StoneX Rugby and Lacrosse: A night to remember

On 1 October 2025, Berkhamsted School took the Saracens’ StoneX stadium by storm as the Boys’ 1^st XV Rugby and Girls’ 1^st X Lacrosse faced tough opponents Northampton School for Boys and Moreton Hall, respectively. Both matches were tight, with Berkhamsted teams fighting with dedication until the final whistle.

Final scores:

Rugby: Berkhamsted 27 – 40 Northampton School for Boys

Lacrosse: Berkhamsted 9 – 13 Moreton Hall School

Both games may have ended in defeat, but neither match was defined by it. Lacrosse Captain Ella W left the pitch beaming with pride. ‘I’m just really proud of how we came out there and fought back,” she says. “I mean that last half was 7-4 to us. We really came out and put on a performance.”

She is particularly proud of the Year 11s who stepped up and channelled their nerves into strong performances. “They’re all incredible individually- their talent is through the roof,” she added.

Berkhamsted rugby captain Rory shared this pride and a sense of accomplishment, saying, “I think that’s our best performance all season.” “Especially after a rocky start”- “I’m just unbelievably proud of all of them!”

He also praised the pupils who brought the stadium to life: “it genuinely makes all the difference.” The Berkhamsted crowd kept energy high with constant cheer, and pupil musicians from across the Senior school brought breaks in play to life with punchy rock hits. Rory described the atmosphere as “unreal.”

Director of Sport Katy Costin also commented on the pupil presence at StoneX: “this is our biggest event yet, and our most inclusive in terms of bringing the community together.”

It is clear that the event was not only formative for our athletes but for the pupils who supported it in other ways. Three A Level photography students received a masterclass in sports photography from a professional, and ‘Berko Buzz’ journalists covered the event for school publications.

Some of our Year 6 pupils also stayed on to watch the matches, inspired by their own touch rugby festival at StoneX earlier that day. The chance to connect with their potential future Senior community and witness the inspiring play of their eldest schoolmates made their day all the more exciting.

The soundtrack of the evening was undoubtedly the unwavering roar of the Berkhamsted crowd. Armed with a host of glittery signs, clapping chants and a cowbell, our supporters created an electric atmosphere that showcased the profound level of support and enthusiasm that our pupils show for each other.  As captain Ella said:

“It’s insane to have everyone cheering us on. All our friends, family, teachers, parents, everyone: there’s no other school that does it and we’re just so grateful to be able to do that here.”

This event showcased what it means to be part of the Berkhamsted community: our unwavering networks of support, the exciting opportunities our pupils take and the measured, dedicated character of our pupil athletes. From Freddie’s daring try to Charlotte’s unwavering goalkeeping, from our musicians’ thrilling performances to our photographers’ dedication in the cold, everyone played a role in the day’s success.

As the crowds chanted throughout the match, “Who are we?” our pupils made it clear: We are Berkhamsted!

Look through some of our student photographer’s photos here:

Match Reports

Berkhamsted Rugby vs Northampton School for Boys

First to play was Boys’ Rugby, facing up against the formidable Northampton School for Boys. Berkhamsted wasted no time in showing their attacking strength, with Ed H breaking through the NSB defence to score the first try of the match. NSB answered with their own try- but Berkhamsted’s undeniable man of the match Freddie S shut down their response with a cracking run down the line, breaking through three players to drive the ball down the left-hand side. Our lead was confirmed with two impressive conversions from Charlie H, and a further well-fought try from Fionn C. A quick break from NSB and a following conversion brought the score to 19-14 at half time.

NSB came back with a bite in the second half, making lurches through strong Berko defence. A strong NSB try down the centre and a conversion started to shift the score. Berko answered with a penalty kick, where Charlie H once again sailed the ball straight through the posts. Berko turned their focus to defence, holding a very physical NSB off the try line. We continued to take advantages of broken-down play, with Will A powering down the line and nearly scoring off a dropped ball. However, NSB started to break through, and scored several impressive tries. Berko’s unwavering captain Rory called for the team to maintain their fighting spirit, and while Dom F’s risky kick scored us a final try, the score at last whistle was 27-40 to Northampton School for Boys.

Berkhamsted Lacrosse vs Moreton Hall

Berkhamsted kicked off their match against 2024 National Champions Moreton Hall with resolve and attack, as Liv A scored a great goal around the crease to open up play. However, Moreton were quick to respond, and Berkhamsted’s speedy defence wasn’t enough to stop a torrent of Moreton goals. This put the score at 6-1 at the end of the first quarter.

Berkhamsted showed their persevering character and settled into a composed defence against an unflagging Moreton side. Goalie Charlotte came into her own, and for the two goals Moreton scored this quarter, she saved countless others. Ella C finished the quarter on a high note for Berko, sending the ball straight into the goal’s top corner from a penalty shot.

Working off a stronger second quarter, Berko returned after half time with unmistakable fire. Three rapid goals from Thea K, Ashley D-S and Bea S resulted from Berkhamsted’s focused and collected attack, capitalising off brief lapses in the steady Moreton side. The Berkhamsted crowds shouted their support as Maya K scored again to thin the score gap between teams.

The final quarter began with everything to play for. Moreton pushed early to attack, but the Berko defence held strong. An unfortunate player collision allowed Moreton to slide a goal through, followed quickly by another. Thea K responded with another goal, effortlessly driving through four defenders in the fan, but Moreton scored twice more. Berkhamsted maintained their class and composure until the game’s dying minutes, and Ella C slipped one more by the keeper before final whistle. The match ended 9-13 to Moreton Hall, but there is no doubt that Berkhamsted showed impressive potential as a young and skilled team.