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Triumph on Two Fronts: Exeter College Shines in National Rugby and Hockey Championships 

The Rosslyn Park 7’s tournament, known as the largest 7-a-side tournament globally, witnessed over 14,000 boys and girls competing fiercely. Among them, two teams from Exeter College entered into the fray, each aiming for glory in their respective categories. 

In the Girls U18 ACE competition, dubbed the top tier for girls U18, our blue team geared up for intense battles. Drawn into Pool B against other AoC Performance College teams, including Henley College (Ealing Trailfinders), Loughborough College (Loughborough Lightning), Oaklands College (Saracens Rugby), and Worthing College B (Harlequins), our squad faced rigorous challenges. However, they displayed exceptional skill and fitness, eventually clinching victory against Worthing College A, the Harlequins Academy, in the final with a commanding 20-7 scoreline. Tilly Pulfer’s blazing speed earned her a hat-trick of tries, while Charlotte Wreford’s masterful control and strategic play earned her the title of player of the tournament. 

Simultaneously, in the Girls U18 Open competition, our team in pink and black took on the challenge. Placed in Pool K on day one, they fought fiercely, securing a spot in the next round by finishing second, despite a narrow loss to Peter Symonds. Their determination shone through as they progressed to day two, ultimately triumphing in the final against Samuel Whitbread Academy with a 19-5 victory. 

Meanwhile, in another sporting arena, Exeter College’s men’s hockey team showcased their prowess in the England Hockey Notts Sport Schools Tier 3 National Championships. After battling through the Devon and West of England rounds, they faced off against the nation’s best. 

Their journey to victory was hard-fought. A crucial 2-1 win against Sevenoaks propelled them to the top of the group, with goals from captain Innes Rose-Price and Ronnie Horne securing the victory. Subsequent victories against Royal Russell and Sandbach solidified their place in the elite final. In a nail-biting final showdown, goals from Sol Bloomfield and Zach Simons, coupled with resilient defending from Tristan Peatt and Jacob Murphy, led them to a 2-1 victory over Worksop, clinching the coveted silverware. 

Both on the rugby field and the hockey pitch, our teams showcased not only their skill and fitness but also their unwavering determination to emerge victorious, etching their names on numerous trophies of sporting excellence. 

Find out more about our Sports Teams at our next Open Event on Wednesday 24 April. 

Exeter College Hockey Academy Coach Gus McVey helped Zimbabwe Ladies to a bronze medal in the African Olympic Qualifying Tournament which was held in Cape Town.  

Gus, 48, combines his role as Exeter College Hockey Academy Coach with being Head Coach of the Zimbabwe Ladies’ Hockey side and his developing team outperformed expectations to bag a bronze medal in the qualifying tournament held in South Africa over the summer.  

The third-place finish represents the highest position the country has finished in the tournament since 1990 and Gus was thrilled to help his side on their way to a medal.  

“Getting that bronze medal was a great way to end what had certainly been a challenging two months in Zimbabwe fraught with many challenges,” said Gus.  

“What’s particularly pleasing for me is that this result means that Zimbabwe’s world ranking of 66 will improve and give the team a much higher standing when it comes to future tournaments.” 

Since speaking, Zimbabwe Ladies’ Hockey side has indeed risen in the rankings, leaping up to 46th in the world.  

During their training in the build-up to the tournament, Gus and his side had to deal with blackouts and fuel shortages but the entirely self-funded team still managed to train four times a week.  

The tournament itself wasn’t without drama, as Zimbabwe Ladies were informed that their first two games would be against the top two ranked teams in the competition, Ghana and South Africa.  

Gus’s side fell to a late 3-1 defeat against Ghana and then pushed African champions South Africa all the way and, despite losing 2-0, the result represented the best performance against the host nation for any team in the tournament – all the other teams that faced South Africa lost by five goals or more.  

Zimbabwe went on to defeat Kenya 2-0 and then played out a frenetic match with Namibia and ran out 3-2 winners to secure the bronze medal.  

“To win a medal of any colour is really quite an achievement,” said Gus.  

“If we had won the tournament we would have been going to the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 but we’re all thrilled to have come away with the bronze medals. Thank you to all who followed, supported and helped me and my team have a chance of an Olympic dream.”

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