RUGBYMatt Rogers rounded off a successful rugby season by captaining the Hampshire under-17s to a keenly contested 14-14 draw against a very strong Eastern Counties side at Bury St Edmunds on Sunday.
The Niton teenager has represented the county since he was 13 and has been invited to attend the under-18s summer camp in June before an important season including assessments that could lead to London and South East and ultimately National squad representative rugby.
Having started playing rugby at Vectis at the age of six, under the coaching of Ben Rouse, he was selected for the London Irish Academy Elite Player Development Group and has gone on to captain his school, St John’s College, Southsea, to Hampshire Cup success at under-15 and under-16 level.
He toured Australia in 2008 captaining the under-16s to victories throughout the tour and his school honours more recently included Hampshire Schools Champions and the Hampshire Schools 7s winners.
Matt follows a family tradition of rugby interest with his grandfather, Ian, playing for the Hurricanes in the 60s and early 70s. His father, Mark, played for Wasps and locally for Ventnor and Hampshire and is now coaching the Havant first team in the National Leagues and Hampshire U20s.
Matt’s older brother Steve has also represented the county from under-14s to under-18s, captained Medina High to success in an International under-15s tournament and plays for Ventnor when not studying at Exeter University.