FEATURED IN THIS
RUGBY’S WEEK OF WONDERS
ETON FIVES COURT REFURBISHMENT
SRI LANKA RUGBY & CRICKET
OE SPOTLIGHT – PIERS MARTIN AND SAMUEL AKPAN
OE UPDATE – MUSTAFA SARKAR
SWIMMING POOL STARS
RUGBY QE VS HABS
Rugby’s Week of Wonders
'Every single player gave it their all'
QE enjoyed a remarkable week of rugby success, as both the U13 A team and U14 squad were crowned tournament champions.
First, the younger boys showed great character in overcoming early setbacks to go on to victory in a thrilling final in the Old Grammarians Tournament. Then the U14s swept all before them, dominating the Enfield Ignatians Tournament and winning all three of their matches in style.
After conceding early in their opening game, the U13 boys from Year 8 rallied for a 20–5 win over Enfield Grammar School. They followed this with another strong display against Finchley Catholic High School, sticking to their game plan to secure a 20–10 victory.
In the final, QE once again faced Enfield Grammar – and this time delivered their best rugby of the day, providing an exciting spectacle. With sharp attacking play and fierce defence, they stormed to a 30–5 win to lift the cup.
Mr Di-Lieto gave special mentions to: Shradan Venkatesan, for his superb control of the game’s tempo; Vivann Reddy for fearless tackling and powerful running; and Vice Captain Ashar Khan, for his leadership and huge contributions in both attack and defence.
I’m so proud of the boys – every single player gave it their all. We stuck together, played smart rugby, and earned every win. It was a real team effort and a great day for the squad.
U13 A Captain Vihaan Bathini
SRI LANKA TOUR
Captains’ comments:
“We loved experiencing a different culture. The standard of cricket was very high, so we enjoyed challenging ourselves. The memories will stay with us for a long time!”
Cricket: First XI captain Girish Radhakrishnan, 2025 leaver
“Such a unique opportunity. Playing in stadiums really made the experience special.”
Rugby: First XV co-captain Jake Owens, Year 13
For more on the summer tour, turn to pages 4–5
Continue to page 2 for more Week of Wonders…
Rugby’s Week of Wonders
Not to be outdone by the U13s, the QE U14 team were rampant at the Enfield Ignatians Tournament, where they faced opponents from some of the same schools who had faced the younger pupils.
“The boys demonstrated exceptional teamwork and composure, securing impressive victories against Finchley Catholic, Wren Academy Finchley, and Enfield Grammar in a thrilling final showdown,” said Mr Di-Lieto.
“Their ability to move the ball quickly and play intelligent, structured rugby set them apart throughout the day.”
Coaches and spectators alike praised their commitment and skill, while PE teacher and Head of Year 9 Samuel Marks commended the squad’s “attitude, teamwork, and discipline”.
There was one final highlight for the QE contingent: Marcus Ingal was named Player of the Tournament for his outstanding all-round display and tactical awareness on the field.
“From the resilience of the U13s to the tactical excellence of the U14s, it was a week that perfectly showcased the spirit of QE sport – hard work, unity, and pride in performance,” said Mr Di-Lieto.
The Year 7 and Year 8 squads are now looking forward to building on this success as they prepare for a similar rugby festival at Barnet Rugby Club at the end of November.
This double victory should be celebrated as it’s a fantastic achievement for QE rugby. The boys work hard, committing to training and playing after School and at weekends, and don’t always get the result they want – so this is a great reward. The performances of both teams highlighted the depth of talent, teamwork, and determination within QE rugby.”
Head of Rugby Ollie Di-Lieto
ETON FIVES
Fostering talent in Fives
A collaborative approach to selection involving older boys has helped get the new Year 9 Eton Fives squad off to an impressive start.
A rigorous – and exciting – selection process began in the Summer Term of Year 8. Pupils were first invited to trial within their Houses. Then they progressed to a final trial session supported by the current Year 10 squad and the senior captain, Year 13’s Zayn Phoplankar.
Director of Sport Jonathan Hart said: “It’s an approach that has not only helped us identify talent but has also fostered a strong sense of solidarity across year groups.
“Since the start of the Autumn Term, the new U14 squad have thrown themselves into training with great enthusiasm, making the most of lunchtime and after-school sessions.” The squad, pictured here, have already enjoyed three fixtures, including matches against Berkhamsted and Aldenham.
“As they have prepared for this week’s Harrow fixture and started looking forward to the National Schools’ Championships in March, the Year 9 squad are showing all the signs of becoming competitive opponents. Their energy, teamwork, and willingness to learn from older players bode well for the future of Eton Fives at the School.”
"I had a feeling I would like playing Fives, so just went to the trial – and it turned out I had a good skill set for the game. I'm currently in pair 2. The boys in the older year groups have been telling us how much fun it is to play in the National competition, so we're working hard towards that."
David Cornelie, who has been selected as captain
Fives court to be refurbished
Work will start in April 2026 on the refurbishment and improvement of QE’s historic Eton Fives court.
The project received the go-ahead after the School secured an £8,500 grant from the Eton Fives Charitable Trust (EFCT), supported by match funding from FQE.
The £17,000 project will involve repairing and enhancing walls and flooring of the court, which dates from 1954. A new coloured render, replacing the existing white surface, will ensure balls are more visible in play.
Director of Sport Jonathan Hart said: “This is exciting news, and we are grateful both to the EFCT and to the Friends. The investment will ensure that future generations of players are able to enjoy top-class facilities as the sport continues to grow in popularity.”
CRICKET AND
Making memories in Sri Lanka
From sweltering heat and torrential rain to unfamiliar tactics adopted by talented opponents, QE’s cricketers and rugby players had plenty to contend with in Sri Lanka – and they loved it!
Three cricket teams and one rugby squad played fixtures against school and club sides in the biennial summer tour.
The tourists relished taking on high-quality opposition in impressive surroundings.
The rugby grounds they played in were on a par with English Championship football stadiums, while the cricket fields included Colombo’s Singhalese Sports Club (SSC), a regular international venue.
They enjoyed bonding in their respective teams and honing skills on the pitch. And they eagerly seized opportunities to experience Sri Lanka’s rich culture and wildlife.
Director of Sport Jonathan Hart said: “The tour was a resounding success, blending competitive sport with cultural enrichment. Our pupils returned with unforgettable memories, stronger team bonds, and a deeper appreciation for international sport and culture.”
Exploring the culture
PE department tours seek to broaden pupils’ horizons, and Sri Lanka 2025 was no exception. There were visits to:
Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage
Getting up close to these magnificent creatures and learning about conservation efforts;
Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Kandy
Gaining insight into Sri Lanka’s Buddhist heritage at one of the country’s most revered religious sites;
Ahungalla Sea Turtles Centre
Seeing how hatchlings are cared for as part of marine conservation.
Resilient and adaptable, the rugby players did us proud!
QE’s rugby players notched up three wins and one defeat, with the impressive stadiums adding a professional atmosphere to every match.
Head of Rugby Ollie Di-Lieto, who led the rugby tour, said: “I was proud of the efforts from the pupils, who played in very difficult conditions, including high humidity and heavy rain.
“Our opponents played a naturally expressive style of rugby,often less structured than we are accustomed to, which posed unique defensive challenges. Despite the unfamiliar conditions, our players showed remarkable resilience and adaptability.”
RESULTS
QE vs Agoal Rugby Academy
SCORE: 29 –5
Try scorers: Year 12 – Peter Atanasov, Faaiz Adil (x2); Year 13 – Atiksh Anagani, Jake Owens
Conversions: Year 12 – Victor Varbanov (x2)
Man of the Match: Adil
QE vs Kandy Sports Club
SCORE: 26 –12
Try scorers: Adil (x2); Year 13 – Martin
Machyka, Sharvesh Sudhagar
Conversions: Varbanov (x3)
MOTM: Owens
QE vs St Aloysius’ College, Galle
SCORE: 17–10
Try scorers: Adil, Anagani, Sudhagar
Conversions: Varbanov
MOTM: Year 13 – Siddarth Oruganti
QE vs Malingas School
SCORE: 0 –24
MOTM: Anagani
Savouring Sri Lanka’s cricket-loving culture
The tour provided a fantastic opportunity for QE’s three teams to test their skills, build camaraderie, and immerse themselves in a cricket-loving culture. Each played five matches against sides from Colombo, Kandy, and Galle.
“The conditions were challenging, with hot weather, unfamiliar pitches, and strong opposition, but our players showed great spirit and determination throughout,” said Mr Hart. “The A team delivered a solid performance, with disciplined swing bowling and mature batting. Highlights included a thrilling chase at St Joseph’s School (alma mater of Sri Lankan bowling legend Muttiah Muralitharan) and a dominant win in Match 4, bowling out the opposition for 52 and chasing down the target in under 10 overs. The final match at the prestigious SSC was closely fought, QE ending just 13 runs short of victory.”
Team B faced tough competition but secured one hard-fought win.
“Despite the results, the team showed significant improvement and gained valuable experience. Their resilience and sportsmanship were commendable,” said Mr Hart. “Although the C team did not register a win, their enthusiasm and commitment were unwavering. Each match was a learning opportunity, and the players showed noticeable progress in their skills and confidence.”
Piers Martin & Samuel Akpan
Samuel Akpan this week received the Leader in Social Responsibility & Impact Award on behalf of the Premier League.
It was, he said, “an honour and a privilege” to represent the league at the Social Football Summit in Turin – an international B2B event for the football industry. The award recognises the success of the More than a Game campaign, which celebrates the Premier League’s ongoing commitment to investing in the future of football and communities.
Sam is one of two OEs from different generations employed at the most-watched sports league in the world. The other is Piers Martin (OE 1987–1995), Head of Leadership and Workforce Development, who says: “The Premier League is such a brilliant organisation to work for; the people are top-quality and it’s one of the world’s biggest brands.
“I am 50 next year and have been here for about ten years. I have spent my whole life working in sport.” In fact, Piers has run, or played a leading role, in several sports, including British Fencing, British Bobsleigh and Skeleton, Swim England, and British Wheelchair Basketball. “But it’s the Premier League that has been the pinnacle of my career. And being able to take my dad and brother to the Emirates, for example, is just fantastic!" (Barrie Martin MBE is QE’s former Chair of Governors and current FQE Director; Piers’s brother, Giles, was at QE 1992–1999.)
“We are a very small company: we only have about 370 people. We are not
necessarily interacting with the likes of [Manchester City star] Erling Haaland on a daily basis. Instead, my role is to support people such as academy directors and technical directors to make sure that the quality of leadership is top.
“We’re a commercial entertainment company, so our competition is the likes of Netflix, as well as other sports organisations. And that means we need to think about competing with The Traitors in terms of engagement.”
While at QE, Piers swam internationally, then switched to water polo, playing for Great Britain as a Junior and Senior. After leaving School, he took a Master’s in Town Planning at Manchester.
“When I was growing up, there was nothing like the career development pathway there is now,” says Piers. “My dad was always saying ‘there is no money in sport – you have to do something else.’ But now the best thing about working in sport is that there is such a broad range – you can be working in what is your hobby but also, for example, in sports law, HR or commercial marketing. It’s an industry where you can enjoy something that is fun in any number of roles.”
Pictured right: Sam and Piers, standing either side of the Premier League’s Tony Scholes, Chief Football Officer; Joanna Pinney, Commercial Projects Manager; and Neil Saunders, Director of Football.
Working together
Soon after Sam (OE 2011–2018) arrived at the Premier League in September 2022 after winning an 18-month internship, he joined Piers and his team for six months. “We compared notes, realising first that we had both grown up in north London and then that we had both been at QE. He obviously made the connection with the Martin Swimming Pool [named after Piers’s father]. He was not even alive when I left the School!”
Sam now works as a Communities Executive. “QE very much set me up,” says Piers, “and I knew from the start that Sam would be good because he had gone to QE. He is a natural coach – not only brilliant to work with, but he has helped me: he is very good at thinking through solutions. He’s not afraid of speaking up and quite confident, but very softly spoken. He has a wise head on his shoulders for somebody who is early-stage career.”
RYAN GOYAL
Piers’s career highlights
Being CEO of British Fencing during the 2012 London Olympics – “It would be hard to top that.”
Working in Saudi Arabia for the royal family – “That was very interesting, developing their Olympic structures. It was in 2014–2016 – a very different time there from now – working with Seb Coe’s CSM Sport and Entertainment. I met lots of great people – many ex-pats.”
Sam makes his mark
After leaving QE, Sam went on to read Politics and International Studies at Warwick, where he had quite an impact, making his mark in fields including social enterprise, sport and anti-racism work at the university.
He was named among Future Leaders magazine’s 2021–2022 Top 150 of the most outstanding Black university students in Britain. Having spent some time in sports journalism, he began his Premier League internship a year after graduating.
“We talk about TED here at the Premier League, and I think it is just as valid for current QE pupils,” says Piers.
Talent
If you have it, you can develop it.
Environment
If you are not in the environment you need to be in, go and find it.
Desire
You have to bring the right desire.
Mustafa named top sports scientist
Dr Mustafa Sarkar (OE 1997–2004), a past speaker at the Premier League Leadership Summit, has been named among the world’s leading sports and exercise scientists in an annual survey by the US’s Stanford University.
For the second consecutive year, Mustafa, Associate Professor of Sport and Performance Psychology at Nottingham Trent, ranked in the top 2% worldwide in his field.
The survey evaluates researchers based on how often their work is cited by others, their role in research, and their productivity.
Mustafa was the subject of the first-ever OE Spotlight feature, in the 2024 Spring Term Sports Bulletin.
Quick off the blocks
Racing in the familiar surroundings of the Martin Pool for this year’s first Herts Schools' Swimming League gala, QE’s swimmers got the new season off to a strong start, reports Head of Aquatics Richard Scally.
“Swimmers of all ages have been showing both determination and talent, while there was a standout performance from the Inters (Year 9 & 10) team, who are building on their impressive legacy after winning both the league and finals as juniors last year,” he said. “Special recognition goes to Chayton Ho [Year 10], Andy Hasanaj [Year 9] and Alexander Fields-Bicar [Year 9], whose exceptional performances have boosted the team’s standing.”
This year’s competition spans five galas, culminating in a final between the top eight teams at Haberdashers’ on 25th February.
“With more than 20 schools now competing in the league, the standard of swimming continues to rise, promising a challenging season ahead,” Mr Scally added.
National honours beckon
The three stars of QE’s Inters team have all been invited to compete at national swimming championships next summer after superb performances for their clubs.
Chayton, Andy and Alex impressed at this summer’s GoCardless Swim England National Summer Meet.
The event forms part of a competition structure through which highly ranked swimmers are picked to take part in the Aquatics GB Next Gen Championships (formerly the British Swimming Summer Championships) at Sheffield’s Ponds Forge International Sports Centre.
• Alex who is with Enfield Swim Squad, will compete in the 100m breaststroke;
• Andy, also at Enfield, will swim in the 100m breaststroke/freestyle;
• Chayton, of Barnet Copthall Swim Club, will take part in the 400/800m freestyle.
Let battle begin!
COME AND WATCH
QE vs Habs
All boys and OEs are invited to come along to Saracens’ StoneX Stadium for next month’s rugby fixture against Haberdashers’ Boys’ School.
Starting at 4:30pm with the U15s, QE will take on our friends and rivals from Habs on Wednesday 3 December. The first XV play at 7:30pm.
All are welcome to come and support the QE boys.
