SEDBERGH WIN ROSSLYN PARK HSBC NATIONAL SCHOOL 7S COLTS TITLE

Results

Group
Sevenoaks Won 33-0
Wallington County GS Won 40-0
QES, Kirkby Lonsdale Won 38-5
Warwick Won 21-12

Last 32
Ysgol y Preseli Won 21-5

Last 16
Ivybridge Won 31-12

Quarter-final
Bromsgrove Won 28-12

Semi-final
Tonbridge Won 21-5

Final
Clifton College Won 19-7

The U16 VII travelled south to Rosslyn Park in confident mood having won all four tournaments played so far this season. The side found their rhythm quickly and secured comfortable wins in the first 3 group games before the big game of the group against Warwick.

The game was keenly contested from the start but a composed display in which the side moved the ball well and kept their patience eventually saw us score 3 unanswered tries to go 21-0 before Warwick hit back at the end. Day 1 finished with the first knock-out game against Ysgol y Preseli, an impressive outfit from South Wales. The scores were level at the end of a tight first half but long range scores from Ben Burridge and Oli Melville saw us to a 21-7 win and through to day 2.

In the last 16 we faced a highly regarded Ivybridge outfit who had been u14 champions 2 years earlier but the big pitch on which we would now play all our remaining games suited our style of play and we used the width well to move the our bigger opponents around and create space. Harry Sheil scored a hat-trick including a crucial, superb length of the field effort after excellent work by Fraser Jones and James Naylor just before half-time to take the game away from our opponents and we ran out comfortable winners 31-12.

Bromsgrove were our ¼ final opponents and we were always in control after first half scores from Matthew Cooney and Ben Burridge and an interception at the start of the second half by Harry Sheil put us 21-0 up before Sheil scored again later on. Tonbridge had been impressing people throughout the day but another piece of individual brilliance by Harry Sheil who was really lighting up the tournament put us into an early lead and 2 further scores from the impressive Cooney combined with some resolute defence saw us into the final.

It was Clifton College who awaited us in the final having come through a thriller in their semi-final against Wellington. This time it was Cameron Melville who got us the perfect start and further first tries by Fraser Jones and Cooney put us into a 19 point lead at half-time. Unfortunately possession dried up in the second half but our defence, which had been superb throughout the day stood firm and Clifton only managed a solitary late consolation score as we secured the National title.

This was a superb team effort in which the side played an impressive brand of 7’s throughout the tournament in which they showed attacking flair, defensive tenacity and an impressive willingness to work for each other. Particular congratulations to James Naylor who was voted Player of the Tournament.

Squad:
C. Melville, J. Naylor, M. Cooney, H. Sheil, O. Melville, F. Jones, B. Burridge, I. Carmichael, M. Redpath, A. Gowling, H. Panday, T. Duncan,