Matt Everard returns as guest speaker at Annual Rugby Dinner

Rugby players from all teams at Loughborough Grammar School were invited to attend the annual rugby dinner held on Wednesday 13 March at Hodson Hall, an occasion to celebrate and acknowledge a superb rugby season across all age groups.

This year’s guest speaker was Lead Defence Coach for the Leicester Tigers, Matt Everard (LGS 2009), who attended to inspire the young players with his after dinner speech and present the Players’ Players trophies to a member of every year group team.

Overseeing the event was Emyr Lewis, Head of Rugby and newly appointed Head of Performance Sport. He says: ‘It was our absolute privilege to welcome Matt back to his old school, with him speaking passionately about his professional rugby playing career highlighting his time at both the Leicester Tigers and Wasps. He also talked about tactics and game play within his role on the Leicester Tigers coaching team as Lead Defence Coach, which our boys were thrilled to hear. He urged the young players in the room to cherish the friends and the opportunities that rugby can give them, taking questions from the boys and talking openly and honestly about his career.’

Emyr adds; ‘The standout words that Matt said on the evening were to instil in our boys the value of true friendship, something which on the rugby field is so important. He spoke personally about his six best friends that he made whilst here at school that he still has today. It was a profound and inspiring speech, one that I hope will resonate with our current students as well as alumni.’

Emyr adds: ‘The Rugby programme at LGS has gone from strength to strength, and this evening is a testimony to all the hard work that all the boys and the staff have put in. It’s an excellent programme and an excellent place to learn.’