7th April 2021, Loughborough, UK: The first Alred Trophy regional qualifying competition took place yesterday Tuesday 6
th April at Loughborough University with five kickers progressing through to the final to be held in July.
Aston Leaver of Brentwood School in Essex was crowned the overall winner, winning the Alred Trophy knock-out goal-kicking competition at the end of the day slotting eight consecutive kicks in strong winds and snow to claim victory. Brentwood School team mate Rohan Van de Merwe will join him at the final, alongside Tristan Clark, Theo Edwards and Monty Adlington.
There are six more regional qualifying competitions to be held throughout England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, with the top kickers from each heading to the final to battle it out for the ultimate title of the best under-18 kicker in Great Britain and Ireland.
The Alred Trophy is named after its founder legendary kicking coach Dave Alred MBE, famed kicking coach of Jonny Wilkinson, and run by kicking coaching platform the School of Kicking. Over a career that has seen Dave Alred involved in World Cup triumphs, Lions Tours and even a stint in the NFL, he has and continues to work with the biggest names in the game including Beauden Barrett, James O’Connor, Stuart Barnes, Jonathan Webb, Matt Burke, Morné Steyn, Rob Andrew, Jonny Sexton, George Ford and Jonny Wilkinson and is currently the kicking coach for the Queensland Reds.
Talented up and coming rugby kickers from across the country will put their skills to the test in the Alred Trophy by taking part in a range of kicking challenges, designed to gauge their power, accuracy and performance under pressure. Each test simulates a match-based scenario including; Longest Drive, Hang Time, Target Restart, Drop Zone, Downtown and the ultimate prize of the Best Goalkicker and the Alred Trophy.
The winner of each high pressure kicking challenge takes home a prize and bragging rights heading into the final.
The kicker who comes out on top in July will receive a 12 month scholarship to The Kicker’s Club, including mentoring from the best kicking coaches in the world including Dave Alred, and loads of freebies from Alred Trophy partners.
To find out more, to enter an upcoming regional qualifying competition and to see results head to
https://schoolofkicking.com/
Final Results:
Finalists
Aston Leaver
Theo Edwards
Tristan Clark
Monty Adlington
Rohan Van de Merwe
Alred Trophy
Aston Leaver
Longest Drive
George Williams
Longest - 54m
Average – 40.4m
Hang Time
Christopher Flinders
Total – 55.05secs
Target Restarts
Tristan Clark
Total – 58.95secs
Drop Zone
George Williams
4/7
Downtown
Theo Edwards
Longest – 60m
Average – 56.8m
