SEDBERGH School was the toast of Wembley after its rugby team were honoured for their sporting achievements at the Aviva and Daily Telegraph School Sport Matters Awards.
The school XV went the whole of last season unbeaten and were highly commended in the School Team of the Year category – receiving their award from England rugby captain Catherine Spencer.
Director of rugby Dan Harrison collected the award at a star-studded ceremony where he rubbed shoulders with ex-England hooker Brian Moore and World Cup winner George Cohen.
And Harrison – joined by director of sport Stuart Oliver and former vice-captain and Harlequins scrum-half Sam Stuart – said the trip was one he would never forget.
“We have been fortunate enough to have had a very good run of students coming through who have been talented and also willing to learn,” said Harrison.
“We have played some very tough schools, like Millfield, Colston's and Wellington and to go unbeaten for the season was a remarkable achievement.”
Nineteen year old Stuart added: “The school has a great tradition and all the players know they have to try and uphold it so to go unbeaten for a whole season was brilliant.”
The school won over an 11-strong judging panel including Olympic silver medallist Gail Emms, former Arsenal and England footballer Lee Dixon and Moore.
And after presenting the award Spencer, whose England side finished runners-up at this year’s World Cup, was quick to praise the school’s efforts.
She said: “Sedburgh have to be highly commended for consistently outstanding achievements on the pitch having lost only twice in the last five years.
“It is the ability to come through close, pressure matches that makes teams great and not just good alongside the ability to perform every time the team crosses the white line under great expectation and pressure to live up to a name and win.”
* The Aviva and Daily Telegraph School Sport Matters Awards recognize outstanding achievements in school sport across the UK and form part of Aviva’s commitment to give all children the opportunity to get active by 2012 through the Aviva Academy. Go to aviva.co.uk/athletic
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