CHEVALIER College is set for one of its most successful sporting days ever on Saturday, as the Independent Schools Association winter season finishes up with the grand finals.
Among Chev’s grand final contingent are four of the College’s five rugby teams.
For the first time ever, Chevlier dropped from division one of ISA to division two and the move has come with unbridled success.
The first XV, under-16s, under-15s and under-13s all play for the title at Oakhill College on Saturday.
School principal Chris McDermott said the school had a re-found enthusiasm for sport and rugby in particular.
“It’s an exciting week for the College,” McDermott said.
“There is a wonderful feeling around which marks the real rugby resurgence this year.
“Since we changed divisions the boys are now highly competitive and in turn this had increased the spirit agenda and their competitiveness.”
Indeed, ever since winning the ISA division one First XV title in 2001, Chevalier had become the whipping boys of the competition.
First XV co-coach Peter Reeves said that while winning wasn’t everything, the success had spurred more enthusiasm for school sport.
“We don’t have compulsory sport here [at Chevalier] so we didn’t have the numbers to field two competitive teams in each grade,” Reeves said.
“That is the main difference between division one and division two. We now only have to field the one team.
“But now with the success, the boys are talking about footy on a Monday morning again, which is something that hasn’t happened for a while.”
The first XV have their own chance to create a slice of sporting history and bring home the trophy in Chevalier’s first year in division two.
The last final they won was the First XV in 2001 when the likes of Daniel Drewe and Tim Small dominated the schoolboys competition.
The firsts are up against Redfield on Saturday and Reeves has strict instructions for his boys.
“We have the bigger pack, while they are probably faster out wide and fitter,” the coach said.
“As such we’ll look to play a tighter mauling game and limit their space and time out wide.”
The firsts made the final with a come-from-behind 24-19 win over Central Coast Grammar last weekend. Chev were down 12-0 at the break, but put on 24 unanswered points to set up an assailable lead.
Reeves said captain and hooker Ben Felby and vice captain Rhys Lintern were the standouts last week and he would look for their direction again in the grand final.
The under-13s play Central Coast Grammar in the decider, while the under-15s face off against All Saints Bathurst and the under-16s also play Central Coast.
All games are at Oakhill College.