Inside NSB - the state school at the top of English rugby union

It's 8am on a Monday morning and over a dozen teenage boys are stretching in a swimming pool.

Next, they head to the gym for a 30-minute strength and conditioning session, before grabbing a quick breakfast, changing into their school uniform and heading to their first lesson.

This is just the start of a typical week for students who play rugby at Northampton School for Boys, also known as NSB, who are attempting to win a schools league and cup double in rugby union this season.

They have recently been crowned the best rugby school in England, finishing top in the Daily Mail Trophy, a merit-table competition played during the autumn term by some of the biggest senior schools in the country, many of which are private, such as renowned rugby nurseries Sedbergh and Wellington College.

As the first state-school team to finish top in the history of the competition, which kicked off in 2013, NSB are bucking the trend.

According to Department for Education statistics, in the 2024-25 academic year, 6.4% of pupils in England attended independent schools.

Meanwhile, 26 members (63%) of England's wider 2026 Six Nations squad of 41 players went to independent fee-paying schools.

NSB are hoping to complete the double this season when they play Epsom College in the Under-18 Continental Tyres Cup final at Twickenham on 19 March, while they have also reached the national schools cup final in two other age groups.

The school has 19 players in Northampton Saints' under-18 academy, another 21 players in the under-16 foundation stage, and has seven under-18 internationals.

Past NSB players include England internationals Steve Thompson, Courtney Lawes and Ollie Sleightholme.

"The culture here is what stands out," said Kai Campbell, one of the players.

"Everything here is earned. At private schools the facilities are provided, but here there are no silver spoons, we have to put the work in."

Prop Aidan Reid - one of English rugby's rising stars and in the current England Under-18 squad - moved from fee-paying Bedford School to NSB a few years ago.

"We don't have the facilities, but we have coaches and parents that care, who ultimately want to be the best and compete," Reid said.

"We have the desire and we back ourselves over any team. State-schoolers can compete."

NSB's financial resources are also tightly controlled.

Coaches are not paid and the school has had to work hard to raise money to pay for transport, kit and equipment, attracting support from local businesses who supply items at cost price.

Director of rugby Phil Beaumont says the annual budget for rugby is "well below" £50,000.

"Anything that brings a slight advantage will make a difference, whether that's someone donating tape, our shirts being sponsored, parents dropping off for fixtures," he added.

"That way, we can alleviate some of the financial implications and make our programme sustainable. Just because you're at state school doesn't mean you should have less of an opportunity."

NSB has 1,700 students, ranging from 11-18 years old, with girls joining in the sixth form.

About 220 boys arrive in their first year (Year 7), many of whom have been playing for local clubs in Northampton from an early age.

The school has joined forces with the clubs to improve standards across age groups and relies on the goodwill of parents and coaches.

"This has been a 10-year project and community led," said Beaumont.

"It starts with high-quality coaching. We have 40 parents and coaches already coaching at our local clubs and use their expertise. They are our volunteers.

"We have four high-quality coaches per age group and generate multiple teams, which pushes players to be better. We layer that with competitive matches.

"We create this culture that rugby is part of the school. It's six days a week with Saturday fixtures and the boys support each other pitchside on matchdays."

NSB are also an official partner school with Northampton Saints.

This year, they provided the most players from any school to Saints' under-18s.

Four players will also be offered first-team academy contracts this year.

"The boys have to manage their time really well," says assistant first team coach Adam Baker.

"When we get into sixth form and into that first-team setting, we will try and put them through a programme that matches up with an academy programme, so if they go into that pathway, they are fully aware and prepped as to what that day-to-day life looks like."

However, NSB aren't the only state school making an impact.

They beat Campion School from Essex in the Continental Tyres School Cup semi-finals.

It was a compelling contest which went down to the wire, with two state schools playing high-octane rugby in front of a passionate crowd of over a thousand people.

The Rugby Football Union has a network of rugby managers to try to embed the game in state schools.

Twenty-two of the best state schools compete in the ACE (Academy, Colleges and Education) League. England internationals George Martin, Joe Heyes and Harry Randall all came through that route.

The programme is designed to support players who may not attend traditional rugby-playing schools, providing daily coaching, competitive fixtures, and opportunities to train alongside academy players.

Northampton Saints have two state school partnerships which play in the ACE League: Moulton College in Northampton and Sigma Sixth Colchester, located at Philip Morant School and College.

"Growing state school rugby is a one step at a time process," said Beaumont.

"This is over 10 years of hard work. But it can be done.

"My advice to other schools is find a way to get more numbers in training, organise a game.

"Put a tournament on, you don't need posts. Make it a habit. Get kids playing.

"Rugby needs every state school to push and develop rugby. This is the perfect time. State school rugby could be really special."

One of NSB's biggest stars is their 18-year-old captain Jack Lewis, who plays in the back row.

He has been at NSB for the past two years and in the Saints academy since he was 14.

This year he made his debut for Northampton Saints. Now he's preparing to lead his school for the final time in a Twickenham final.

"NSB taught me how to act, it's the closest thing to a professional environment," he said.

"A lot of people work hard behind the scenes, they sacrifice their time. It's given me so much as a player and a student.

"I've never played at Twickenham, it would be a great achievement if we could lift the cup there. We want to show what NSB stands for."