Scissorum
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Scissorum Merchant Taylors’ School
Issue 362
Science Week!
Weekly Newsletter 17 March 2023
This Week Merchant Taylors’
From the Head Master
We lead with Science Week in this edition and a fascinating series of activities which have been both intellectually taxing and enjoyable. I was especially impressed to hear about the talk given by Upper Third Former Armaan Daryanani who spoke about Gliese 436B, an exoplanet covered in an exotic form of ice which can withstand extraordinarily high surface temperatures. The Chemistry break-out room sounds especially challenging! We have also celebrated Neurodiversity Week this week
as we highlight the range of differences in brain function and behavioural traits in people. It is important to highlight the fact that we do not view this in isolation but as part of the fabric of life at MTS. Our Learning Support department work with boys every day to ensure they maximise their potential as well as raising awareness of neurodiversity and the many different ways of learning. We will feature a full review next week. I would like to end by sharing some alumni news. Last weekend
Samir Sardana (Class of 2020) represented Cambridge University in the Varsity hockey match, helping his team to victory. Samir, who is currently studying Engineering at Gonville & Caius College, thus maintains a wonderful tradition of OMTs representing Oxford and Cambridge in this historic fixture.
MTS Middle School boys in their mid-week fixture against Eton College.
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This Week Merchant Taylors’
Scholar Profile Thomas Haria (Year 9) joined MTS in Year 7 from West Lodge Primary School. What attracted you to MTS? I liked the sense of space and the grounds. I like the fact that I can see the fields and the lake from the classrooms – there is a sense of calmness that I did not find in other schools. Which subjects have you been enjoying this year? I have enjoyed bother German and Greek, which I have started this year, and I am planning to do both for GCSE. I enjoy languages, and I have been trying to learn Modern Greek through Duolingo. I have always enjoyed learning about Greek myths and history, so it has been good to be studying the language. I also enjoy English, and I am a keen reader – I especially enjoy novels by Haruki Murakami, and I am currently reading Brighton Rock. What have you been doing outside lessons? I attend Dr Hetherington’s BookSoc, and I also go to Biology Society, where we have been learning about forensic science. I also play the cello, and I have been in the U14A team for Hockey this year, and also represented the school at a ski competition in December.
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This Week Merchant Taylors’
Lower School Scholars debate new oil pipeline in East Africa This week, Mrs Burnham met with the Thirds and Upper Thirds scholars, and debated whether the East African Crude Oil Pipeline should be built. Plans have been drawn up to transfer oil 900 miles from Lake Albert in Uganda to the port city of Tanga in Tanzania. After learning of some of the costs and benefits of the project, pupils discussed the complexities of the decision-making process. Not only did they have to consider the social, economic and environmental impacts, but they also considered how these varied temporally and spatially. At the end of the session, a vote was held and the majority of pupils felt that the disadvantages outweighed the advantages and voted against the scheme.
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OMT Merchant Taylors’
OMT hockey player represents Cambridge in Varsity Match
Many congratulations to Samir Sardana (Class of 2020) who represented Cambridge University in the Varsity Hockey match last weekend. Samir is currently studying Engineering at Gonville & Caius College and was a stalwart of MTS hockey over many years. We are delighted not only that Samir helped carry his team to victory, but that he maintains a fine tradition of OMTs representing Oxford and Cambridge in Varsity matches.
Samir Sardana playing for the MTS 1st XI v Caterham 2020
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This Week Merchant Taylors’
Panglossia: Lower Sixth debate French education system On Friday 10th March seven Lower Sixth French linguists debated a motion "Est-ce que l'introduction de quotas est la solution pour promouvoir l'ouverture sociale dans le système éducatif francais?" . By definition, the motion questions whether the third level education in France is truly egalitarian or whether the raised quotas would remedy the situation. After short opening speech by Madhav Bhimjiyani, Jake Hawkes and Sami Ahmed locked horns in a 5 minute long heated debate with Ambrose Howell, Urijah Otibo, Kush Chaudhari and Shaan Popat. The level of language, the natural flow and pronunciation impressed not only the judges but also the Fifth Formers, Leo Osman, Jacob Rose and Daniel Paydar, who were in attendance. Well done to all the participants who clearly put in time to undertake the research for the motion. Special thanks also to Mlle Danis - the Head of the French Department - under whose tutelage the event was made possible.
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This Week Merchant Taylors’
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This Week Merchant Taylors’
Engineering Society on Isambard Brunel writes Luka Hinton (L6th):
the second greatest Briton ever in 2002, after Winston Churchill. Brunel University is also named in his honour. Emre's talk gave food for thought and enlightened us on the history of many of the fundamentals of modern Civil Engineering by exploring the life and works of Isambard Kingdom Brunel.
On Monday 13th March, the Engineering Society had its second student-led talk. This time, our talk was on Isambard Kingdom Brunel by Emre Arslan, a prospective engineer in the Lower Sixth. Brunel was an extremely influential Civil Engineer whose thoughts and work have helped to shape the modern world. Emre informed us of his youth and upbringing, almost cut short by an accident during the building of the Thames Tunnel when just 15, before describing his more famous projects. Brunel developed many different bridges, tunnels, boats and even the Great Western Railway, which sought to connect London to New York by train and steamship. Brunel's impact on both engineering and the world as a whole has been monumental and Emre suggested that Brunel's work helped propel engineering forward in a way that few others could. The influence of Isambard Brunel is undebatable, with the BBC naming him as
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Pre-season training with Middlesex CCC MTS 1st XI cricketers training for the new season with @Middlesex CCC 1st team players! This Week Merchant Taylors’
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Physics Talk on an Exoplanet Armaan Daryanani gave a fascinating talk on Gliese 436B, an exoplanet which orbits Gliese 436. This exoplanet is covered in an exotic form of ice which can withstand the surface temperature of 439 degrees Celsius. Science Week Merchant Taylors’ National Science Week runs from Friday 10th March to Friday 17th March. MTS Science departments have organised a whole host of events to engage boys from all year groups. Events ranged from a turtle dissection to a talk from Armaan Daryanani in the Lower School, who demonstrated courage when giving a talk on exoplanets to enthuse and excite his peers. Hands-on activities tested practical skills to the limit with work on titration and analytical skills in forensics. Thank you to the Lower Sixth boys in the Senior Science Society who helped to run most of these events. Thank you also to Ms Mayadeen Head of Physics, Mr Powell Head of Chemistry and Mrs Stuteley Head of Biology. Mrs F Rashid, Head of Science
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Science Week Merchant Taylors’ Chemistry Titration Competition Students from all years of the school took part in a competition to obtain concordant results. We were looking for the student who managed to do this in the allotted time with the most accurate tita.
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Science Week Merchant Taylors’
The Chemistry escape was a Blast! writes Suraj Datta (3rds): The Escape Room was no ordinary Escape Room. It had the wonderful subject Chemistry involved! You had to break code to escape otherwise there would be no way out. There was practical involving indicators and unknown substances. You had to make sure you got them right on the first try, there was no second chances! Later, the knowledge of knowing celebrities was needed to find the right elements. This stimulating but enjoyable Escape room was amazing. The experience was profound and thought provoking. At the end of this strenuous journey a magical gold coin awaited your arrival!
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Science Week Merchant Taylors’
Junior Biology Club Murder Mystery! Students from the Lower School who attended Junior Biology Club applied a variety of exciting practical techniques to uncover the culprit of a dramatic murder in the Biology Department! The detectives were hot on the case to discover who had poisoned the tea of Dr Komissarova, famous for her beloved Dissection Club. Activities ranged from testing samples for their blood type, to close analysis of hair and fibre samples taken from the scene of the crime. Thankfully, through some great science and a little deductive reasoning our killer was put behind bars…
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Dissection in Biology The Dissection Club hosted an educational and well attended session looking at the anatomy of a turtle. The boys first carefully examined the external features and discussed the differences between turtles and tortoises before moving on to the internal structures and organs. The heart generated a lot of interest as it was relatively large and had only three chambers rather than the four that they had studied when looking at the mammalian heart and some discussion followed about the differences between reptile and mammalian circulation. We then swiftly moved onto the digestive system and found, upon the examination of the stomach, that this species was herbivorous. Once the digestive organs were removed the boys were interested to see that the lungs were positioned directly under the shell and were firmly attached both to it and the other internal organs. The lung structure caused considerable surprise, being much more like an open sponge rather than the compact arrangement of bronchioles and alveoli studied by the Fourths boys. The lungs were springy and elastic and boys had the opportunity to compress them and see how they rebound to their original shape. The mechanism of lung ventilation was discussed and compared to that studied in humans earlier in the term. Finally, once the organs were all removed boys were able to see the structure of the shell from the inside, noting how the spine and ribs were fused to, and an integral part of, the underside of the carapace. Overall an interesting and educational session with great contributions from the boys and an excellent opportunity to look at and discuss the anatomy of a highly specialised vertebrate. Brave souls wishing to view the shell can visit BY60 during the Hour where it is on display. Science Week Merchant Taylors’
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Science Week Merchant Taylors’
Spaghetti and Marshmallow Tower challenge!
Using limited resources, boys were set the engineering challenge to construct the tallest and most stable tower out of only marshmallows and spaghetti. The winning group came up with the particularly elegant and strong design shown, which stood for a further hour after the competition had ended. Being typical Physicists, they were too shy to be pictured, although very happy with their winning design.
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GCSE Drama performances This week, GCSE Drama students in Divisions performed their Devised Examinations in the Studio Theatre. The process required the boys to work in groups, writing and creating an original piece of theatre. The project is an intricate and rewarding one in which the boys develop a range of transferable skills, collaborating and negotiating on a journey to staging the pieces. This Week Merchant Taylors’
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Swimming Champion Congratulations to Third Former Hassan Faisal for winning two gold medals for the under 11s gala. Wishing him all the best for the U12s Enfield open meet next weekend and the Windsor open meet in May. This Week Merchant Taylors’
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This Week Merchant Taylors’
Strikers Cup Merchant Taylors' were delighted to welcome back the Strikers Cup. We welcomed Merchant Taylors’ Prep and St John’s to play a triangular tournament with our U13A team. St John’s took on MTP first in a closely fought game that finished 1-1. Merchant Taylors’ then played MTP in another good game of hockey. MTS coming out on top 4-0. The final game was a cracker. The winner to take the crown. St John’s having learnt a couple of players started the stronger but couldn’t take advantage of their early chances. Taylors’ then grabbed the game and dominated for long periods, but they too couldn’t score. Finally, in the dying moments,
St John’s scored a fast counter attack to win the game 1-0 and the competition along with it. The matches were played in great spirit and the boys were enjoying
each other's company, a number of them looking forward to playing together next season. Thanks to St John’s and Merchant Taylors’ Prep for coming and making the fixtures.
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U15 Cricketers prepare for Middle East Tour
This photo show the marquee and our U15 squad preparing for the upcoming tour to the Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The nine-day tour leaves next Sunday with both A and B squads playing in the renowned Arch Cricket Festival. The boys will have the opportunity to visit the Wild Wadi Waterpark, Dubai's stunning mall and partake in a Dessert Safari in between matches.
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This Week Merchant Taylors’ Music Scholars' (and friends) trip to The Lion King As part of the GCSE Music syllabus, boys study musicals so what better way to inspire than by visiting a long running West End show with innovative puppeteering to accompany the musical score!
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This Week Merchant Taylors’
Maths Challenge A link to a Microsoft Forms page is attached below. Students should enter an answer for the question and include an image of their work. Answers should be submitted before the following Friday. Mr Prashar will be reviewing the answers each week and there will be prizes awarded at the end of each term. Parents are also welcome to try the questions but only students will be able to submit answers. If you have any questions, please contact Mr Prashar (kkp@mtsn.org.uk). Week 21
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This Week Merchant Taylors’
Phab Hockey Match writes MD Laryea-Adu (U6th): After a whole term of waiting, possibly to their advantage, and rather questionably restarted the game without the students on the pitch,
Mr Evans-Evans (coach) Mr Whitehurst (GK)
the most highly anticipated game of the season had finally arrived, and it did not disappoint. With the squad selection unknown to the spectators, it was anyone’s guess which students would star in this fantastic fixture. The game got underway swiftly, with a intense start to the game from both teams. With Mr Middleton being the player to look out for, he was clearly the man with a plan in the teachers team in the first half. The students clearly had the better side, as they showed off their youth and ran rings around the ‘experienced’ teachers, being unlucky not to net in the first half. The pupils put on a superb show in the first half, with the teachers anxiously waiting for the umpires to blow the whistle as they desperately needed to regroup for the second half. As Jack groves and Nikhil Williams got the second half underway with their whistles, the start of the half was much like the rest of the game. Mr De Weymarn was bullying year 7s and thinking he’s all that, but then dribbling straight into the open stick of one of the more senior players of the students XI, much like what his 2nd XI have been doing this season. There weren’t too many chances in the second half, but when one fell to MD Laryea-Adu, there was no doubt that he would score. After the teachers had to resort to playing football in their own D, MD won a 7 second shuffle, which he slotted through Mr Whitehurst’s wide open legs, who is a former professional hockey league goalkeeper. During the rather elongated celebrations, the teachers had to use the reduced number of students on the pitch
Mr Middleton Miss Trafford Mr Westcott Mr De Weymarn Mr Fothergill Mr Herring Miss Green Mr Garvey Mr Greenaway
and went to the other end of the pitch and scored a tap in that was harder to miss than score. As the game went on, both teams were eager to come out on top, and within the final minute, Mr Whitehurst played a questionable pass back to Mr Middleton who tried to show of to the spectators, but ended up dribbling straight into the open stick of Ben Hellewell who managed to stay composed and find the back of the net. The teachers tried to restart the game with some urgency, however the whistle conveniently blew for full time with a deserved win for the students. However, whilst the game was a wonderful watch I would like to remind people that this is all in support of Phab, and that there will be many more fundraising events throughout the year in which we would be eternally grateful if people could help out buy donating their money to this amazing cause. Umpires: Jack Groves Nikhil Williams Staff: Mr Flower (coach)
Mr Haynes Miss Park Mr Manley Students: Kyle Wagjiani (coach) Akshay Mistry (GK) Rishi Wijeratne (GK) Rishi Metha Omkar Vaidya Noah Phethean Sehaj Sekhon Seb Spight Barnaby Greet-Smith
Toby Whittaker James Beeby Braydon Doran Emre Arslan
MD Laryea-Adu Adam Knowles Alex Bickerstaff Ben Hellewell Man of the Match – Omkar Vaidya
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Notices Merchant Taylors’
Joint Schools’ Choral Concert Joan Stubbs conductor
HAYDN Nelson Mass PARRY Blest Pair of Sirens
Monday 20th March, 7:00pm Great Hall, Merchant Taylors’ School Tickets £15/10 from development.mtsn.org.uk/events or 01923 845545
Choirs from Merchant Taylors’ School Merchant Taylors’ Prep School St Helen’s School, Northwood St John’s School, Northwood
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Craig de Weymarn, England Cricket Physiotherapist Wednesday 22 March
An evening with Craig de Weymarn on his career as a physiotherapist working within elite athlete environments and high-pressure situations. In a career involving working in elite cricket, starting with Hampshire County Cricket Club and currently England Cricket, Craig has been involved within both red and white ball formats, touring worldwide, and involved in such events as Hampshire’s T20 victories in 2010 and 2012 and England’s World Cup victories in 2019 and 2022. He has also spent time in the military through the Army Reserves (formerly the Territorial Army) and served on a 6-month tour of Afghanistan in 2010. Craig has most recently been with the England team in their January 2023 tour of South Africa and in early March, he is accompanying the England T20 and One Day sides on their tour of Bangladesh. He will be giving an insight into life as an England physiotherapist as well as offering some thoughts on the 2023 One Day World Cup in India.
https://development.mtsn.org.uk/events
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Notices Merchant Taylors’
Cricket Parents Coffee morning
Date - 18th March Time: 10am – 12noon Location - Chapel
ongst ps supporting cricket at M.T.S.
Introductions and Q&A with Director of Cricket, Mr I McGowan at 10.30 and 11.30 Chance to purchase cricket equipment packs and try before you buy School Cricket Whites.
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House Merchant Taylors’
House Science On Tuesday 14th March, the Exam Hall was full of enthusiastic scientists. The event began with the individual science round, each member had a set of Science questions to answer. Working up to the very last second, the Teams demonstrated excellent Physics, Chemistry and Biology knowledge. The scores were extremely close. Shortly, followed the fast-paced Buzzer round. The Lower school buzzer round was dominated by Spenser House, a tremendous performance by Thomas Bignone answering most questions with his speed and excellent subject knowledge. Angus Whiteside provided quick answers to the E/Z isomer question, drawing out 3-ethylpent-2-ene
and calculated the Mr of benzene -1,4 dicarboxylic acid in record time. Seen here on the right about to answer. The joint winners of this year’s House Science are Spenser and Walter. Congratulations to the winning team members. Walter Spenser Aryan Goria Thomas Bignone Giuseppe Maffulli Sanchit Sethi Matt Lurie Angus Whiteside Many thanks to all participants and to the Senior Science Society committee who helped to organise this event.
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House Merchant Taylors’
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House Merchant Taylors’ Raphael win House Debate Final! The motion was: This house believes that governments should actively discourage consumerist lifestyles. Proposition: Raphael Opposition: White
It was a pleasure to see all of the boys involved in this House competition develop and improve their debating skills over the last few weeks. The standard in this final was incredibly high; in a closely fought contest, Raphael House secured a win. Congratulations.
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House Merchant Taylors’ Hilles House win House Rugby writes Noah Kerr (Hilles House, U3rds):
Hilles were the eventual victors, with their teamwork and handling leading to scores in the corner to put the game to bed. Overall, an extremely competitive event with all the games being played in great spirit.
Boys from the Thirds and Upper Thirds filled the games field for Junior House Rugby a few weeks ago. The games were competitive, and all the boys got involved in the matches and supported their team. The competition began with the group stages for a place in the playoffs, with the top four going through. Hilles, Mulcaster, White and Spenser were the eventual top four, with 1st placed Hilles playing 4th placed Spenser and 2nd and 3rd placed Mulcaster and White battling it out for a place in the final. The Final was a match between Hilles and White, the game was spectated by all the other boys from other houses and the atmosphere was brilliant.
1. Hilles 2. White 3. Spenser 4. Mulcaster 5. Walter 6. Raphael 7. Andrews 8. Manor
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Sports Merchant Taylors’
Hockey v Forest School
v Haberdashers’ Boys’ Team: 3rd XI Result: Lost Score: 1-3
going into the break with a 4-2 lead. Much like the first half, Magdalen College started quickly and managed to slice through our somewhat lacklustre defence, and equalised ten minutes into the second half. After Magdalen scored their fifth, after some sloppy marking from the boys, the 2nd XI found their stride again in the last ten minutes, and Aaryan Sawant managed to score a fourth towards the end of the game, after some scrappy defending from Magdalen this time. One moment in the game that stood out to everyone on the pitch was MD’s rather ambitious attempt to bring down a superb aerial from Magdalen, an attempt which, with some surprise to the MTS bench, succeeded; however he then proceeded to dribble straight into an open stick, something which many of the boys were guilty of throughout the game. MTS could not find a winner in the final few moments of the game, despite the amount of pressure and the chances they created, the game ended as a high scoring thriller at 5-5. As the team goes into what may be their last game of the season next Saturday against Bedford, I encourage the boys to end the season on a high and try their best to ensure a win next time out. A superlative performance from goal-keeper through to centre forward. We conceded the first goal to an extraordinary team move from MCS but thereafter it was one-way traffic. Two long-awaited goals for Idayefugbara will, no doubt, open the floodgates for the rest of the season. Team: 3rd XI Result: Win Score: 5-1
Team: 1st XI Result: Won Score: 5-1
After two tough away losses on the bounce against The Perse and Felsted School, the 3rd XI were looking to bounce back against Habs’ 2nd XI, a fixture we knew would be tough but winnable. It was a strong start to the game for MTS, as we broke the deadlock in the opening five minutes with an instinctive finish from Devesh Rana. There were chances on both ends in the first half, with MTS nearly suffering from counter attacks on a couple of occasions. In the end, it was a conceded short corner at the end of the opening period which would signal our undoing. None of the confident runs and link-up play which we displayed in the first half were present in the second. As we conceded for a second time, the frustration among our players rose, and we struggled even more to protect the ball. The game ended in a 3-1 loss for MTS. This was an upsetting result, but the 3rd XI are keen to learn from it in time for our next game. v Magdalen College School After a disappointing performance last time at Aldenham, the MTS boys were looking for a much more positive performance this week. After Magdalen College took the lead within the opening 20 seconds, it was an enthusiastic performance from the 2nd XI, with Aaryan Sawant netting three in the first half and the MTS lads Team: 2nd XI Result: Draw Score: 5-5
After a 3-hour 45-minute bus trip last Wednesday without any hockey being played, the first goal for the team was to arrive at Forest on time before the light ran out. This was achieved and the game began. Taylors’ were dominant in possession but lacked the energy to make any real chances or break down the Forest team. We showed glimpses of our best with speedy attacks and one of them fell to Anthony Poole who calmly slotted the ball past the Forest keeper. 1-0 at half time felt a little too easy and the boys needed to turn it on second half to put the game to bed. This happened immediately with Alex Bickerstaff scoring a drag flick. Moments later Qinuo Wang did the same with a fierce flick into the bottom left. The game suddenly became very open with Forest chasing the game but Taylors continued to create chances. Niam Patel, who had a dominant game in midfield, finished off a fine counter attack and Tom Ford closed MTS’ scoring with a delicate deflection behind his back. With minutes to go the side switched off and Akshay was beaten by a deflection in front of goal to spoil his clean sheet. A 5-1 win was a very good effort away from home in the Cup. The story wasn’t finished there as a trip to Forest wouldn’t be complete without one of the journeys being flooded with traffic. A two-hour trip back was inevitable, but didn’t dampen the boys' spirit ahead of Bedford, the OMT Cup and a semi-final vs Alleyn’s next week.
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and Xander Zwiefka-Sibley. A dramatic, action-filled match all in all, just the tonic for the final weeks of the season. Congratulations to a fine team who showed the best of Taylors’.
flicks. But in the end sheer volume did was enough and we ran away with it. One last match at Bedford and hopes are high. Bravo!
This result has been long-awaited and much deserved from a team that has shown great spirit and character throughout the term. Team: U16A Result: Draw Score: 1-1 This was a very tough game against excellent opposition. 1-0 down for a long old time, our unbeaten home record (stats don't lie, per se) looked in some danger. It was very much to the credit of two players that we emerged with a point and that 'Fortress Sandy Lodge Astros' reputation intact. Mateo Frankic Ruppen was outstanding in goal, pulling off a string of absolutely spectacular saves; and, at the other end of the pitch, Tife Abolade was rewarded for an almost inconceivably energetic performance with his customary tap-in with just five or six minutes to go. In truth we then might have gone and won it bit 1-1 was about as much as we deserved. Away at Bedford to round off the season next week. All season we have been working on 'beating the man and passing early' and against MCS this really started to work. With our strongest side of the season on the pitch, we got the ball up into the opposition D very quickly and camped out there for much of the match. Our other aim has been to look for 'ugly goals', scrappy ones that go in from 3 feet and that was what we did so well in this match: hit after hit went at the keeper and we popped in the rebounds and deflections just as planned. Their keeper was the undoubted man of the match, saving first class shot after shot, including several excellent drag Team: U16B Result: Draw Score: 1-1
Team: U15C Result: Won Score: 7-4
Team: U14A Result: Won Score: 4-2
Magdalen College came to Taylors’ with an impressive run and reputation, so the U15Cs emerged onto the pitch knowing that they had a match on their hands. Nevertheless, Captain Dylan Lakhani expertly marshalled a team bursting with talent, and within two minutes Viren Shukla gave the home side a dream start with an early goal. Yusuf Ahmed and Edward Greenaway pushed deep. The first half was all Taylors’; they took up residence in the opponents’ half of the pitch, with the combined midfield of Charlie Meadows, Nishil Magecha and Oscar Frenchman, ferocious in pace and possibility. Further goals became an inevitability: Reece Vecchi had a hattrick in 6 minutes. Magdalen pulled one back in the 18th minute, but the story of the first half was all about our U15Cs converting their chances. In the second half, it was evident that Magdalen had learnt lessons and had the better possession, so the skills of Mateo Rodriguez Arellano and Amil Chandaria were more often called upon. Within 10 minutes they had pulled another one back, but four minutes later Reece Vecchi broke through to score his fourth. In a second half dominated by opposition short corners, most of which Magdalen managed to convert, Viren Shukla scored his second in the 18th minute, before Adi Shah put the match to bed in the 22nd. Theo Mantzios made some fine saves, ably supported by a strong defence including Tiviyan Thevarajah
The U14As had their best game of the season at Magdalen College. It is testament to their hard work in training and development throughout the season. They have learnt from every fixture and are starting to play really sophisticated hockey. The match was fiercely contested, but the effective, short and sharp passes quickly overcame the opposition. Thomas Bignone, Man-of-the-Match, Fred Butler, and Will Ford had their best matches of the season and were instrumental in creating the opportunities for Zhennuo Wang (3) and Joe Hazan (1). Rishi Lakhani made some great saves throughout the match, leaving the final score 4-2. The U14Bs played out an excellent 0-0 draw with MCS on Saturday. MCS arguably had the better of the possession for much of the match, but the MTS midfield and defence held firm and prevented MCS from using their time on the ball to create any clear chances. Indeed, the MTS goal was barely troubled all game. By contrast, although having to work hard in defence, MTS created some excellent chances on the counter attack and were only denied victory by a superb stop by the opposition keeper shortly before the end of the game. Overall, it was an excellent fixture and produced one of the best contests of the season. Team: U14B Result: Draw Score: 0-0
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Sports Merchant Taylors’
Team: U14C Result: Won Score: 2-1 On Saturday morning, the U14C team met to defend their unbeaten title against the equally consistent U14C fielded by Magdalen College. The weather was unusually temperate, buoying the spirits of players and spectators alike. After a good warm up, the game began. It was a tense affair. An early goal helped secure an MTS lead, but Magdalen were relentless in their determination to equalise, forcing the MTS team to doggedly work to maintain their position. In the second half Magdalen broke our defence and scored a goal themselves. Digging deep, MTS gave it their all and managed to once again score, re-asserting our lead with a 2-1. We managed to maintain this to secure a hard won win. Special mention goes to the Mohan Bros., who were responsible for our brilliant goals, Elliol Elliot for excellent work on the wing, Hugo for never fearing to intercept a massive hit and to our man of the match, Peter, who was always in just the right place at the right time. This report is dedicated to Keian Patel, who did not know we wrote them! Congratulations U14C team and good luck in your final matches next week.
back foot, with a series of quick attacks from Eton. This resulted in numerous short corners, which were well defended and Theo Mantzios produced some fine saves. After a turnover in midfield, Eton had a greater number of players in attack and converted their effort. At half-time, a change in formation allowed greater stability at the back, with Freddie Ellis and Xander Zwiefka-Sibley putting in some important challenges. Milo Feeney-Oates made some promising runs in midfield, as did Adi Shah, and afforded us some attacking opportunities. However, these were rather limited, with Eton presenting a strong defensive line. Theo Mantzios was Man of the Match with many impressive saves to keep Taylors' in the match. Team: U15D Result: 1-1 Score: Draw The team pulled together to win against a very skillful Eton squad, managing to come back from 1-0 down to draw the game 1-1. Eton started the match strongly with numerous attempts on goal, which were kept out by a string of great saves by keeper Raffi Razavi. Despite a goal against the run of play near to the end of the first half, the Taylor's boys' heads did not drop, and we continued into the second half unfazed. Our attacks down both wings were more numerous, and resulted in an equalizer from Edward Greenaway not long before the final whistle. A convincing result from a Taylors' perspective from a team that had not had the chance to play many fixtures this term. Thanks to those who turned up to help coach the team from the side-lines.
(Captain), Tristan Johnson, Xander Mardle and Lucas Godber were all very solid and we were only caught out once with a quick break by MCS. Daro Beck and Krish Naik (2) worked and ran hard throughout the game, they dominated the midfield. Up front, Aaryan Shah and Charlie Pick had numerous attacks on goal. v Eton College The U15B team put in a fantastic performance against Eton, however, as can happen in sport they ended up on the wrong side of the result. The side passed the ball around beautifully in the first half, keeping possession and creating a number of chances only to be thwarted by a good performance from the Eton keeper. As half-time approached the team switched off for five minutes and Eton took advantage scoring twice in quick succession. The second half continued in similar fashion with Taylors' dominating possession. Nikhil Mehta had a particularly strong game in midfield. Taylors' got one back and looked like they had the momentum to score a second and third. Sadly shots which went just wide and further good saves from the Eton keeper took the sting out of all our attacks. Eton went on to score right at the end as MTS chased the game. Overall, it was a good team performance in what ended up a difficult result to take. Team: U15B Result: Lost Score: 1-3
Team: U14D Result: Won Score: 8-1
Team: U15C Result: Lost Score: 0-1
A fantastic display of passing and shooting. Krish Bhuva (3) was in fine form up front. Nicolas Popp (2) had a fantastic match and was constantly in attack or defence. At the back Lawrence Musetti (GK), Ravin Abhayawickrama, Zayd Hussain
The U15Cs took on Eton's U15Cs on the Thursday evening of Hockey Week. With a slightly depleted squad, the team started on the
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Team: U14A Result: 4-1 Score: Won
The U14A’s took on Eton's U14B’s on the Tuesday evening of Hockey Week. Following a flurry of wins, the boys were keen to secure another. The first half began with the boys failing to do the basics properly and the game was very contested, but they quickly found their flow and were passing increasingly effectively. We finished the first half 2-1, scorers being Zhennuo Wang and Joe Hazan. The second half just got better and better: using the full width of the pitch, passing effectively, and tackling strongly. Zhennuo Wang secured another goal and Theo scored a screamer, leaving the score 4-1. A number of players had their best game of the season, including Ayan Patel, Joe Hazan, Thomas Haria, Sebastian Spight, and man-of-the-match Theo Souesi. The U14s put on an entertaining display against Eton. The side dominated possession and created a number of chances against a strong side. We played some lovely attacking hockey and this saw us score two goals in the second half to seal the win. Team: U14C Result: Won Score: 3-1
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Junior Taylors’ Tens tournament On Saturday 11th March we held our annual Junior Taylors’ Tens tournament. Taylors’ Tens was created during lockdown as a replacement for contact rugby – a touch game with four touches to escape your half and a further four to score. There are also bonus points for ‘kick to score’ (2) and scoring from your own half (2) which leads to the fun possibility of 9 point tries. It is a really useful game to work on the boys’ skills such as catch-pass, kicking and support play and plays a key part in the development of our rugby players at MTS. It is also a wonderful opportunity to invite boys from York House, MTP and St John’s so they can start to make friends ahead of their arrival at the school in September.
In the U13 tournament, it was Baker who triumphed winning 18-5 against Cove Smith. Noah Browne scored two 9 point tries against Shane Morrow’s try, both players absolutely outstanding and we look forward to welcoming them into 4ths in September from MTP and St John’s respectively. The 3rd Place Play Off was won 10-0 by Raphael against Fuller. In the U13 tournament, 3rd Place was secured by Fuller who defeated Baker 18 5. Cove-Smith took the overall title, winning the final against Raphael 28-14. This was an impressive recovery having lost against the same opposition in the group stages. There was some superb rugby, at times chaotic but that can be so vital in the learning of young players. The skills on show were incredibly exciting, and we look forward to the journey ahead of all these boys in the coming years.
Basketball v Forest School Team: U18
Result: Loss Score: 24-49
An hour-long trip up to Essex saw the boys play against a strong Forest School Sixth Form side. The game started with two fairly even quarters, though Forest School began to pull away towards the end of the 2nd leaving to a half-time scoreline of 20-13. MTS kept the scoreline here with immaculate defence during the 3rd quarter, before a few Forest substitutions and fresh pairs of legs helped them break through the deadlock. From then, they gained momentum and pulled away into the fourth. The boys were understandably disappointed considering their previous week’s games in which they went neck-and-neck with the equally-strong sides of Mill Hill and UCS, but will not be deterred when facing their next (and first ever) home game vs. Dwight school next week.
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MTS U15 7s tournament On Sunday 12th March, MTS hosted the first annual MTS U15 7s tournament. It featured 8 schools in total, with some quality opposition coming to compete. MTS have had mixed preparation, with some players able to practice 7s in recent weeks whilst others have been excelling in the Hockey teams. Nonetheless, this is a talented group of young rugby players and it remained to be seen how they would adapt to the shortened format of the game.
They answered emphatically with a truly outstanding day of effort and quality. The first game took some getting used to with a somewhat slow first half before exploding into life as the game went on with a 42-0 victory over UCS. St John’s, Leatherhead, were next up and the boys put in a high class performance, tiring the opposition and winning 17-0. Looking good for the Cup knock out, MTS had Tonbridge last. The opposition had been having a tough morning so far, but fought
They came good early in the second half, working the ball wide to score the winning try and spark jubilant scenes
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from half-way to score the winning try and bring a superb day to a close. MTS should be incredibly proud of themselves, showing such quality and a real squad effort. Jaidev Radia, Thomas Easterbrook and George Gordon were industrious, working hard for the team in attack and defence. Josh Nnatu was a constant threat with the ball, his running and offloading proving difficult for teams to cope with. Matthew Li and Huseyin Ozer (U14) were both work horses, making important breaks and keeping attacking momentum for MTS. Zak Karim showed a turn of pace to score some good tries, whilst the speed and footwork of Ethan Pryce, Aman Rajdev and Andrew Ellis meant that MTS were a constant threat. Jake Bridge was excellent at scrum half, harassing the opposite 9s constantly into mistakes. Rio Waddington was an assured and dangerous presence and was sorely missed once he was injured, whilst Oliver Isherwood was a constant threat in attack and made three of the best try saving tackles you could ever see. It is a shame that the boys couldn’t quite cross the line to win their home tournament but they did themselves proud and have an exciting future ahead of them. Mr E Conway
admirably before the home side pulled away for a 24-7 win. The Cup Semi Final awaited for MTS who eagerly got through Haribo and energy drinks to help with such a energy sapping morning. St Joseph’s, Ipswich, were the opposition having come second in their group having drawn two games but were also still unbeaten. It proved an absolute thriller. St Joseph’s kept pulling ahead, only to be pulled back by a tenacious MTS side. As the full-time whistle went, it was 19-19 and on we went to Gold Point extra time with two blocks of four minutes. The first half passed without score, MTS hanging on desperately by defending their line with real determination and quality. It was a genuinely stunning goal line stand and the boys bought themselves more time. They came good early in the second half, working the ball wide to score the winning try and spark jubilant scenes. The other semi-final had also gone to extra time, and it was our group opponents St John’s who prevailed. They had been getting better and better as the day progressed, setting up a tight final. With MTS carrying a couple of injuries, St John’s arguably did look a little sharper in the Final but it was 12-12 going into the final play with MTS again showing their resilience. St John’s however worked it wide to their quick winger who ran
MTS should be incredibly proud of themselves, showing such quality and a real squad effort.
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Notices Merchant Taylors’
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MTS SURF TRIP 2023 FUERTEVENTURA // CANARY ISLANDS
DEPART MON 16 OCT 2023 RETURN SUN 22 OCT 2023
MERCHANT TAYLORS’ SCHOOL OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS IN YEARS 10 - 13
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IMMERSIVE ADVENTURES AND PROJECTS FOR CHILDREN TO EXPLORE, CREATE, COLLABORATE AND PROBLEM-SOLVE, IN THE OUTDOORS
3 rd –6 th April
11 th –14 th April
Adventure Age 5.5-8
Bushcraft Age 8-11
Adventure Age 5.5-8
Makers Lab Age 8-11
10% discount for MTS parents Code: 23MTSPREAST
FOR MORE INFORMATION & TO BOOK www.thehive-kids.com | team@thehive-kids.com | 020 3435 6848 We accept childcare vouchers on all our missions
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PROFESSIONAL INDIVIDUAL TENNIS COACHING FOR ALL
Why not get started now in the game for life, with high quality, specific, focussed and professional tennis coaching which ensures you achieve the level that you wish to attain. No matter whether you want to learn to play tennis because you wish to acquire a new skill, get fit and meet new friends or to compete to the highest level, I will ensure that I tailor your lessons accordingly to ensure that you reach your goals. Book an individual or mini group cluster lesson on either weekdays, weekends or evenings; also early mornings and late evenings are possible by request. Termly lessons are also available on request so you can guarantee your regular weekly day and time that fits best within your schedule. The highest level of Professional Tennis tuition with Steve Butcher • LTA highest Level 5 Master Professional Coach (MPC) with over 30 years experience • RPT & USPTR Pro Level, DBS Checked, First Aider and fully insured • Cater for all ages, standards and abilities • Middlesex County Coach • High level junior national and international level players • Qualified in coach education tutor and assessor • Mentoring, training and developing the next generation of tennis coaches
Please do not hesitate to contact me to get you started on court! I look forward to seeing you on court soon.
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Learn, Improve And Develop Your Tennis In School !
Your Advantage Tennis Academy based at Merchant Taylors' School, are pleased to now be able to offer group and individual professional tennis tuition to students in the school day.
Highest level of Professional tennis coaching in school No need to travel - integrated into your school day
Utlising the fantastic school tennis facilities Utilising the latest ball machine technology Group and individual tuition All ages, standards and abilities
To book a lesson or series of lessons during the term time or school holidays then please do not hesitate to make contact:
www.youradvantage-tennisacademy.co.uk contact@youradvantage-tennisacademy.co.uk 07733 326142
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Merchant Taylors’ School Parents Prayer Fellowship Parents from local churches meet termly to pray for the needs of the school, all welcome.
Contact : Ali 07867 550 771 mans f ieldcrew5@outlook.com
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Merchant Taylors' Social Networking
Facebook Merchant Taylors' School
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Twitter @MerchantTaylors
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