A dispute between First XVs of Marlborough and Wellington colleges has led to a ban on rugby games between the two schools.
As reported in The Daily Telegraph today, two of England's best known public schools, who have been competing since 1870, have fallen out over a row between the opposing headmasters.
At issue is what Marlborough headmaster Nicholas Sampson calls a 'violent incident' committed by a Wellington player at a match last October.
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But Master of Wellington College, Dr Anthony Seldon, says the Marlborough teams are no longer up to scratch, due to it's new status as co-educational.
During a match last year an unnamed Wellington player is alleged to have bitten his opposing number during a scrum, an incident reported in detail in the referee's report.
Wellington won the match 24-8, and both schools agreed to keep the incident quiet.
Dr Seldon then disclosed to The Daily Telegraph that rugby games were to be stopped between the schools because Marlborough could no longer effectively compete with Wellington, and hinted at the fact that it may have to do with the presence of more females at Marlborough college.
In response the Marlborough head brought to light the details surrounding the match last October.
They drew attention to the referee's report, in which he reported seeing, "a mark on the right hand side of the player's face very close to his ear."
It continued: "The mark appeared to be a bite, with skin depressed in a pattern consistent with, and in the shape of a bite mark, using both upper and lower jaws. It was obvious what had happened in the scrum."
Contradicting Dr Seldon's suggestion, Mr. Sampson said:
"It was not Wellington's decision. It was a mutual decision. I was at the game and the decision was as a result of a violent incident which was committed by one of the Wellington side."
Mr Sampson claimed that the picture Dr Seldon, who is Tony Blair's biographer, had painted for discontinuing matches was "neither complete nor accurate."
Posted by: Global Templar, Kingston upon Thames on 2:04pm Wed 13 Feb 08
Dr Seldon does seem to have lost the plot a little since taking over at Wellington College? Perhaps he should also note that parents want more than a 1st XV ability in return for £25k per year, all round education for modern life. Wellington are well known for buying in their players rather than Marlborough who choose to develop their chaps! One gets the feeling Dr Seldon might be happier running a state school rather than trying to destroy fee paying schools from within, needless to say if he is to stay at Wellington then he will need to look at their academic results rather than worry about the rugby pitch! I'm sure plenty of other schools will play with Marlborough knowing that their pupils receive a good all round education for modern life and are unlikely to bite them! If Wellington wish to take their ball off to play elsewhere, no one sending their son to Marlborough will be too worried about it! Thank the Lord we turned down a place at Wellington College for our chap!
Dr Seldon does seem to have lost the plot a little since taking over at Wellington College? Perhaps he should also note that parents want more than a 1st XV ability in return for £25k per year, all round education for modern life. Wellington are well known for buying in their players rather than Marlborough who choose to develop their chaps! One gets the feeling Dr Seldon might be happier running a state school rather than trying to destroy fee paying schools from within, needless to say if he is to stay at Wellington then he will need to look at their academic results rather than worry about the rugby pitch! I'm sure plenty of other schools will play with Marlborough knowing that their pupils receive a good all round education for modern life and are unlikely to bite them! If Wellington wish to take their ball off to play elsewhere, no one sending their son to Marlborough will be too worried about it! Thank the Lord we turned down a place at Wellington College for our chap!
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