It is mainly just about having the right mental attitude.

Do the senior boys train as much as professionals?

No, the 1st VIII train nine times a week and professionals train three times a day – at least twenty sessions a week. They are not even close in terms of the level of training hours but they should not be as they are just

junior athletes who could not physically cope with more and of course academics have to come first.

If a senior boy wanted to become a junior champion, how large is the step up?

The gap is not that big – we have had boys at the top end of school rowing who have had

success internationally. Namely Dom Jackson last year among others.

Is rowing at Hampton different from other schools?

The vast majority is similar – being in schools every programme has similar constraints – for example, academic study must come first. These limitations force similarity – though boarding schools tend to have more sessions as they have more time with the boys of course. The fundamentals are always the same – there is a balance of some land work, some work on the ergos and some work on the water.

Photo: Rowing Photography

DOWN AT THE BOATHOUSE