Esher students compete for England Rugby pathways!🌹
Callum Parkes, Cameron Ott and Oli Lea are friends, teammates and passionate rugby players carving out the road together to professional rugby.
For the last two years, these three Esher students have been training under the watchful eye of our rugby coach and Head of PE and Sport, Dani Knight. Dani’s leadership has helped them balance their studies with club commitments, with all three representing Middlesex at county level for consecutive seasons too.
Recently, Callum was selected for England Rugby London and Southeast U18 squad – a huge achievement for this rising rugby star. Dani, says, “Callum’s selection shows his hard work on the pitch both in his physicality and skills and also his leadership and the way he approaches training and games – he has really matured as a rugby player and as a leader.” With one game already played for the squad, Callum is finding his feet at this advanced level and paving the way for the next part of his journey.
There is a lot more rugby on the cards before the season ends with a number of exciting fixtures on the cards here at Esher, and both Callum and Cameron are competing in the quarterfinals of the National U18s cup. There is the potential to play the final at the home of England rugby Twickenham Stadium.
We couldn’t finish this rugby story without shining a light on some of the fantastic rugby values these teammates share. Alistair Parkes, Callum’s Dad, told us, “Callum frankly would not have got this far without Cameron’s unwavering support, non-stop weekly encouragement and his great example over the years. Equally, Callum wouldn’t have enjoyed and therefore performed as well at the London and Southeast U18 Divisional Assessment Day without the familiar towering figure of teammate Oli also being there.”
Congratulations to Callum on his selection and wishing all three players best of luck as they continue on their rugby journey!