*Original article by Tom Parker of RugbyPass
England’s Eton College have been unveiled as the next School to join the stellar line up at the 2023 WSF.
They travel alongside Hartpury College who retained their English Champions title yesterday with their 10th AASE National Champions title.
Hartpury’s distinguished alumni include Louis Rees Zammit (who missed playing in the 2018 WSF due to International call-up), England’s Jonny May, Alex Cuthbert and Ross Moriarty from Wales.
The 2nd year of the new format for the WSF promises to build of the excitement and interest of 2022.
This international event which will feature 8 top schools from across the world competing in the Cup competition, with an Open Trophy and a Girls 7s Tournament being played alongside.
The World Schools Festival will be an incredible showcase for schoolboy rugby between 12th – 17th December.
Eton College, currently lying 6th on the English Order of Merit league ahead of the likes of Sedbergh and Millfield, have had a fantastic season with only 1 narrow loss so far (coming against 2022 WSF participants, Trinity), but also having played more matches than any of the other teams ahead of them in the league table, and their water-watering fixture against Harrow being cancelled.
Eton now join the previously announced schools…
St Michael’s College, Ireland
Westlake Boys’ High School, New Zealand
Cardiff & Vale College, Wales
Oakdale Landsbou, South Africa
Hartpury College, England
Hoërskool Dr. E.G. Jansen, South Africa
The who’s who of global school’s rugby is not only limited to the schools travelling to Thailand.
In the Open tournament, the Odyssey squad will field 2 teams, and be coached by 2 of the very best schools rugby coaches in the world.
Katleho Lynch, the South Africa Schools Head Coach (and Director of Rugby at St Johns College in SA), and Sean Graham, the Director of Rugby from Nudgee College in Queensland, wh0 have one of the best rugby programmes in Australia.
The Festival promises to once again embody the true spirit of rugby with 2023 and will host 24 teams and over 475 players representing 12 countries, building on the reputation as the most international schools rugby festival in the world.
For further information or any questions about the WSF, contact us at www.worldschoolsfestival.com