Sports News

This week, we are pleased to bring news from cricket, athletics, touch rugby and rowing.

Athletics

Lord Burghley Trophy, Eton,  Saturday 17 May

A wonderful team performance was epitomised by pupils stepping up to fill last minute gaps resulting in a 5th place finish overall behind winners Harrow, relegating Eton to second for the first time in over a decade.

There was no better example of this than Fourth Former, Cyrus Sheikh, volunteering to run the open 2000m steeplechase despite never having done the event before.

Other highlights included an 800m/1500m double victory for Charlie Nicolson (Fourth Form) in the junior age group. To emphasise the SPS middle distance power, Joachim Strabo (Fourth Form) won the B string 1500m beating the A string athletes from every other school in the process.

John Gunn (Fifth Form) took 1st place in the inter long jump and Charlie Pama (Lower Eighth) won the senior discus.

In the engine room we had Matthew Neo (Fourth Form), John Gunn (Fifth Form), Josh Knox (Sixth Form) and Henry Whittaker (Lower Eighth), who between them managed to total 26 events! There is a break before the next match, which will surely be appreciated by the athletes.

Cricket

SPS vs Trinity School, Saturday 17 May

It was a successful weekend for cricket, with many sides recording victories in some tight matches.

The 1st XI lost by just 8 runs after a heroic last wicket stand of 51 runs by de Mestre (Sixth Form, 41 not out) and number 11 Martyn (Fifth Form). Earlier in the day Ali (Lower Eighth) scored 43 while Bhatia and Malik (both Upper Eighth) each took 3 wickets.

The 2nd XI won by 173 runs, with notable performances from Lower Eighth players: Katzenellenbogen (95), El-Guindi (76 not out), Sankaye (55) and Hammond Giles (3-29).

The 3rd XI won by 4 wickets, with Marchand (Lower Eighth) scoring 33 and Dattani (Lower Eighth)taking 3 wickets.

All three U15s sides won, with Ranvir Puri scoring 62 and Bhalodia taking 3-41 for the A team; Iyer scoring 84 and Kapur and Ahmad each taking 3 wickets for the B team; and Dearlove taking 3 wickets for the Cs.

The U14As lost while the U14 Bs and Cs won. Notable performances include Trichur 3-22 for the As, 3 wickets for Moorcroft for the Bs, and Brooks 65 not out for the Cs.

Rugby

Schools Touch Rugby Competition 2025, South East: Friday 9 May, Old Reigatian RFC

Two Fifth Form teams, alongside one from our partner school – Fulham Boys School, took part in the SE regional leg of the competition.

Both St Paul’s teams played well to reach the semi-finals.

Rowing

Thames Ditton Regatta

On Saturday 17 May, the J14C and D crews raced at Thames Ditton. In their first round, the D crew lost a blade, but were only just beaten by Windsor Boys’ School. They went on to win the plate competition, beating a Radley crew in the final. The C crew, riding high after their win at Bedford Regatta last week, beat both Windsor Boys’ and St George’s on their way to winning their classification.

Both the C and D crews now look forward to their biggest challenges yet at the National Schools’ Regatta, where they will be racing against A and B crews from other schools.

Poplar Regatta

On Sunday 18 May, most of the Boat Club raced at Poplar Regatta.

The J14A and B crews, fresh from wins at Bedford Regatta last week, took first and third places in the J14 octuples event.

The J15 A and B crews also took first and third places in the J15 eights event.

The J16B facing a field in which every other J16 crew was from Dulwich, finished second. The J16C double had a great race against a crowded field to take a commendable 3rd place.

The 2nd VIII and J16A crew both raced in the J18 category against first eights from other schools. Despite posting a solid time, the 2nd VIII did not qualify for the final while the J16A boat went on to finish 4th behind only J18 first eights.

The 1st VIII, racing in the open men’s event, had an intense race in their heat, pipping their major rivals Shiplake by 0.7 seconds after being down off the start – this allowed SPS to become the only school crew to progress after Shiplake opted out of contesting the final. In a fierce final, the 1st VIII finished 5th, losing to three Oxford Brookes University crews plus the club crew of the moment from London Rowing Club. All SPS crews will be in action next weekend at the National Schools’ Regatta in Nottingham.