Oasis Academy Shirley Park has been working increasingly closely with Harlequins this year to help develop and grow the game of rugby within our school community.
Saturday 20th June was the Gallagher Premiership Final, the biggest day in the English rugby calendar. Gallagher, the league sponsors, asked each Premiership club to select a group of students they felt deserved a unique opportunity: complimentary tickets to the final, along with the chance to play on the pitch at Twickenham Stadium, the home of English rugby, during half-time in front of a capacity crowd.
We were incredibly proud that Harlequins selected our students to represent Team Harlequins for this special occasion.
The day began at The Stoop, where our students took part in a Year 11 tournament. They performed superbly throughout, with several comments made about both their talent and the way they conducted themselves. Following the tournament, we made the walk to Twickenham Stadium to take our seats and prepare for the half-time experience.
The entire day was exceptional. Our students were a real credit to the school, representing us with professionalism, enthusiasm and maturity. They were interviewed by TNT Sports, spoke confidently with everyone they met, and were an absolute pleasure for staff to accompany throughout the day.
I would also like to extend a special thank you to Sam, who has supported me tremendously this year in developing rugby within the school. His dedication to his year group and willingness to go above and beyond helped ensure that the students were able to take part in such a memorable experience.
Max Adolphe
Head of PE department
