‘Dulwich Day’, as it has become affectionately known, brings an air of excitement like no other fixture. Breaking only for Covid, this is the longest-standing school fixture in the world, standing at an admirable 140 years to date. However, this fixture is about so much more than the game of rugby – it’s about a long-standing friendship, rivalry forged with mutual respect and a shared enduring heritage.
The history between the schools is rivalled by no other and the boys are fully aware of the opportunity to make their own mark in history. This year’s fixture lived up to expectations, as all were fiercely competitive but played with a mutual respect for the opposition.
The excitement was no more prominent than on the U15C pitch, where the U15Cs traded blows for the entire match and were 28-all with one minute to go. The last play of the game was a penalty to Bedford, who opted to kick at goal. The tension was palpable but nerves of steel from Alfie James ensured the kick sailed between the uprights for Bedford to win the game 31-28.
A special mention should go to Ted Ho, who was outstanding for the D team on Saturday. So much so, he was called up to the C team during the match and his form continued; scoring with his first touch of the ball, he scored for both Bedford teams! The U15 A and B teams continued their outstanding form with comfortable wins, with Mr Gracie saying how much of a pleasure it was to watch the U15B team, who always produce cohesive and committed performances.
The U14s shared the spoils away from home (2 wins, 2 losses and a draw). Whilst Bedford were winning their A and B matches, Dulwich were boasting their strength in depth.
A single conversion was the difference between the two teams at second team level and, although Dulwich were the team that got the conversion, it was a much-improved performance for the second team. It was great to see Shayaan Jadoon score a try on his debut after supporting a beautiful clean line break from Charlie Carey. The 1st XV spent much of the first half of their game in their own 22, but their gritty defence and sharp attack meant they went into the break 14-0 up. In the second half, the passes started to stick, and ball retention at the breakdown was much improved. Bedford stretched their lead and didn’t look back, closing the game 40 points to 5.