Contents President’s message A welcome from the President The Rugby Bernard Atkinson reflects on those who have served our game Fives Rugby Fives Association “Let us now praise Dunstan’s 13 years, Ian Fuller, Alleyn’s Association famous men...” 12 years, Tony Burrows, Oundle 10 Annual Review 2015-16 2015-16 Never have those years and Mike Case, Oundle six years resonant words – in all 268 years of combined 3 President’s message 25 Derby Moor court President from Ecclesiasticus experience and commitment to our enclosure in pictures Bernard Atkinson seemed more cause. Special mention has to be made 4 Men’s, universities and appropriate than here of Ian Fuller, who has served the Deputy President when we look back RFA for 44 years as coach, mentor, sage, U25s season review Ian Fuller remembers 26 David Bawtree over the history of General Secretary, Treasurer and endeavour shown President, all done with quiet 6 Ladies’ season review 27 Obituaries General Secretary by the many, efficiency, not to mention his resolute Phil Atkinson 8 Schools’ 28 Rankings many great contributors to the world acquisition of pots and gongs. There is of Rugby Fives. not one among these who is not season review RFA Club manager 30 Charitable Trust Hamish Buchanan As we have been drawn by the worthy of a Gold Medal. 9 School reports fascination of the Olympic Games in To all our ‘famous’ men we give our 31 Results round-up the summer, we have heard a simple thanks, (less so to “their fathers that Directors 15 History of Fives at message again and again: success for begat them”), but equally so to their Kathleen Briedenhann Sedbergh the few depends upon the huge efforts successors who carry on where they 6 Chris Burrows of the coach and the team in support, left off, and daily continue to secure 19 RFA Club report Charlie Brooks without whom there can be no our future. Paddy d’Ancona success. So it is with Fives, where the But it is not just ‘men’ who play this ‘famous men’ have been both plentiful 20 Club reports Bob Dolby and dedicated – not that you will find Ian Fuller any who would apply the term 26 David Gardner ‘famous’ to themselves – and we owe it ‘If we look at Peter King to them to recognize that it is on their Stuart Kirby dedication that the past, present and retirees in recent Alex Smith future of our sport is built. years, the list My predecessor has rightly pointed Alexandra Steel to the need to safeguard our courts, inspires both awe Dan Tristao but I look here at the succession of our and admiration’ famous men, so vital also to the www.rugbyfivesassociation.net safeguarding of the game. We lost another of my predecessors, Jerry Editor: Tom Webster Cooper, earlier this year; he was in game: we have just had a record- Designer Michele Hall charge of Fives at Bedford School for breaking year of Women’s Fives. If you Commissioning Editor: Philip Atkinson 30 years, securing in that time seven read Alexandra Steel’s account of the Contributing writers: David Barnes, Schools’ Singles and two Doubles titles. success of various tournaments Hamish Buchanan, Bob Dolby, John East, A great servant of the game. throughout the year you will see why David Hebden, Andy Pringle, Alexandra Steel, Ian Fuller as well as many club secretaries If we look at retirees in recent years, we wish to keep the momentum going and masters-in-charge of Fives the list inspires both awe and by introducing an U23 competition for Contributing photographers: David Barnes, admiration: Colin Stewart, Bloxham 41 Ladies. Hamish Buchanan, Bob Dolby, years, Mike Cleaver, Sherborne 36 We hope this will encourage the Dan Grant, Will Ellison, Denise Hall-Wilton, Ed Hatton, Andy Pringle years, Charles Swan, Merchiston Castle small but growing number of female For the RFA’s Policies, Memorandum and Articles 24 years, Spencer Beal, Eastbourne 23 students who play Fives to enter, along of Association, please see the website years, Laurence Catlow, Sedbergh and with some of the impressive www.rugbyfivesassociation.net Charles Brookman, Edinburgh schoolgirls who we saw in action at TOP Peter King receives the King Cup from Dan Tristao to mark his retirement; CENTRE Company number: 04837244 Academy, each 21 years, Peter King, St some of those tournaments. Hopefully Registered Charity: 1136872 Spencer Beal at his retirement match in 2015; 15 9 Paul’s 17 years, Ian Torkington, Christ’s next year we can report on the success BOTTOM The winners of the Doubles Plate at Hospital 14 years, Rick Bodenham, St of that initiative. the Ladies’ Championships 2016 2 RFA Annual Review 2015-16 RFA Annual Review 2015-16 3 2015-16 - Men Men’s Season Review Andy Pringle reviews the men’s, students’ and U25 game Yet again, we can look back on a Dan Grant, too, was a consistent vintage season; and, yet again, we’re challenger; and, although he didn’t looking at a year where engravers reach a singles final during 2015-16, he spent an awful lot of time engraving frequently earned a place in the semis. the names Ellison and Tristao on the Instead, it was as a doubles partner RFA’s silverware. that he really made his mark, reaching Just as they did in 2014-15, Dan and the final of every doubles event he Will dominated the season. Between entered, going on to win three titles, in them, they picked up all but one of the Durham, Manchester and Clifton. main open singles titles, and the only As you may already have predicted, reason they perhaps missed out on though, it was Will and Dan T who that one – the Scottish Open – was that dominated the doubles, and Dan G’s neither of them could attend the event. wins came when partnering one of However, it seems fitting that them. Overall, Will picked up five titles the big prize – the National Singles championship – should go to Will, who won six singles titles to Dan’s two. ‘Over the What’s perhaps most remarkable is that neither ever seems to suffer an course of the ‘off day’. Over the course of the season, season, Dan Dan or Will only ever lost to each other; and every time either of them entered and Will only a singles tournament, they reached ever lost to the final. That’s seriously impressive stuff – and all the more so when you each other’ consider the quality of the youngsters nipping at their heels. – including the National title with runner-up in Durham and Giggleswick. other with Ben Beltrami), but with Of course, that’s not to say Dan or Charlie Brooks – while Dan T They continued their form to the Charlie Brooks taking the national Will are old, but it says something took three. Veterans’ Championships, where John title, Andy Pringle the Veterans, David for the youthful state of the top of You can read Dave Hebden’s article was runner-up to the newly qualified Hebden the Vintage and Hebden and the game at the moment that we on the season’s rankings on page Veteran Matt Cavanagh in the singles Wilkinson the Masters, there was a tend to look on the pair as seasoned 28, but his work was made all the before winning the doubles title with light blue colour to the major doubles campaigners – despite neither having more difficult by the fact that every Andy Pringle in a classic three-game titles this season. To cap it, Ed also yet reached their 30th birthday. combination of the top three won at final against multiple national open won the Winchester Fives doubles. It Indeed, if you scan the list of semi- least one event. Will teamed up Dan champions Hamish and Robin Perry. perhaps goes without saying he was finalists throughout this season’s T to win in London, and with Dan Elsewhere in the age categories, it partnering a certain Mr Ellison! competitions, precious few of them are G to take the titles in Durham and was a repeat story: Ian Fuller retained With such a strong showing from older than the top pair – and these are Manchester, while the two Dans won his Vintage singles title and Dave their current students, it was no great the players we can expect to challenge the West of England title in Clifton. Hebden repeated his remarkable feat surprise that Cambridge were again MAIN The victorious Cambridge the top two’s dominance. Again, we have to look to the likes of holding the Vintage and Masters winners in the Varsity Match, but it University squad David Butler, still a Durham student, of Butler, Kay and Beltrami to see the doubles titles at the same time – with was two other powerhouses of the ABOVE (from top) Will Ellison wins his won the only singles title not to go to closest challengers to this elite group Ian and Martin Wilkinson, respectively. game that retained their titles in the second National Singles title against Will or Dan, and Cambridge’s Ed Kay and all three reached finals during What some keen observers of the season’s main club competitions: the Dan Tristao; Ian Fuller retains his title in and Ben Beltrami again had excellent the course of the season, with David B game will notice is that all the national Old Paulines took the Owers Trophy, final against Neil Roberts; Mark Kiteley and Dan Grant win the President’s Cup; seasons. Ed was runner-up at the winning the Yorkshire Open doubles.