So stylish even Sir Clive came for a lesson

Brendan Gallagher continues his series looking at rugby’s great schools

- Brendan Gallagher

THERE are very few rugby clubs that can claim to have been at the cutting edge of organised rugby in England at the dawn of time nearly 150 years ago while still maintaining that status now in 2020.

That, though, is the justifiable claim of Wellington College in Berkshire who were among the 21 founding members of the RFU in January 1871 yet remain a powerhouse in the modern day schools game.

Wellington are perennially among the strongest rugby schools in Britain – arguably the world – and the school is the first port of call for local senior clubs such as London Irish and Harlequins looking to recruit young rugby talent into the professional ranks.

Thus far they can claim 11 Rosslyn Park Sevens titles – second only to Millfield – while in the NatWest Cup and Daily Mail Trophy competitions they have been consistent winners and finalists.

Modern day Wellington sides have become bywords in slick handling and imaginative attacking ploys. That point was vividly illustrated one afternoon late in 2000 when Clive Woodward, not happy with the off-loading skills of his England squad and their ability to keep ball live, brought them down for a long session with the Wellington Sevens squad who were in the middle of a run of three Festival wins on the trot at Rosslyn Park.

The rugby tradition at Wellington is a long and proud one and the ethos of those representing the school was set by a number of outstanding early pioneers.