Matty Barrell captained the 1st XV at Jumeirah English Speaking School and was head boy. Now he is a world champion.
The former JESS student was part of the England side that won the World Deaf Rugby Sevens Championship in Tokyo on Tuesday, beating Australia 45-5 in the final at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium.
England kept Australia scoreless after conceding an early try, running in 45 unanswered points.
“With the scoreline in our favour for a large part of the game, it was becoming clear we’d get the win. But you’re so focused and caught up in the moment that you don’t really think about it,” Barrell told Yalla Sports.
“When the whistle went, ecstatic and relieved come to mind, but more than anything I just felt so proud of the whole group. It was a real ‘have we actually done this?’ moment.”
The win was no fluke. England had also beaten Australia in the pool stage, the only defeat the Australians suffered before the final.
The route to the final was hard. In the semi-finals, England beat Wales 19-12. Wales had won both previous editions of the tournament, in Sydney in 2018 and Argentina in 2023, and arrived in Japan chasing a third straight title. The 2018 final was a Wales win over England, 21-15.
Australia reached the final by beating Samoa 37-5 and then Fiji 31-14.
This was the third edition of the championship. Eleven nations sent 19 teams across the men’s and women’s events. England’s women reached their final too, but lost 31-14 to Australia.
World Deaf Rugby Sevens Championship in Tokyo
Barrell made his England Deaf debut against Jamaica in February 2025, while playing first-team rugby for Westcliff RFC in Essex. He says his years in Dubai shaped him as a sevens player.
“Growing up playing rugby in Dubai, you’re always exposed to sevens,” he said.
“The Dubai 7s is such a big part of the rugby calendar, and that definitely helped prepare me for the style of play.”
He also credited his JESS coach, Mike Wernham, “who played a huge part in my development.”
Sevens runs deep at the school. Earlier this year, the JESS girls won back their title at the Rosslyn Park National Schools Sevens.
Getting to Tokyo was not cheap. England Deaf Rugby Union is a registered charity that receives no central funding, so players fundraised to cover their own costs. Barrell set up his own page before the trip, aiming to raise £2,500.
His advice to deaf children in the UAE who want to play is simple.
“There will undoubtedly be challenges, but never let them stop you from playing,” he said.
“If you love the game and enjoy being out there, that’s what matters most. Don’t let your hearing be a barrier to getting involved in a sport as amazing as rugby.”
