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Rossall teacher and Fives coach Tom Root, proudly displays the national trophies watched by the school’s ‘fantastic fives’ champions, left to right: Luke Williams, Christopher Metcalfe and Jack Morrison.
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Success in the Palm of their Hands
Newly crowned world heavyweight boxing champion, David Haye may have made a decent fist of his assault on the world title by beating Russian giant, Nikolai Valuev, but nearer to home several pupils at one of the region’s leading independent schools have also had a hand in a major sporting triumph that sees a national title coming to the North West for the first time.
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Thankfully there wasn’t a broken hand in sight as pupils from Rossall rose to the top of the pile in the National Fives Championships, taking the Open Competition title and also winning the U-15 trophy, with impressive victories over some of the most competitive schools in the one of the country’s oldest sports.
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Over 100 schools entered this year’s event and in the Open competition, the Rossall pairing of Christopher Metcalfe, 17, and Luke Williams, 14, went through all stages unbeaten, winning their group and dropping only five points before a quarter final victory against Oundle School 1, followed by a comfortable win against St Olave’s 3 of London in the semis. In the final, Metcalfe and Williams met last year’s champions, St Olave’s 1, running out 15-7 winners, following some excellent points-winning shots from both boys. Their victory sees the trophy coming to Rossall for the first time in the school’s history.
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In the U-15 national competition, Luke Williams featured again, this time paired with partner, Jack Morrison, 15. Their final opponents were St Olave’s U-15 first team who made a tight match of it before some neat, cross-court shots from Williams enabled Rossall to claim a 15-11 victory and a second piece of silverware.
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In a busy competition for Williams, he also reached the final of the national U-15 singles, losing narrowly to first seed, Weston, of Wolverhampton Grammar School, 15-13. Metcalfe also came close in the Open singles, falling 15-12 at the semi final stage to eventual winner, Hewlett of St Olave’s.
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In the U-13 age category, Rossall’s Tom Morrison and Harry Andrews, both 12, reached the final of the plate competition, showing a promising future for the ancient sport of Fives on the Fylde Coast.
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School Fives coach; Tom Root believes that Rossall’s emergence as a national force is down to the enhanced facilities at the School, where eight fully covered courts have been refurbished, giving the school the largest facility of its kind in Britain.
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Says Root: “Fives is a fantastic sport, which for the uninitiated is similar to squash, with shots being played with the hand rather than with racquets. Along with its close companion, Handball, it’s becoming increasingly popular amongst school children in both independent and state schools, so much so that we plan to run coaching courses here at school.”
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Rossall Fives, which is an amalgam of Eton and Winchester Fives, has been played at the school since Victorian times and is a great spectator sport as well as fiercely competitive and demanding. Now, with more doubles and singles players donning the special padded gloves and taking to the school’s refurbished courts it is conceivable that the Rossall will be a regular challenger for the national title.
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Added Root: “To win in one national age group is good, but to win in two and have finalists in the singles and junior pairs this year is testament to the potential here at Rossall for years to come. Our next goal will be the world championships, which will be an even bigger test for our boys, but one they’ll relish, as nothing seems to faze them, which is why we’ve won our first titles so convincingly. Our progression is great for the school and I hope it will help to inspire more children from across Wyre and Fylde to consider playing Fives.”
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Oliver with Wigan Warriors Head Coach, Brian Noble
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Oliver with Sean O'Laughlan (Wigan Captain) and Kris Radlinski (Great Britain Full Back)
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MEET OLIVER THE WARRIOR
Rossall U14s rugby welcomes the addition of Oliver Murray, who joined us this term in Spread Eagle House.
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Oliver has plenty to celebrate at the moment, after being accepted on to the Wigan Warriors RL under 14 training scholarship scheme.
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He was presented with his Wigan shirt by head coach Brian Noble at an awards ceremony at the JJB Stadium.
Oliver began playing for Fylde RUFC mini junior section at the age of six before going to Preston Grasshoppers. And while playing for the Lancashire Rugby League team he was spotted by Wigan scout Bill Ashurst.
Oliver plays for the famous Wigan St Patricks team and was later selected for the Wigan and Leigh service area team.
His passion has not just been for rugby league but union as well - he was selected for the North Lancashire district and then moved on to schools of rugby training at Sale Sharks RUFC.
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At Wigan, Oliver is now under the watchful eye of Warriors' head scholarship coach Kris Radlinski, the former Great Britain full-back.
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