Rugby Goes from Strength to Strength at the College

Student Shek Sherrif is one of nine rugby players from The Henley College who have recently represented London Wasps in the new RFU U18 Academy League.

Remarkably he only took up the sport just a few years ago, at the age of 15, whilst a pupil at Gillotts School.
During his first year at College, Sherrif played in both the development team and the Henley Hawks U17 side which reached the latter stages of the National Plate competition.

Sherrif, who is studying a Vocational Diploma in Sport, said: ‘I enjoy the contact side of things most of all, such as carrying the ball and tackling, my long-term goal is to be a professional player.’

Dan Batty from the College’s Sports Department said: ‘I thought it might take Shek a few games to adapt to the pace and physicality of AASE rugby, but in his first league game against Ivybridge, he came off the bench and effectively won us the game.’

Following this performance Sherrif was selected for the Wasps U18 team that beat London Irish in the RFU Academy League.

Batty added that the rugby structure at Henley College provides a good pathway for late developers to progress.

The other Henley College players to represent London Wasps in the U18 academy this season include Ian Brown, Jackson Burton, Oscar Hirsky-Douglas, Danny Williams, Alex Harrison and Dan Barnes.

The Henley College AASE squad will visit Georgia in February for a five-day trip, ending with a match against Georgia U18s at the country’s National Stadium in Tiblisi.