Former Dubai student Tyrese Johnson-Fisher poised to be England’s next rugby star

Trevor Mais 01:13 24/03/2015
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  • Prodigy: Tyrese Johnson-Fisher is tipped to be an important player for England rugby.

    Fifteen-year-old Tyrese Johnson-Fisher will aim to cement his status as English rugby’s latest bright young thing when he turns out in the final of a major schools’ competition this Wednesday.

    The outside centre, a former pupil at Dubai’s GEMS Wellington International School, recently became a YouTube sensation after his rugby skills were highlighted following a blistering display in the NatWest Vase schools’ tournament.

    Johnson-Fisher, who left the UAE in the summer of 2013 after five years and now boards at Oakham School, captains the English schools’ under-15 side.

    His impressive performances for Oakham have propelled them to the NatWest Vase final – the school’s first in more than 10 years, with his semi-final highlights going viral after he helped himself to four tries and assisted another in a 47-27 thumping of Bishop Wordsworth.

    “It has been an absolute honour captaining the squad of a school with such an amazing rugby tradition,”  Johnson-Fisher told Sport360. ​”With players like Charlie Walker, Tom Croft and Lewis Moody having played for Oakham, it’s great to be a part of it.”

    Reaching the NatWest Vase final was just the latest in a long list of achievements, with Johnson Fisher also managing to clock up an unbelievable 10.91 seconds for the 100m, the fastest ever time for a boy of his age in Britain.

    But the teenager’s eyes remain firmly focused on rugby for now and ahead of Wednesday’s final at Twickenham, Johnson-Fisher reflected on the positive impact Dubai had on his sporting education.

    “The transition between rugby in Dubai and England was really tough,” he said. “In Dubai it is a very fast-paced game, which is basically 7s styled but played by 15 men, it involves a lot of pace but there is not as much physicality.

    “Dubai rugby was so enjoyable – playing in the heat and just running around constantly. Playing rugby in Dubai is unforgettable for me as some of my greatest and most memorable rugby moments came there – hopefully I will play there again soon.”

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