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At Fettes College in Edinburgh, Old Paulines produced a strong showing, with Ed Kay (2005-10) claiming his first Cuthbertson Quaich with a commanding victory over Ben Beltrami (2009-14). Ollie Arnold (2009-14) partnered Beltrami to secure the doubles title after impressive semi-final and final performances. – Full report
Here are the Doubles champions Arnold and Beltrami:
Several Old Paulines featured prominently at the 2026 National Doubles Championship for the Cyriax Cup. Ed Kay (2005-10) and Dan Tristao (2002-07) successfully defended their title, claiming a fourth consecutive championship and a fifth overall after an extraordinary three-game final. Their tactical adjustments and composure under pressure proved decisive in a dramatic 16-14 final-game victory. Challenging them were fellow OPs Ollie Arnold (2009-14) and Charlie Brooks (1997-2002), whose powerful attacking play and precision pushed the defending champions to the limit in one of the most memorable finals in recent tournament history. – Full report
The Old Paulines successfully defended the Wood Cup, winning the final against Edward Alleyn Club 1st IV with some ease. The Wood Cup was played out at St Paul’s and Alleyn’s, with seven clubs vying for what turned out to be a highly polished trophy. The tournament kicked off with a two-group round-robin on Saturday at St Paul’s School. In the four-team Group A, the Old Paulines showed too much strength and depth for the rest of the field. They finished comfortably at the top of the group, just five points short of a maximum 312.
Finals day on Sunday saw an even stronger OP side take on EAFC 1. With all four of the OP team ranked in the top 13 nationally, victory was always going to be a tall order for EAFC 1. Despite a fine singles win for EAFC, the OPs won comfortably to retain the Wood Cup for the fourth year in a row. A special mention goes to OP Theo Parker (2007-12), who recorded a sixth consecutive Wood Cup win.
Team: Old Paulines: C Brooks (1997-2002), F Hammond Giles (current pupil), T Parker (2007-12), J Aquilina (2005-10) and J Ferro (current pupil) – Full report
On 18 April, John East (1960-65) enjoyed a memorable return to championship success at Marlborough College, to win the Grand Masters Doubles title for the Over 75s. Him and his multiple time champion partner Wayne topped the group stage before producing a commanding 15-1 victory in the final, rekindling the highly successful partnership they first forged in the late 1970s. – Full report
Meanwhile, the Fives being played at St Paul’s is still going strong, with a remarkable National Schools Rugby Fives Championships in Barnes in April 2026. With wins in the U18 Singles, U18 Doubles, U16 Singles, and U16 Doubles. Freddie H secured an unprecedented third consecutive U18 Singles and Doubles ‘double’ alongside partner Josh Ferro, with former champion Peter Mellor present to witness the occasion. Freddie’s younger brother Joey added further glory by winning both the U16 Singles and Doubles titles. Across all age groups, St Paul’s players demonstrated exceptional depth and talent, underlining the School’s continuing strength in Rugby Fives.
