Rugby Friday Nights Light Up
On Friday 14th November 2025, St George’s 1st XV came out with a mission – to break the 13-year cycle of not securing a victory over St Albans School (SAS) in what has become the local school rugby derby. It was a wild night under the floodlights, bringing together a combination of rain, momentous support for both sides (plus a band!) and some tense and electrifying rugby.
Albert described the match: “It was a ‘brutal’ first half. The match kicked off at full pace, with huge tackles from both sides and whilst St George’s looked more dominant physically, punching holes in the SAS line and controlling territory early on, but ill-discipline cost them valuable points. Two penalties in dangerous areas suddenly handed them the lead by 14 points. Soaked and punished for errors, St George’s heads could have dropped. They didn’t. Instead, St George’s spotted space, made a clean line break, chipped ahead, and won the foot race to touch down followed by a secure conversion for a halftime score of 14-7.
Whilst the second half saw St George’s put on a tireless onslaught of attack, the points just wouldn’t come.
Then in the final minutes of the match, St George’s gave their all, breaking through the SAS defence to score and convert and bring the score line to 17-14. The atmosphere was alive with cheers of support to drive the St George’s boy’s momentum. And it worked. A penalty came moments later securing a draw… but a draw against St Albans wasn’t what St George’s had trained for. With a penalty advantage, a high cross field kick was launched and plucked from the sky to be taken over the try line and see St George’s 1st XV break the cycle and win the match 19-17”.
This was an evening to remember, particularly for parents who have been at the school for many years watching their boys play rugby in St George’s colours and a moment to celebrate the sporting effort, resilience, and determination of the school. The support from fellow students (from both schools), ex-students, the teachers and parents and siblings, was an example of how St George’s is not just a school, but a community.
