Beating the Bulldogs and enjoying one of Europe’s largest youth rugby festivals

Forty‑six pupils from Years 9 and 10 headed to QE’s biennial Holland rugby tour – and began with resounding victories over new opponents, Bulldogs Rugby Club.

Living up to their name, the Bulldogs of Almere, near Amsterdam, showed plenty of spirit and scored early in their matches against both year groups, but QE’s U14s and U15s soon rallied and went on to win convincingly.

After that, it was time for the 27th Hilversum International Youth Rugby Festival, featuring 69 teams from six different nations.

Here, although there was no repeat of the triumphs of QE’s last visit, in 2024 – when the U15s recorded the School’s first-ever overall victory in the festival and the U14s won the bowl competition – the Year 9s’ wins did include beating host team Hilversum.

Head of Rugby Oliver Di-Lieto, who led the trip, said: “It was an unforgettable rugby tour, combining competitive fixtures and cultural experiences, so giving the boys a memorable blend of rugby development and shared adventure.

“We were brilliantly hosted by RC Bulldogs, and the pupils enjoyed mingling with the opposition after the matches.

“The prestigious Hilversum festival provided a fantastic opportunity for the boys to test themselves against high-quality opposition. Throughout the day, the QE squads showed resilience, discipline, and a growing maturity in their play. The Year 9s won a couple of matches, while the Year 10s battled against strong opposition, applying themselves well and scoring some brilliant tries in the process.”

Besides the rugby, the boys enjoyed a range of activities including bowling and This is Holland: the Ultimate 5D Flying Experience – a panoramic flight simulator.

“These activities strengthened team bonding and made for memorable experiences,” said Mr Di-Lieto.

U15A captain Kevin Gajera said: “It was a great tour, and having the opportunity to play in such a big international tournament was brilliant. This experience will definitely make us stronger as a team, and we are looking forward to next season already.”

The tour was organised by specialist sports tour company Inspiresport, who sponsor the annual QE Barnet Rugby Sevens Tournament.

Tour awards
Year 9 Player of the Tour: Andy Hasanaj
Year 9 Best Tourist: Aryamann Wadhwani Sharma
Year 10 Player of the Tour: Abbas Rajvani
Year 10 Best Tourist: Tianche Dong