During school, Old Berkhamstedian, doctor and rugby enthusiast Sam Brabazon (St George's, 2011) never imagined he would go on to play for England Deaf Rugby in matches across the globe.

“I first noticed I had some hearing loss in my right ear during university. After attending the doctors for an audiogram and discovering I had hearing loss, I remembered recently hearing about England Deaf Rugby and their defeat of New Zealand’s team. I got in touch with the team to find out if I was eligible to play, I went to an open training session and I’ve been playing since then”.

Since then, Sam has travelled across the world to represent England, even taking on the England Deaf Rugby World Championships in Argentina. Later this year, Sam looks forward to heading on tour to South Africa with England Deaf Rugby.

During his time at Berkhamsted, Sam was involved in all aspects of School life, from CCF to charity work, and even a little Eton Fives, “albeit not well,” he admits! These opportunities taught Sam the importance of getting out and serving others- a value he often draws upon in his career as a full-time doctor.

When asked what his advice would be for current pupils interested in pursuing sports after their school years, Sam says “I’d encourage anyone to keep going with sports as long as they can. Playing sports is such a great way to meet so many different people and make friends!”