To celebrate the 2023 Rugby World Cup, the Dukes Club welcomed England Rugby Legend Chris Ashton to Broomwood Prep – Boys, for an afternoon of family fun.
The afternoon kicked off with a once-in-a-lifetime rugby skills coaching session, led by Broomwood’s Mr Vermaak and record Premiership try scorer Chris Ashton. The boys focussed on passing and teamwork, with some showing off goosesteps that Chris himself would have been proud of.
Broomwood’s beautiful new Astro pitch was bathed in unseasonably warm autumn sun, and after a drinks break, the boys regrouped to take part in an interview with Chris, led by Sam Holderness of the Dukes Club. With so much to talk about, questions were plentiful from pupils and Club member parents alike, covering Chris’s full experience from Rugby League days, to gaining over 40 England caps, and ‘that’ try celebration.
Everyone enjoyed bubble tea and cocktails from BouGee Bar, and pizzas from AL Forno, before settling down for the England vs Samoa world cup match on the big screen. The game was clunkier than many would have liked, but England scraped the win in the dying minutes to cap off a perfect afternoon.
Special thanks to Joe Knight, Bronwen Booyens and Victoria Davies Jones of Broomwood for hosting the Dukes Club.
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