Sir Thomas Rich’s marked 80 years of rugby at the school with a special celebration event on Saturday, bringing together pupils, alumni, parents and supporters for a full day of sport and fundraising in aid of the School Development Fund. From the first whistle at 11.30am, the school fields were alive with energy as Years 7-10 took part in the House Rugby tournaments, showing real determination, teamwork and pride. It was equally special to see alumni back in action for the touch rugby fixtures, bringing together past and present in true Rich’s spirit. The afternoon delivered a brilliant showcase of competitive rugby. The U17s secured a hard-fought 12-7 victory over the U16s in a closely contested match. The headline 1st XV fixture against Hartpury College provided a thrilling finale, with Sir Thomas Rich’s coming out on top with an impressive 36-26 win.

Off the pitch, the atmosphere was just as vibrant. With a steady flow of barbecue food, refreshments and conversation, the event felt like a true community celebration, bringing together pupils, parents, alumni and friends of the school in support of a shared cause. All funds raised will support the School Development Fund, which plays a vital role in enabling sport at Sir Thomas Rich’s. With so many pupils taking part in fixtures such as rugby on a weekly basis, this level of opportunity simply wouldn’t be possible without that support. The generosity of alumni, parents and friends helps provide essential resources such as coaching, transport and equipment, ensuring pupils can continue to represent the school with pride.

Click here to Support the Development Fund

The celebrations continued into the evening with a black-tie dinner and live music, providing the perfect finale to a memorable day. Mr Chris Carter, former Deputy Head, Old Richian and 1st XV Captain (1974–76), delivered the after-dinner speech. Chris was particularly pleased to be reunited with his 1975 1st XV teammate, Gareth Beamish (pictured here on the left, with Chris). Reflecting on the occasion, Chris said: “We hadn't seen each other for 50 years and shared some great memories. The power of rugby brought us back together.”

A huge thank you to everyone who attended, supported and contributed. It was a fitting tribute to 80 years of rugby at STRS – and a powerful reminder of the community that continues to make it all possible.

Here are just a few of the lovely comments we’ve received from some of the parents and alumni who attended:

“We just wanted to say thank you and congratulations for Saturday's wonderful rugby event. We were there pretty much the whole day and thought it was such a wonderful day for the school community, our son loved playing and watching the rugby and we were so grateful to everyone who facilitated each aspect of the programme. The evening event was lovely too; the hall looked great, the food was delicious, the young people did a fantastic job and we loved hearing from the different representatives of the school about their experiences. So, a huge thank you for all your hard work!”

“Just a quick note to say a huge thank you from the class of ’99 for a wonderful afternoon and evening’s rugby and entertainment. It was a lot of fun and a great reminder to us alumni of the strength and culture of rugby at STRS. I’m sure you don’t agree given the work involved but my only regret is that we have to wait 10 years to do it all over again…but it’s worth the wait.”

“Just wanted to say a very big thank you for yesterday's 80 year celebrations of STRS Rugby. It was so heart warming to see all the games being played on the field, with so much interest and support. Well done and thanks to you and everyone involved with staging such a magnificent event.”