Sport

Rugby at Hampton is renowned for its excellent standards and  encourages boys to become the best that they can be through conviction and personal endeavour. By allowing each pupil to develop their own individual talents and skills, within a team environment, we aim to promote a desire to succeed that is formed through a selfless approach to hard work and understanding of an individual’s role within a team.

We have a strong emphasis on developing the core skills of the game while encouraging every boy and every team to play to their highest standards. Boys across the year groups are selected for representative programmes at county, regional and premiership rugby academies and many Hampton alumni have gained international honours through this pathway.

By maintaining the proud traditions of the School and the game of Rugby Union, players are encouraged to develop within an enjoyable and positive environment that challenges individual skill and desire but also promotes team work and trust in those who work alongside you.

Coaching

Every boy at Hampton, whatever their ability, is given the chance to improve, supported by expert coaching and a culture that expects the best of him.

Training
Each junior year group trains at least twice a week, preparing boys for their regular fixtures without overtraining them or over-committing them in a busy school. All players are coached by our Senior Coaches and Director of Rugby, each of whom holds a current RFU Level 3 qualification. Boys also learn from specialist coaches, including current and former internationals and rugby professionals.

Strength, Conditioning and Support
From U14, players work regularly with our dedicated Strength and Conditioning Coach, building the physical strength the game demands and reducing the risk of injury. Pupils have continuous access to medical and physiotherapy support through our partnership with Physio & More.

The Senior Elite Pathway
In the senior age groups, boys can opt for our elite pathway, which includes dedicated video analysis, individual athlete monitoring and performance-based training.

Pathways Beyond School
A significant number of our boys play for Middlesex or Surrey age-group teams, while others are involved with junior academies at London Irish and Harlequins, with which the School maintains strong links.

Facilities

Hampton School has an IRB certified, all-weather 3G pitch alongside our home playing fields. The School also has use of pitches at London Irish RFC and Twickenham RFC.

Fixtures & Competitions

The School regularly fields fifteen sides across the age groups, with teams playing on Saturdays in a competitive ‘block’ fixture list and in various cup competitions.

Hampton enters and regularly enjoys success in the Middlesex and Surrey County tournaments, as well as the Schools Cup, at U18 and U15 level and the St Joseph’s College National Schools Rugby Festival.

In the spring term, the School competes in a number of leading Sevens competitions. Four age groups enter the HSBC National Rosslyn Park Sevens at the end of the rugby season.                                                                                                                         

Tours

The senior squad has enjoyed several international tours in recent years visiting South Africa, New Zealand, Fiji, South America, Canada and the USA. These tours give the boys a chance to not only play against sides from all over the world, with each country offering its own set of unique challenges, but also to experience some of the cultural and adventure based activities that these destinations have to offer.

Tours closer to home for the younger teams include an annual pre-season training camp in France for the U15s and a biennial U12 and U13 tour to the Netherlands, as well as various UK destinations.

Players with International Honours

1965 – D Travis, England U19
1968 – M Hepple, England U19
1969 – R Bell, England U19
1974 – T Bryan, England U19
1974 – N Hassell, England U19
1980 – S Heaver, England U18
1986 – A MacDonald, England U18
1994 – D Smyth, England U18
1997 – S Amor, England U18
1997 – A Beattie, England U18
2005 – R Coskie, England U16 A
2007 – W Browne, England U18
2007 – S Jewell, England U20
2009 – C Burke, Ireland U18
2009 – F Wem, Scotland U17
2010 – F Wem, Scotland U18
2010 – L Hopkinson, England U17
2010 – G Bentley, England U16A
2011 – A Lundberg, England U16
2012 – N Barry, USA U18
2012 – A Lundberg, England U18
2013 & 2014 – A Lundberg England U18 & U20
2013 – N Barry, USA U18
2013 – H Hall, Denmark U18
2014 – Niall Barry, USA U20
2014 – Roman Malin-Hiscock, England U16 Lions
2014 – Zack Santos, England U16 Saxons
2015 – Akira Takenaka, Japan U20
2016 – Shane Barry, USA U16
2016 – Will Attfield, England Sevens
2017 – Louis Lynagh, England U16
2018 – Louis Lynagh, England U18
2018 – Shane Barry, USA U18 Sevens
2018 – Shane Barry, USA U19
2019 – Louis Lynagh, England U19
2019 – Gwilym Bradley, Wales U19
2019 – Aidan Barry, USA U18 Sevens
2019 – Louis Lynagh, Barbarians FC RugbyX

Fixture Programme

The School has an established fixture programme and competes at the top level of school football. The A and B squads play competitive fixtures while our other teams play a friendly fixture list.

Hampton competes in a number of local and national competitions including: The Independent Schools Football Association Cup (ISFA), The English Schools’ Football Association Cup (ESFA) and the Surrey Cup age-group tournaments.

The School also organises bespoke international tours. Our squads have travelled to Amsterdam and also trained in Porto.

Selection Process

Football is the largest participation sport at Hampton with over 70% of boys playing football in their first two years at the School.

The selection process is a continuous assessment, which allows for movement of boys within teams. Hampton’s football coaches take time to ensure that players are selected for the squads which best suit their ability level and these decisions are regularly reviewed.

We encourage players to work hard in training to ensure both improvement and consistent levels of performance.

Hampton is one of the top rowing schools in the country and it is a very popular sport amongst our boys.

The boys row on the Molesey stretch of the River Thames which is just a short run from the School. Our facilities are outstanding with a superb boathouse and impressive fleet of boats.

DIRECTIONS TO THE MILLENNIUM BOAT HOUSE

The School has a dedicated coaching team headed by its own, full time Director of Rowing, Colin Greenaway, a former international athlete and Junior International Coach for the Great Britain Team.

Pupils begin learning the discipline in the Third Year when they will be taught to scull. The emphasis is on enjoyment and building skills. There are regular training camps in the holidays with locations including Seville, Hazewinkel, Belgium, Temple Sur Lot, Bordeaux.

Hampton’s oarsmen are among the best in the UK with many selected to represent their country at competitions including the Junior World Championships. A number continue rowing at university, with many gaining scholarships at presitgious international institutions including Princeton and Harvard in the USA.

Old Hamptonians, include Karl Hudspith (President of the Oxford University Boat Club 2012); the Livingston brothers and the Smith brothers have competed in the Boat Race. The Searle brothers are also well-known Old Alumni and Olympic Gold Medallists (Greg Searle was part of the Bronze Medal GB Eight, London 2012 twenty years after his Olympic Gold in Barcelona 1992).

Hampton’s rowing department has a thriving Parents’ Association which raises funds to support our rowers.

ROWING SQUADS

J14

This is the beginners’ squad. The emphasis on J14’s is to establish watermanship rather than to win medals. The boys scull in: 1x, 2x, 4x and 8 boats.The culmination of the year is finally racing at the National Schools’ Regatta and Peterborough J14 Regatta.

J15

In their second year of Rowing, sweep oar rowing is gradually introduced. The training becomes more intensive and boys will aim to compete in Eights at the National Schools’ Regatta.

J16

The J16 squad is a time of transition between the J15 and Senior Squad. Training gradually intensifies, as does competition. The Eights at the National Schools’ are still the main focus, but there is also the first opportunity to earn a Great Britain vest at the GB-France match.

SENIOR SQUAD

When boys join the Senior Squad, commitment is expected. Intensive training in the Sixth Form means new friendships are forged between the year groups. It is from the Senior Squad that the First and Second Eights are chosen.

We are proud that Hampton School consistently produces rowers who go on to represent Great Britain and England at the following International level competitions:

• Home Countries International
• Coupe de la Jeunesse
• Junior World Championships

CAMPS

In addition to regular training, Hampton rowers benefit from training camps and overseas trips, gaining valuable experience on and off the water.