Repton Pair Rise to the Challenge at U25 National Fives Championships

Freddie (U6th, Priory) and Thomas (U6th, New) represented Repton at the U25 National Fives Championships at Eton College on Monday 21 September 2026, finishing 12th out of 24 pairs against strong school and university opposition.

Having both discovered the sport at Repton, their performances reflected the progress they have made since first stepping onto the School’s courts. Thomas began playing in B Block, while Freddie took up Fives when he joined in A Block.

The pair made a confident start, winning their opening three matches, including victories over opponents from Shrewsbury School and Eton College. A closely contested 10–12 defeat to a University of Cambridge pair in their penultimate group match left them narrowly outside the quarter-final places, finishing third in their group of six.

Freddie and Thomas continued into the plate competition, defeating another Shrewsbury partnership before university opposition brought their run to an end. The experience will provide a valuable foundation for their preparations for the Schools’ Nationals, held at Eton College at the end of the Lent term.

There was further success for the Repton community as Old Reptonian Henry Barton-Smith won the plate competition, finishing ninth overall.

Fives has long been part of Repton’s sporting life, with a court already in use when Dr Pears became Headmaster in 1854. Today’s twelve courts, built in 1910–11, were fully refurbished in 2021 through the generosity of Old Reptonians and the wider Fives community. They remain a focal point for pupil training, House matches and fixtures, as well as the Midland Tournament and regular sessions for local players.

For Freddie and Thomas, those same courts have provided the starting point for a sport they now play at national level. We congratulate both pupils on their performances and look forward to following their progress at the Schools’ Nationals.

Read more about Fives here