Whitgift produce sporting all-rounders of excellence

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

- Brendan Gallagher

WHITGIFT School, an oasis of green in busy bustling Croydon, have always had a proud sporting tradition and that included a distinctly useful Rugby XV but in recent years it has become a real powerhouse feared around the country.

This is where the likes of Danny Cipriani, Elliot Daly, Marland Yarde and Harry Williams learned their trade, but frankly that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Other senior rugby players include wing Mark Foster once of Exeter, Tosh Masson, George Merrick, Stan South, Richard Thorpe, Adam Thompstone and Nev Edwards, while going back a little further there was classy full-back Chris Catling and utility back Gavin Thompson, England B internationals both.

Then there was Lawrence Okoye, a powerhouse forward during Daly and Yarde’s era and perhaps the biggest rugby prospect of all who gave rugby up to firstly break the GB discus record and compete at London 2012 before he moved to the USA to pursue an American Football career.

All-round sporting talent is commonplace at Whitgift, in fact it almost defines the school. Daly was an England U15 cricketer – a fast bowling all-rounder – while Cipriani was a talented footballer and cricketer. World Cup cricket winner Jason Roy, meanwhile, was a stand out at full-back who had to decide which sport to concentrate on and England opener Dom Sibley a classy fly-half.

Master in charge for the last 13 years has been former Wasps flanker Chris Wilkins, who although enjoying considerable success both at the start of his tenure and more recently warns against the ‘twin imposters’.

“We have been fortunate enough to produce some cracking players and teams over the years who have gone on to great things but that’s not how we assess what we have achieved.