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England U20s squad that played in the recent
Junior World Championship in South Africa, is
also on Harlequins’ books, as is Joe Trayfoot,
who has played for England at U18 level.
International honours have also been won
by a number of recent OEs whilst playing at
the College, including Tom Flynn, who
represented the USA and Ireland Clubs at
U16 and U18 levels,Tom Harty, who played
for England Clubs U18s and Ben Francis and
Cameron Jeffery, who both played for
Scotland U16s.
Current pupil James Francis has also
played for Scotland at U16 level, while Jordan
Burns represented England Clubs U18s this
season and has become the most recent
College player to secure a professional
contract with Harlequins.
WOMEN’S RUGBY FIRST
FOR COLLEGE PLAYER
“The desire to be successful
runs deep at Epsom but all
levels of ability are catered for
within the rugby programme,
from the budding international
star to the “social” player.”
Success in winning the Daily Mail U15 Cup
in the past has been matched by regular success
on the rugby 7s circuit in the Lent term.
The 7s squad benefits from specialist
sessions run by Mike Friday, the former
England 7s coach and members of the
Harlequins coaching team, led by Academy
coach, Howard Graham.
The Colts VII are past winners of the
National 7s competition at Rosslyn Park, while
the 1st VII have also regularly featured in the
final rounds of the national tournament.This
season, the 1st VII won the Reigate Charity 7s
title and were losing finalists at the Surrey 7s.
Touring is a regular and popular feature
of the rugby calendar.The senior squad have
alternated long haul trips to Australia, New
Zealand, South Africa and South America
with more local tours to Ireland and recently
to the Brian Ashton Academy in Normandy.
Junior squads have also made regular short
pre-season tours to Scotland and Northern
Ireland.
The desire to be successful runs deep at
Epsom but all levels of ability are catered for
within the rugby programme, from the
budding international star to the “social”
player who wants to keep fit and have fun
with his friends within a team environment.
The College runs teams from 1st XV to 6th
XV and all the way down to U14D.
Rugby success at Epsom College is not just
limited to the boys.The girls’ 1st VII has won the
Reigate Charity 7s for the past two years and
now a female College player has gained
international recognition for the first time.
Following recent trial matches, this season’s
captain of girls’ rugby, Rochelle Smith, has been
selected for the England Women’s U20 rugby
squad for the 2012-13 season. She will take part
in home and away games against France in the
spring internationals and the U20s Nations Cup
in England.
Rochelle has been playing rugby competitively
for the past four years. She started her playing
career aged 14 at Sutton & Epsom RFC and later
in her first season moved to London Irish where
a girls’ squad had just been formed.
Training has been key to Rochelle’s success and
as she has moved up the RFU player pathway, her
training load has increased from four hours to
12-14 hours a week.This includes club, county
and divisional training, as well as personal strength
and conditioning and fitness programmes.
Rochelle is keeping her feet firmly on the
ground, however, and is not letting her rugby
interfere with her studies.“My academic work is
my priority, but I believe if you manage your time
well, there is no reason why one thing must be
compromised for another,” she said.
Next year Rochelle will be doing a Pre-Med
course at Birkbeck, University of London, before
moving to Jamaica in September 2013 to pursue
a medical career.
During the year she does her Pre-Med course,
Rochelle will be playing for England and will also
be joining Premiership rugby club Saracens to play
a more intense, higher level of rugby. Whilst in
Jamaica, she plans to play rugby 7s with one eye
on a possible appearance at the Olympic Games.
TOP: The girls’ 1st VII has
won the Reigate Charity
7s for the past two years
running. Captain Rochelle
Smith, seen holding
the trophy, was named
Player of the Tournament
on both occasions.
ABOVE: Rochelle Smith is
the first female College
rugby player to be selected
to play for England
www.epsomcollege.org.uk
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