History made at the National Schools Championships 2026

The National Schools Rugby Fives Championships 2026

St Paul’s School, Barnes

Saturday/Monday, 28-30 March 2026

History was made at this year’s championships when Freddie Hammond Giles won the U18 Singles title for the third year in a row, a feat achieved previously only once, by Peter Mellor in 1960, 1961 and 1962. Fittingly Peter was present on finals day to watch Freddie play and then to award the Jesters’ Cup to the young champion from St Paul’s School. Further history was made later in the day, when Freddie teamed up with his partner, Josh Ferro, to win the U18 Doubles, also for the third year in a row. This has never been done previously. There was a third piece of history to celebrate when Freddie’s younger brother Joey won both the Singles and Doubles in the U16 category. This combination of two brothers winning the four titles in the same year has never occurred before at the National Championships.

In the U14 Championships, players from the Edinburgh Academy continued the school’s successes in this age group over the past three years. The Academy can now boast the U14 Singles and Doubles Open Champions to add to the U13 Singles and Doubles titles won at last month’s Girls’ Schools Championships.

The entry of over 140 players from 18 Fives-playing schools and clubs was most probably a record and made for a packed Sunday’s programme, brilliantly managed by organiser Theo Parker, ably supported by Sam Roberts and James Harrison from our kind hosts, St Paul’s School. Over the three days Theo was aided in the construction and running of the 13 draws in action by General Secretary Chris Blakeley, Alex Smith and Peter Worlledge. The RFA’s thanks go as ever to them, to the various coaches, masters-in-charge, staff, drivers, friends and family members who brought and supported the players, and to the many young players who make these championships such a positive experience.

Results

U18 Singles

1st round: F Schelin (Rad) bt B Weir (Fett) 5-9; L Ferro (SPS) bt O Zhou (CHosp) 15-8

2nd round: F Hammond Giles (SPS) bt Schelin 15-1; R Jones (Stam) bt E Efthimiou (SPS) 15-2; F Aird (Fett) bt J Liu (WinC) 16-14; O Carroll (Ton) bt F Morgan (Bedf) 15-3; J Ferro (SPS) bt Stevenson (Ton) 15-0; S McMurran (Bedf) bt T-R Foo (All) 15-4; Z Okada (SPS) bt C Rollo (UCS) 15-10; T Munaretto Day bt H Jones (Stam) 15-5; T Ritchie (SPS) bt M Russell (EdAc) 15-4; Z Goulding (WinC) bt E Hunter (Hari) 15-6; R Hargreaves (Merc) bt C Sharpe (Stam) 15-4; C McNaughton (Stam) bt D Cheung (SPS) 15-3; N Cortas (SPS) bt A Cross (EdAc) 15-0; M Arie (All) bt C Burrows (Stam) 15-3; H Severino (All) bt J Duff (EdAc) 15-9; V Fikhter (YClub) bt L Ferro 15-1

3rd round: Hammond Giles bt Jones 11-0, 11-0; Carroll bt Aird 11-2, 11-1; J Ferro bt McMurran 11-7, 11-1; Munaretto Day bt Okada 6-11, 11-3, 11-7; Ritchie bt Goulding 11-2, 11-4; McNaughton bt Hargreaves 11-4, 11-1; Cortas bt Arie 11-2, 11-5; Fikhter bt Severino 11-0, 11-0

Quarter-finals: Hammond Giles bt Carroll 11-1, 11-0; J Ferro bt Munaretto Day 11-5, 11-8; Ritchie bt McNaughton 11-0, 11-2; Fikhter bt Cortas 11-5, 11-0

Semi-finals: Hammond Giles bt Ferro 11-0, 11-2; Fikhter bt Ritchie 11-5, 11-4

Final: F Hammond Giles (St Paul’s) bt V Fikhter (YClub) 11-3, 11-1

Plate final: M Russell (Edinburgh Academy) bt H Jones (Stamford) 11-5, 5-11, 11-4

U18 Doubles

1st round: Rad/Merc bt EdAc 2 15-3

2nd round: SPS 1 bt Rad/Merc 11-0, 11-0; Bedford bt All/Hari 11-1, 11-3; SPS 3 bt Ton/WinC 11-1, 11-5; EdAc 1 bt Alleyn’s 11-3, 5-11, 12-11; SPS 2 bt Stamford 2 11-3. 11-6; Tonbridge bt SPS 4 11-5, 11-5; Stamford 1 bt Fettes 11-1, 11-1; Winchester bt Stamford 3 11-5, 11-3

Quarter-finals: SPS 1 bt Bedford 11-0, 11-2; SPS 3 bt EdAc 1 11-5, 11-1; SPS 2 bt Tonbridge 11-8, 11-9; Winchester 1 bt Stamford 1 12-10, 11-1

Semi-finals: SPS 1 bt SPS 3 11-3, 11-5; Winchester bt SPS 2 11-9, 11-4

Final: St Paul’s 1 (J Ferro & F Hammond Giles) bt Winchester (Z Goulding & T Munaretto Day) 11-0, 11-1

Plate final: Alleyn’s (M Arie & H Severino) bt Stamford 2 (M Hunter & R Jones) 11-6, 11-4

U16 Singles

1st round: E Scott (All) bt Marquinez (Fett) 15-0; P Jesuarul (EdAc) bt Coogan (Ton) 15-5; S Negyal (All) bt R Xie (Marl) 15-5; Dobson (WinC) bt H Durnall (MKell) 15-11; Bauer (SPS) bt Hunter (Stam) 15-11; Macpherson-Raffell (Fett) bt Norton (MKell) 15-6; Lee (WinC) bt Adams (MKell) 15-5; L Scott-Tucker (MKell) bt Theieme (Fett) 15-0; Dyson (MKell) bt Linton (Blox) 15-2; Mitchell (EdAc) bt Allen (All) 15-0; Agostino (SPS) bt D Gilbody (SNS) 15-5; Wilson (Ton) bt Cao (MKell) 15-3; Baijal (SPS) bt Hilder (All) 15-7; Uzzell (Fett) bt Tse (Ton) 15-3; Valentine (EdAc) bt Murray (EdAc) 15-11; Brown (EdAc) bt Knight (MKell) 15-4; Taylor (All) bt Soon (WinC) 15-4

2nd round: J Hammond Giles (SPS) bt Scott 15-1; Jesuarul bt Kininmonth (SNS) 15-1; Kohashi-Khan (All) bt Whybrow (MKell) 15-3; Derry bt Negyal 15-4; Green (All) bt Dobson 15-1; Carnegie (WinC) bt Bauer 15-4; Thomas (PS) bt Macpherson-Raffell 15-6; Clark (EdAc) bt Lee 15-8; Ponte (SPS) bt Scott-Tucker 15-5; Mitchell bt Dyson 15-8; Puri (SPS) bt Agostino 15-9; McAllister (All) bt Wilson 15-1; Fletcher (Marl) bt Baijal 15-6; Bhalodia (SPS) bt Uzzell 15-2; Valentine bt Brown 16-14; Henry (EdAc) bt Taylor 15-5

3rd round: Hammond Giles bt Jesuarul 11-7, 11-3; Derry bt Kohashi-Khan 12-10, 11-5; Green bt Carnegie 11-4, 11-2; Clark bt Thomas 11-1, 11-2; Ponte bt Mitchell 11-0, 11-5; McAllister bt Puri 11-9, 11-7; Fletcher bt Bhalodia 11-8, 11-1; Henry bt Valentine 11-3, 11-0

Quarter-finals: Hammond Giles bt Derry 11-5, 11-2; Green bt Clark 11-7, 11-7; Ponte bt McAllister 12-10, 11-1; Henry bt Fletcher 1-11, 11-7, 12-10

Semi-finals: Hammond Giles bt Green 11-0, 11-5; Ponte bt Henry 11-2, 11-4

Final: J Hammond Giles (St Paul’s) bt A Ponte (St Paul’s) 11-5, 11-9

Plate final: S Negyal (Alleyn’s) bt W Lee (Winchester) 5-11, 11-7, 12-10

U16 Doubles

1st round: MKelly 2 bt WinC 2 15-11; EdAc 4 bt MKelly 4 15-; SNS bt Fettes 2 15-1; EdAc 3 bt Blox/Ton 15-1; Alleyn’s 4 bt Fettes 1 15-11; SPS 3 bt Alleyn’s 3 15-4; SPS 4 bt MKelly 1 15-13; Tonbridge bt MKelly 3 15-2

2nd round: EdAc 1 bt MKelly 2 15-3; Alleyn’s 2 bt EdAc 4 15-5; SPS 2 bt SNS 15-0; WinC 1 bt EdAc 3 15-8; SPS 1 bt Alleyn’s 4 15-3; EdAc 2 bt SPS 3 15-11; Marlb bt SPS 4 15-1; Alleyn’s 1 bt Tonbridge 15-1

Quarter-finals: Alleyn’s 2 bt EdAc 1 11-7, 7-11, 11-7; SPS 2 bt WinC 1 9-11, 11-0, 11-8; SPS 1 bt EdAc 2 11-1, 11-0; Alleyn’s 1 bt Marlb 11-0, 11-7

Semi-finals: SPS 2 bt Alleyn’s 2 6-11, 11-5, 11-6; SPS 1 bt Alleyn’s 1 8-11, 12-11, 12-10

Final: St Paul’s 2 (J Hammond Giles & T Outred) bt St Paul’s 1 (A Ponte & R Puri) 11-4, 11-9

Plate final: St Paul’s 3 (I Baijal & A Bhalodia) bt Mount Kelly 1 (H Dyson & F Whybrow) 11-4, 12-10

U14 Singles

Groups

Group A: 1^st Walker (EdAc); 2^nd Hilder (All); 3^rd Robinson (WinC)

Group B: 1^st Northmore (MKell); 2^nd Coondapoor (SPS); 3^rd Naidoo (BMod)

Group C: 1^st Cowie (EdAc); 2^nd Dunbar (Merc); 3^rd Rakowski (BMod)

Group D: 1^st Sethi (SPS); 2^nd Dreher (MKell); 3^rd Downs (Ton)

Group E: 1^st Pancholi (SPS); 2^nd Williams (MKell); 3^rd Boyadjian (Fett)

Group F: 1^st Dhital (WinC); 2^nd Logg (Fett); 3^rdBrimacombe (MKell)

Group G: 1^st Rees (SPS); 2^nd Leiper (Merc); 3^rd Hart (Stam)

Group H: 1^st Clark (EdAc); 2^nd Ayling (MKell); 3^rd King (Stam)

Group I: 1^st Gilbody (SNS); 2^nd Usselmann (All); 3^rd Nadarajah (SPS)

Group J: 1^st Mitchell (EdAc); 2^nd McCulloch (Merc); 3^rd Acer (All)

Group K: 1^st Foo (All); 2^nd Narayanaswamy (EdAc); 3^rd Wright (CHosp); 4^th Sheriden (MKell)

Group L: 1^st Pereira Nentwich (All); 2^nd Lallu (SPS); 3^rd Manifold (Fett); 4^th Anthony (MKell)

Group M: 1^st Hang (WinC); 2^ndHeaton (SPS); 3^rd Farish (EdAc); 4^th Zhang (Ton)

Group N: 1^st Stannah (WinC); 2^nd Blake (Ton); 3^rd Pilkington (All); 4^th Hall (Fett)

Group O: 1^st Jamieson (EdAc); 2^nd Cameron (All); 3^rd Walker (Merc); 4^th Vines (Stam)

Group P: 1^st Cortas (SPS); 2^nd Norsworthy (MKell); Strang (EdAc); 4^th Krykun (All)

Knock-out

1st round: Walker (EdAc) bt Robinson (WinC) 11-0; Leiper (Merc) bt Pancholi (SPS) 11-2; Usselmann (All) bt Northmore (MKell) 11-3; Foo (All) bt Lallu (SPS) 11-0; Dhital (WinC) bt Williams (MKell) 11-1; Dunbar (Merc) bt Mitchell; (EdAc) 11-4; Rees (SPS) bt Dreher (MKell) 11-3; Coondapoor (SPS) bt Clark (EdAc) 12-10; Cortas (SPS) bt King (Stam) 11-0; Heaton (SPS) bt Stannah (WinC) 11-2; Sethi (SPS) bt McCulloch (Merc) 11-18; Norsworthy (MKell) bt Pereira Nentwich (All) 11-3; Jamieson (EdAc) bt Logg (Fett) 11-4; Gilbody (SNS) bt Narayanaswamy (EdAc) 11-4; Cowie (EdAc) bt Blake (Ton) 11-6; Hang (WinC) bt Walker (Merc) 11-1

2nd round: Walker bt Leiper 11-0; Foo bt Usselmann 11-2; Dhital bt Dunbar 11-1; Coondapoor bt Rees 11-6; Cortas bt Heaton 11-6; Sethi bt Norsworthy 11-8; Jamieson bt Gilbody 11-6; Cowie bt Hang 12-10

Quarter-finals: Walker bt Foo 11-3; Dhital bt Coondapoor 11-6; Cortas bt Sethi 11-8; Cowie bt Jamieson 12-10

Semi-finals: Walker bt Dhital 15-4; Cortas bt Cowie 15-8

Final: J Walker (Edinburgh Academy) bt K Cortas (St Paul’s) 11-4, 11-2

Plate final: E Strang (Edinburgh Academy) bt F Farish (Edinburgh Academy) 15-13

U14 Doubles

1st round: SPS 2 bt Alleyn’s 3 11-1; MKelly 1 bt Fettes 2 11-1; MKelly 3 bt Tonbridge 12-11; SPS 4 bt Alleyn’s 2 11-3; Fettes 1 bt MKelly 4 11-2; SPS 1 bt Stamford 4 11-2; BedMod bt Stamford 3 11-0; EdAc 3 bt MKelly 2 11-7; Stamford 1 bt Alleyn’s 4 11-3; Winchester 1 bt EdAc 4 11-4; EdAc 2 bt Stamford 2 11-0; Winchester 2 bt SPS 3 11-6

2nd round: EdAc 1 bt Merch 2 11-0; SPS 2 bt MKelly 1 11-8; MKelly 3 bt SPS 4 11-8; SPS 1 bt Fettes 1 11-0; Merch 1 bt BedMod 11-2; EcAd 3 bt Stamford 1 11-3; EdAc 2 bt WinC 1 12-11; Alleyn’s 1 bt WinC 2 11-3

Quarter-finals: EdAc 1 bt SPS 2 15-2; SPS 1 bt MKelly 3 15-4; EdAc 3 bt Merch 1 15-7; EdAc 2 bt Alleyn’s 1 15-13

Semi-finals: EdAc 1 bt SPS 1 15-0; EdAc 2 bt EdAc 3 15-10

Final: Edinburgh Academy 1 (R Jamieson & J Walker) bt Edinburgh Academy 2 (N Clark & E Strang) 11-6, 11-4

Plate Final: Mount Kelly 2 (N Brimacombe & B Northmore) bt Edinburgh Academy 4 (F Farish & D Narayanaswamy) 15-8

Bowl final: Mount Kelly 1 (T Dreher & T Williams) bt Fettes 1 11-5