Friday 7th February – St Peter’s School vs. Kettering Rugby Club

On a night that can only be described as biblical, a fearless squad of Governors, Teachers, Parents, and Alumni pulled on the navy and sky hoops of St Peter’s and marched into battle against Kettering Rugby Club under the Friday Night Lights. The weather? Apocalyptic. Sideways sleet, freezing rain, and wind so strong it should have carried away the referee (unfortunately, it didn’t).

A Rocky Start... Literally

With zero warm-up and minimal tactical discussion, St Peter’s took to the field in what can only be described as a self-discovery exercise — “Who plays where?” being the most pressing question of the opening five minutes. Kettering capitalised on the confusion, racing in two early tries before we’d even figured out which way we were supposed to be running.

Luckily, former professional Rugby League star and Chair of Governors, Mr Dawson, was holding the front row together like a well-aged prop should, though he may or may not have regretted signing up for this in the first five minutes.

The Engine Room & Tactical Genius

Our veteran trio of Drage, Aldwinckle, and Thomas brought a calm head and serious weight to proceedings, and as the team started to gel, the Birch boys at 8 and 9 worked brilliantly together; though, unfortunately for them, Kettering had clearly decided they were public enemy number one and launched every single forward at them for the duration of the match.

Standout Performances: Bravery, Skill & Unexpected Violence

Special mention goes to Baillie, McCarthy, and Costello, who threw themselves into some monstrous tackles; Costello, in particular, earned Man of the Match with a defensive display that could be described as 'borderline illegal in some countries.'

New signing Golf Pro Callum had the game of his life, despite the fact that it completely ruined his Saturday tee time. Meanwhile, International recruits Lasco and Csermak, playing their first-ever rugby match, proved to be absolute legends, showing zero fear and throwing themselves into every tackle and breakdown like seasoned professionals.

And then there was Mr Day, a man on a mission. He was at every single breakdown, causing havoc, bringing passion, and generally making a nuisance of himself. He was certainly one for Kettering to watch.

Mr Ray, in his triumphant return to rugby, delighted the crowd with some precision kicking and the poise of a man who has spent years perfecting his game (or at least watching it).

The Tries: A Case of Mistaken Identity

Both St Peter’s tries were scored by the mystical and enigmatic "Rob Fox", a player not actually called Rob Fox but wearing a Fox Group-sponsored shirt and thus forever known as Rob Fox, Try-Scoring Machine.

Second Half: St Peter’s Strike Back

Despite a line-out throw from Thomas so wildly off-target that it gifted Kettering another try, the second half saw a complete momentum shift. With the hill, wind, and freezing rain now working in our favour, St Peter’s dominated.

Kettering didn’t score a single point in the second half. We won every scrum, smashed every tackle, and started getting under their skin. There were faces being handed off, brutal rucks, and a noticeable increase in “accidental” rough tackles. It became clear that Kettering were starting to crack, not least because they couldn’t hold onto the ball in the mud-soaked chaos.

Even the junior supporters on the sidelines weren’t safe, at least two were seen covered in mud from head to toe.

Post-Match Revelry: Port, Pride & Tall Tales

Despite the biblical conditions and questionable refereeing decisions, spirits remained sky-high. The clubhouse was packed after the game, where a little bit of port was consumed (entirely for recovery purposes, of course).

The post-match analysis (or embellishment) began, with players recalling electrifying runs that may or may not have happened, an explosive back row that certainly played like World Cup winners, and one particularly dazzling breakaway down the right wing that ended just inches short of a debut try (if we tell the story enough, it’ll become true).

Final Score:

Kettering RFC 34 - St Peter’s 10

But really… who’s counting?

Final Verdict:

• Did we win on the scoreboard? No
• Did we win every scrum? Yes
• Did we have an amazing time? Most of us!

Here’s to the first annual St Peter’s Friday Night Lights match. We’ll see you all next year. Same time, same place, hopefully better weather.