A garden door covered in scribbled tributes and love notes to Freddie Mercury sold for more than £400,000. From a piano to a comb, 1,400 of the Queen singer’s ‘exquisite clutter’ were sold at Sotheby’s. He was a star who captivated audiences across the globe.

Our own 1^st XV did that at St Jo’s and this season they look set to capture our imagination. The Sportsman’s Dinner is a celebration of everything rugby is and has been.

David Flatman, former England international and celebrated pundit and our 1^st XV and the England team have plenty in common when it comes to understanding the dying minutes of a critical game. In both cases their collective strength brought them within a whisker of winning and competing for the biggest prize.

The Sportsman’s auction is rather more affordable than Freddie’s with over 100 items on offer and with all proceeds going to raise funds to support the rugby programme. The annual cost to run the rugby programme at RGS is approximately £65,000. This is met through a number of initiatives to generate additional revenue. About 95% is raised through subs, sponsorships, fund raising events, including the Sportsman's Dinner, Burns Night and Beer & Gin Festival.

The auction is open to all, friends, family and supporters, and will remain online until it closes at approximately 11p.m. on 2nd November, so even if you are not attending the dinner, you can continue to bid. 

Friends of Rugby would like to thank the generosity of parents, sponsors, businesses and individual donors who support the School.