Skipper picks up award for outstanding performance

MORE than 100 guests attended The Oratory School’s rugby club dinner on Saturday night, with captain Rudi Derbyshire walking away with the Paul Keddie Shield for outstanding performance.

There was added emotion to this year’s presentation with former 1st XV captain Paul Keddie — who played for the first team for five years and went on to be a house master at the school — having passed away in the summer.

The guest of honour was former Five Nations grand slam-winning England head coach, Dick Best, who entertained the audience with many memorable tales from his time involved in the sport.

Argentine exchange students Dalmiro Alegre and Pedro Barbeito also shared their thanks for a term in which they made “life-long friends and memories”.

The third of the front row contingent from Cardinal Newman College in Buenos Aires, Cruz Walker, had flown back home to celebrate his club side’s cup triumph earlier in the week.

The day had begun well for Oratory with a resounding 55-7 derby success at Pangbourne College, and two-try hero Adi Hector was the winner of the inaugural Derbyshire Cup donated by the captain’s parents, Rob and Nikki.

They were presented with replica shirts by head of rugby, Mike Hennessy, with their two elder sons Harry and Louis — both previously 1st XV players — also in attendance along with teammates Tom Croisdale and Iwan MacRae, the older brother of Wales Sevens and Rams’ ace Morgan MacRae.

And further Old Oratorians were on show in the form of the unbeaten U16s team from 2005, led by previous school captain and Maltese international Sam Borg.

The Captain’s Cup was won by hard-hitting back row Jacob Bangs, with the MacRae Cup for the best lower-sixth performers shared by inside centre Seb Charles and versatile forward Charlie Mossop.

The Tom Hennessy Shield, awarded to the player who best showcased the values of the school and rugby club, was won by Max Schuetz.