Rugby

Rugby is the performance sport in the autumn term. St Lawrence College currently field 2 senior teams and junior teams all the way down to the U12’s. Every boy is given the opportunity to represent St Lawrence College and has a valuable role in a robust and challenging environment irrespective of his body shape or skill set.

In the younger years, boys are taught to master the basic skills, including safety. Emphasis is placed on enjoying the game and each session is planned to challenge the players and have a large element of fun. Students are given the opportunity to take part in our Junior development programme in years 7 and 8.

As the boys move up the school their basic skills are gradually supplemented with more complex concepts as their own understanding of the game grows. We want the boys to practise and refine their individual skills in their own time and in organised positional clinics. We aim to give every boy the opportunity to play a rugby fixture every week. Students who demonstrate real potential in year 9 onwards have the opportunity to be invited to take part in our Sports Excellence Programme for Rugby. Here they will train with the best players in the school, where they are challenged to develop higher order skills. Many of our best players progress onto the Kent pathway as well as some who move onto the Saracens Academy. 

In 2019/20 our U14 Rugby team made it to the semi-final of the main Kent Cup Competition and even more impressively our U15 Rugby boys were one game from the Twickenham final. They unfortunately lost a thrilling semi-final to St John’s Leatherhead in the U15 Natwest Vase. 

Current Head of Rugby, Adam Izzard, is the Kent U18’s backs coach. 

Sports Fixtures & Results 

Adam Izzard

Position:
Director of Sport, Head of Rugby

Having been educated at the Royal Hospital School in Suffolk, rugby was always going to play a large part in Mr Izzard’s upbringing. County rugby for Suffolk U16’s and U18’s and then Eastern Counties U18’s set him up to play rugby into adulthood. Back home he then played his initial club rugby initially for Gosport & Fareham 1stXV at the age of 18 as well as Hampshire U19’s, most surprisingly on the wing.

He then attended Chichester University, who progressed into the BUSA Premiership, a great achievement for such a small university. He played in his more accustomed position of inside centre. He also represented Sussex U21.

His first teaching job took him to the small market town of Buckingham, where he played out the remainder of his playing days as fly half or inside centre. It was also here that his coaching started, firstly at the local grammar school with much success and then finally onto the role of Director of Rugby for his beloved Buckingham Rugby Club. Having completed this role successfully for 4 years, he made the move south to start his new teaching role at St Lawrence in 2010. Adam is the current Kent U18 Rugby Coach.

“The school is successful in providing opportunities for pupils of all abilities to gain academic success and develop their individual talents.”

ISI Inspection Report 2015