Hall of Fame

Jack van Poortvliet ('19)

Born 15 May 2001

Career Highlights

• Scored a try on his debut for the England senior squad against Australia in July 2022.
• Made his Leicester Tigers 1st team debut in September 2019.
• Led England’s victorious U20 Six Nations Campaign and was named Player of the Tournament as he captained England to the Grand Slam.
• Made the England U18s squad in 2018.
• Made his full Premiership debut against Sale Sharks on 21 February 2020.

At Oakham

2014 to 2019 (Wharflands, School House)

• Captained the 1^st XV in 2018.
• Played in the Oakham 1st XV in Winter 2017.
• Captained the U15A team.

In his captain’s report in the Winter 18/Spring 19 Oakhamian, he wrote: “Captaining the team has been a massive pleasure and I will never forget the memories from the season that will stay with me forever.”

Sam Costelow ('19)

Born 10 January 2001

Career Highlights

• Debut with Wales Senior team in the 2022 Autumn Internationals.
• Played with Wales U20 in the 2020 Six Nations campaign.
• Has played for Scarlets since 2020.

At Oakham

2017 to 2019 (Haywoods, School House)

• Rugby 1^st XV: Winter 2017; Winter 2018.
• Rugby 7s: Spring 2019.
• Representative honours: Wales U18 (7 caps in the 2017-2018 season). Wales U20 (2018-2019), played in the U20 World Cup in Argentina.

Matt Ramshaw ('18)

Born 29 December 1999

Career Highlights

• Debut for Great-Britain U21 in 2018 at the Sultan of Johor Cup and won Gold medal in the competition in 2018 and 2019.
• Won Silver medal at the 2019 EuroHockey Junior Championship in Valencia.
• Debut for Great Britain Senior team in 2022.
• Plays for Hampstead & Westminster.

At Oakham

2016 to 2018 (Chapmans and School House)

• Hockey 1st XI: Spring 2017; Spring 2018, Captain
• Won Silver medals at both indoor and outdoor hockey National Championships (a first for Oakham School).
• Representative honours: England U18 European Championships (2016); England U21 & GB Development squad (2017 and 2018); GB U23 team (aged 17).

Winter 2016/Spring 2017 Oakhamian Chapmans House report: “It was particularly amazing to watch all the teams involved stop and stare in pure awe as Matt Ramshaw secured all the balls and flew through the enemy team, scoring goal after goal for us.” (Inter-house hockey, 2017)

Maddie Pearce ('17)

Born 7 August 1999

Career Highlights

• In 2022 Maddie signed with Premier League side Holcombe.
• Awarded the VC Gold Award in 2022 after her 100th appearance for Loughborough University.

At Oakham 

2013-2017 (Buchanans and Round House)

Alex Stadler ('15)

Born 16 October 1997

Career Highlights

• Member of the World Cup winning German team in 2023.
• Tokyo Olympic Games, 2021. Played in all of Germany’s eight matches.
• Currently playing in the Hockey Pro League.
• Awarded ‘Player of the Match’ in 2021 in the match between Germany and Belgium.
• EuroHockey Championships, 2021.

At Oakham

2014–2015 (Haywoods)

• Hockey 1st XI Goalkeeper, spring 2015.
• Representative honours: selected for Germany U16, season 2014–2015.

Kathryn Lane ('13)

Born 27 February 1995

Career Highlights

• Hockey Women’s World Cup, 2018.
• EuroHockey indoor Championship, 2018.
• Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, 2018. Played as a defender. Won a bronze medal.
• Currently plays for Leicester Hockey Club.

At Oakham

2011 to 2013 (Rushebrookes, Round House)

• Hockey 1st XI: Winter 2011 – Winter 2012; Gained her Hockey Colours in 2012.
• Representative honours: selected for England U18 in 2011 (a year early); selected to play for England in the Easter Four Nations Tournament in 2012; Captained England U18 in the 2012-2013 season.

Tom Fell ('12)

Born 17 October 1993 

Career Highlights

• Has played with Worcestershire since 2013.
• Made three centuries in Division One in 2015.
• Became the only man at the club to pass 1,000 runs in the Championship season in 2015. He was also the youngest man in the country to do so in the top division.

At Oakham

2008 to 2012 (Wharflands, School House)

• Football 1st XI: Spring 2011–Spring 2012.
• Golf: Spring 2009-Spring 2012. Went on the Golf tour to the North-East of England and was named Best Oakham Player on tour (2009). Reached Regional Final of the Independent School Golf Association Tournament (Spring 2012).
• Cricket U16A: Summer 2009–Summer 2010.
• Cricket 1st XI: Summer 2009; Summer 2010 – broke the 1st XI batting record for most runs in a season and was named Batsman of the Festival at Sedbergh Festival; Summer 2011 – Captain and broke the School batting record (988 runs); Summer 2012 – Captain.
• Rugby 4th XV: Winter 2010-Winter 2011. Played at fly-half.
• Summer 2009 Oakhamian Cricket review: “against Oakham Town, new Blezard Scholar Tom Fell hit a scintillating debut knock of 87 off 98 balls.”
• Summer 2010 Oakhamian Cricket review: “Tom Fell was quite simply a revelation during the season. Both technically and temperamentally, he made marked improvement, taking a good stride forward or back and watching the ball like a hawk. Rarely have I seen an innings as exquisite as his 181 not out against Wellington. However, that was only one of three centuries and to destroy an all-time record with 1252 runs in the season while still only in the Fifth Form says it all. His wicket keeping was generally of a high calibre and if he keeps a level head and continues to develop, a promising future must surely beckon” (Frank Hayes, Director of Cricket)
• Summer 2012 Oakhamian Cricket review: “Tom Fell continued to make records which can hardly be surpassed. Among many others, he now holds records for the greatest number of runs in a single season, the most number in a career, the most runs scored by an individual in a career, beating the previous record by almost 1,000 runs” (Iain Simpson, Director of Sport)

Emily Nagel ('12)

Born 18 March 1994

Career Highlights

• Competed in the Tera and Feva World Championships. Paired with Sarah Kent. Finished 42^nd (out of 140 boats).
• 2011 – won Bronze in the European team racing event.

At Oakham

2008 to 2012 (Rushebrookes, Round House)

• Summer 2009 – Feva National Championships. Finished 4th with Sarah Kent in the Eric Twimane Team Racing.
• August 2009 – competed in the European Sailing Championship in Italy.
• Winter 2009 – training with the RYA National Junior Squad.

In the Summer 2010 Oakhamian, Housemistress Tessa Drummond wrote: “She has real leadership and helming potential in this sport and we look forward to making another expedition to watch her pitting her skills against the course and the weather conditions.”

Hamish Watson ('10)

Born 15 October 1991

Career Highlights

• British & Irish Lions, 2021 Tour to South Africa.
• Named Player of the Championship in the 2021 Six Nations (making 60/60 tackles, no miss).
• 55 caps for Scotland.
• Debut for Scotland in the 2015 Six Nations against Italy.
• Openside flanker with Edinburgh since 2011.
• Debut for Scotland 7s in 2011.

At Oakham

2005 to 2010 (Wharflands, School House: House Prefect in Wharflands in 2008–2009)

• School 1^st XV: Winter Term 2008 and 2009.
• Representative cap: gained cap for Scotland U19 – Winter Term 2009.
• Selected to represent the Scottish Exiles U18: Winter Term 2008.
• Won “Best player” award at 1^st XV level in the inaugural season of the Hampson Trophy, a league competition between six schools (Oakham, Uppingham, Rugby, Bedford, Stamford and Oundle): Winter Term 2008.
• School U16A: top scorer (9 tries) – Winter Term 2007.
• Leicestershire U16: Winter Term 2007.
• School U15A: Winter Term 2006.
• School U14A: Winter Term 2005.
• As well as success in the School rugby and rugby sevens, Hamish represented the School in football (1^st XI, U16As and U15As), cross country and athletics, He also starred in several drama productions, including Hard Times and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He played Landkritter in the production of Christina Reid’s A Year and a Day, presented at the NT Connections festival in Spring Term 2007 and he performed in Anything Goes in the Winter Term of 2008.

Stuart Broad ('04)

Born 24 June 1986

Career Highlights

• First-Class County Cricket, selected by Leicestershire (27 April 2005).
• England 2006–present; test debut 9 December 2007 v Sri Lanka.
• In Test Matches, over 550 wickets taken and more than 3500 runs scored to date.

At Oakham

1997 to 2004 (Sargants, Haywoods, School House)

• Cricket U12: Captain, Summer 1998.
• Cricket Jerwoods’ 1st XI: Captain, Summer 1999.
• Cricket U14A: appearances Summer 1999; Captain, Summer 2000.
• Cricket U15A: Captain, Summer 2001.
• Cricket 1st XI: Summer 2002; Summer 2003; Summer 2004. Three seasons in the 1st team!
• Cricket All Rounder’s Cup: Speech Day 2003.
• Represented the School at hockey from U13A to 1^st XI level.
• represented the School at rugby from U12 to 3^rd XV level.
• Representative Honours: U14 Hockey for Leicestershire (2000); U13 Cricket for Leicestershire (2000); U17 Cricket for Leicestershire (2004).

Took part in the Cricket tour to South Africa in 2001.

In the Cricket 2004 Overview, Director of Cricket Frank Hayes wrote: “He has developed into a fine cricketer with both bat and ball. His fielding, too, is a revelation! He can now caress the ball to all parts of the ground and although he played many fine innings, who will forget his extraordinary undefeated 68 against the MCC, when 27 runs were required off 2 overs to win? After his efforts, including six 6s, only 2 were required off the final over and still we couldn’t get them!”

Tom Croft ('04)

Born 7 November 1985

Career Highlights

• Joined the Tigers Academy while at School.
• He played as a flanker in 173 matches with the senior team from 2005 to 2017, scoring 27 tries for the club.
• He won his first England cap in the 2008 Six Nations and played in the National team until 2015.
• He went on the 2009 Lions Tour to South Africa and the 2013 Lions Tour to Australia.
• He retired in 2017.

At Oakham

2002 to 2004 (Haywoods, School House)

• Played in Oakham’s unbeaten 1st XV side in Winter 2002 and won the Daily Mail Cup with them in Spring 2003.
• Captain of the 1st XV in Winter 2003.

Spring 2003 Oakhamian Daily Mail Cup final report: “Croft who was brilliant throughout the game, took the ball in the line-out and the team work perfected over many years put the captain, Joe Wheeler, over for the first try of his hat-trick.”

Matt Smith ('04)

Born 15 November 1985

Career Highlights

• Matt played 227 games for the Leicester Tigers in 14 years.
• He joined the junior academy at 14 and played his first professional match in 2006.
• He scored 30 tries for the club.
• He retired from the game in 2019 and is now the Head Coach of the Academy.

At Oakham

1997 to 2004 (Peterborough House, Clipsham, School House)

• Played in the rugby 1st XV in Winter 2002 and Winter 2003.
• Part of the Daily Mail Cup winning squad in Spring 2003.

Spring 2003 Oakhamian Daily Mail Cup report: “Matt Smith showed vision and skill to put pressure on the blue and whites, again setting up a period of sustained and inventive rugby.”

Crista Cullen ('03)

Born 20 August 1985

Career Highlights

• 197 international caps between 2006 and 2016.
• Commonwealth Games: Bronze (Melbourne, 2006).
• European Championships: Bronze (Manchester, 2007). Bronze (Gladbach, 2011).
• Three Olympic Games. Bronze (London, 2012). Gold (Rio, 2016).
• Nominated for the FIH Hockey Player of the Year (Woman) Award in 2012.

At Oakham

1998 to 2003 (Rushebrookes, Round House)

• Hockey U14A: Winter 1998.
• Hockey 1st XI: Winter 1999; Winter 2000; Captain, Winter 2001 (unbeaten season, Leicestershire County Champions & Midlands Champions; got through to National final); Captain, Winter 2002 (undefeated season & runners-up in County U18 Championships, got through Midlands finals). Four years in the first team!
• Boys’ Hockey 1st XI: Spring 2003.
• Selected for the U16 England (2000). U18 England (2001). U21 England (2002) and full England squad (2003).
• U14 Midlands (1998). U18 Midlands (2002).
• County selection for Leicestershire: U14 (1999); U15 (2000).
• Member of Divisional Training Squad (2000).
• Represented the School in squash, tennis, netball, athletics
• In athletics represented Rutland at the Leicestershire Championships: finished second in the Junior 200m (Summer 2000).
• Took part in the 2001 World Tour: Hockey (boys and girls), Netball and Rugby touring South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.
• Prefect: 2001-2002.

Photo reproduced courtesy of Grant Treeby.

Matthew Cornwell ('03)

Born 16 January 1985

Career Highlights

• Centre for the Tigers for six years, between 2002 and 2008 and came back in 2012–2013.
• Played for Exeter Chiefs, Northampton Saints and Mogliano and San Dona Clubs in Italy.
• He was appointed the Tigers’ First team Manager from 2015 and 2017.
• He is now Head of Rugby Operations at Edinburgh Rugby.
• Captain of England U21.

At Oakham

2001 to 2003 (Clipsham, School House)

• Played in the unbeaten rugby 1st XVs in Winter 2001 and 2002.
• Played in the Daily Mail Cup winning squad and was a try scorer in the final in Spring 2002 and again in Spring 2003.Spring 2003 Oakhamian Daily Mail Cup report: “It came from a break by Cornwell, who sold their backs a dummy, after the third phase of forward work had created space. Cornwell then put in a high chip and caught it, winning a scrummage.”

Lewis Moody ('96)

Born 12 June 1978

Career Highlights

• England (2001–2011, including the 2003 World Cup winning side) 71 appearances; Barbarians (2001–11); British & Irish Lions (2005).
• Leicester Tigers (1996–2010) 223 appearances.
• Bath (2010–2012) 34 appearances.

At Oakham

1989 to 1996 (Peterborough House, Wharflands, School House)

Lewis’s School rugby career started in Jerwoods teams and he gradually moved up to first teams. He played in the Jerwoods 1st XV as a centre three-quarter and captained the Jerwoods Colts XV in 1989. He then moved up to the Junior Colts in 1991. He joined the Colts XV and the Under 15 XV in 1992. He started to play in the back-row. He captained the 1st XV in 1995.

Lewis also played in the Rugby Jerwoods seven-a-side team in 1990. He played in the Hockey Under 12 Jerwoods Colts in 1990. In 1990, he captained the Cricket Jerwoods Colts XI. And co-captained the Jerwoods 1st XI in 1991. He and his swimming team broke the School Record for the 4×25 yards medley relay Under 14 in 1992. He was a member of the Jerwoods Squash team in 1990 and 1991.

On 14 September 1996 Lewis became the Tigers’ youngest league player (at 18 years and 94 days). He played for the Tigers until 2010, before moving to Bath. He toured Australia and New Zealand with the Senior England Team in 1998 and played for England U21 in 2000. He won his first full England cap against Canada on 2 June 2001. He took part in the 2003 World Cup winning squad and was selected for the British and Irish Lions in 2005. He played for England until 2011 and retired from rugby in 2012. He was OO Club President in 2011–2012.

“Lewis Moody was a tower of strength at centre especially in defence and has a promising future.” – Winter 1990 Oakhamian

Lucy Pearson ('90)

Born 19 February 1972

Career Highlights

• 12 Women’s Test matches.
• 62 Women’s One Day Internationals.
• Pearson also played in the inaugural Women’s Twenty20 International, taking one wicket against New Zealand.

At Oakham

1983 to 1990 (Lincoln, Rushebrookes and Round House)

• Represented the School in hockey from U12 to 1^st XI level.
• Represented Leicestershire U16 (hockey): 1987.
• Represented the School in netball from U12 to 2^nd XI level.
• Junior Swimming: Summer 1984; Summer 1985 (English Schools’ Team Swimming Competition, Midland Round – swam in the U14 Medley relay (7th) and U14 Freestyle relay (3rd).)
• Rounders U13A: Summer 1985.
• Swimming intermediate squad: Summer 1987 (undefeated season).
• Swimming senior squad: Summer 1990.
• Jerwoods Orchestra (viola): Summer 1985 and Choir: 1986-1990.
• Drama: played in The Torchbearers, Jerwoods play written by Leslie Coleman to celebrate the Quatercentenary – Summer 1984; played Bridget Coulter in the Jerwoods musical Tom & Huckleberry – Summer 1985; played Dido in Dido & Aeneas Summer 1989.
• Rushebrookes Prefect: 1988–1989.
• Head Girl: 1989–1990.

Photo reproduced courtesy of Getty Images.

David Matthews ('54)

Born 17 April 1937

Died 19 June 2019

Career Highlights

• He played as a back-rower for Leicester Rugby Football Club from 1955 to 1974 and played a record 502 games!
• He captained the team for three seasons, from 1966 to 1969.
• He scored 119 tries for the club in his career (a record for a forward), including 14 tries in the 1960/61 season and 21 tries in the 1968/1969 season.
• In the 1967/1968 season, he was also the team’s kicker and ended the season as the top scorer.
• He became a coach from 1988 to 1991, was the Club President from 2001 to 2003 and was awarded Life Membership in 2005.
• He also played for Stoneygate RFC in 1956 and was their top scorer.
• He played for Leicestershire from 1957 to 1971.
• He also played for the East Midlands.
• He was invited to the Barbarians side in 1966 and 1969. He was picked for the first England trial in 1966, but missed out because of injury. He played in the second England trial in 1967 and the first English trial at Twickenham in 1968.

At Oakham 

He was a Day Boy from 1948 to 1954.

• Rugby 1^st XV: Winter 1951; awarded Colours – Winter 1952; unbeaten side – Winter 1953; Captain – Winter 1954.
• Steeplechase (senior): 2^nd place – Winter 1951; 2^nd place – Spring 1953; 3^rd place – Spring 1954; 2^nd place – Winter 1954.
• Boxing (senior): won his light-heavyweight match – Spring 1952; won his light-heavyweight match – Spring 1953.
• Triangular Cross-Country running match: against Stamford and King’s School, 2^nd place – Spring 1954; against Uppingham ‘A’, 3^rd place – Spring 1954.
• Games’ Committee: Spring 1954 – Winter 1954.
• Hockey 2^nd XI: awarded Colours – Spring 1954.
• Athletics: awarded Colours – Spring 1954.
• Half-Mile: 2^nd place – Spring 1954.
• Quarter-Mile: 3^rd place – Spring 1954.
• Cross-Country running: Captain – Winter 1954 – Summer 1955.
• School Prefect: Winter 1954.
• C.F.: promoted to Sergeant; obtained his Certificate ‘A’.

Winter 1950 Rugby review: “Matthews and Strickland have been particularly dangerous in attack and the former has scored no less than 23 points himself.”

Winter 1953 Rugby review: “an outstanding wing-forward with an uncanny sense of positioning; excellent in defence and always up in attack, with a deceptive body swerve; inclined to spoil much good work by trying to be too individual, and could use his weight more in the tight.”

Winter 1954 Rugby review: “his sense of position, his safe hands, balance and amazing control of the dribble make him the best forward of my experience here, and he could go far. As Captain, he is a shrewd judge of a player and at times a hard critic; he has done much to keep up the general standard by interesting himself in the lower Lots, and we are greatly in his debt.”

Ron Jacobs ('45)

Born 28 October 1928

Died 10 November 2002

Career Highlights

• Northampton Saints’ record for club appearances: 470 games between 1949 and 1966. Position of tight-head prop.
• Scored 19 tries with Saints.
• Twice named Club Captain: 1959-1961; 1965-1966.
• President of the Club.
• East Midlands: won the County Championships in 1951. President twice.
• Barbarians.
• England: first cap in 1956 against Wales in Twickenham. 29 caps total. Won Grand Slam in 1957. Won 5 Nations in 1958. Won Calcutta Cup and Triple Crown in 1960. Captain one match against France in 1964.
  President of the RFU in 1983-1984.

At Oakham

1942 to 1945 (Wharflands)

•           Rugby 1st XV: Winter 1943; gained his Colours – Winter 1944; Captain – Winter 1945.

•           Various achievements in junior and senior athletics: 220 yards, 440 yards, 880 yards, long jump, shot putt, javelin.

•           J.T.C.: promoted to Lance-Corporal – Spring 1945; promoted to Corporal – Summer 1945; awarded Section Competition Shield – Summer 1945; promoted to Sergeant – Winter 1945.

•           School Prefect: Winter 1945.

Winter 1945 Rugby Review: “(forward) his fine physique was an asset, and he was always in the thick of things; tackles high but his defence was robust enough to be effective; combined well with Newell in attack. He has set a fine example of keenness and individual play but did not sufficiently make himself felt as leader of the forwards and Captain of the side until late in the season.”

Frederick Jerwood (1905)

Born 29 November 1885

Died 17 July 1971

Career Highlights

• H. rowed in the Olympic Eight (1908, London), winning a Bronze Medal.
• H. gained his BA at Jesus College, Cambridge. He was ordained in 1911 and became the Oakham School Chaplain in 1914 (until 1937).
• H. was the first Housemaster of Wharflands in 1920, until 1937.

At Oakham

1902 to 1905

Debating Society: from 1903 to 1905.
Cricket 1st XI: Summer 1903 and gained his Colours on 27 June 1903; Summer 1904; Summer 1905.
Rugby 1st XV: Winter 1903 and gained his Colours on 16 December 1903; Winter 1904.
Hockey: a half-back – Spring 1904; Spring 1905.
Form VI French Prize: Summer 1904.
Secretary of the Games’ Committee: Summer 1905.
Sports Day 1905: won the Kicking the rugby ball competition (drop kick); won the High Jump (5ft 01/2ins).

Character of the XV (Oakhamian Magazine, Easter term 1904, vol. 20, no.1): “shows every promise of developing into a really good forward when he has come to know the game a bit better.”