News & EventsLatest NewsCalendar
A Sevens Summer

A Sevens Summer

Chas Mills28 Jul 2014 - 19:52
Share via
FacebookTwitter
https://www.beckenhamrfc.com/n

After the success of the Find Rugby Now tournament last summer Beckenham Ladies decided to enter several tournaments this summer. We settled on 3 tournaments and Phil Davis gave us some 7’s coaching, particularly the differences to the 15s game.

Our first tournament soon arrived, the Summer Solstice competition held annually at Nottingham Casuals RFC. Our first game was against Eccles the team that had beaten us in the cup semi-finals this season. Despite some of the team never playing 7’s before we drew our first game. It would have been a win had our linesman (thanks Moon) seen the foot out of touch as they scored the last try of the game. We then went on to play Loughborough and Saracens (both elite teams) and didn’t do quite so well. Day 2 we started with a win and reached the semi-finals of the plate competition. Unfortunately this is where our run ended to Camp Hill. The competition was a great introduction to 7’s for many of the girls.

Our second competition was the inaugural Sevens in the City organised by Matt Steven’s and David Strettle. Due to several teams dropping out of the competition we were once again facing Saracens and Loughborough. Unfortunately we were not able to overcome either team but great communication meant we gave Loughborough a bit more to think about. Following our initial losses we found ourselves in the plate final and overcame West Country Cavaliers to win the plate final and our first piece of 7’s silverware. Highlight of the day was photos with the England 7’s team with our plate.

Our final tournament was a repeat of last year in the Find Rugby Now 7’s tournament at Ilford Wanderers. We were entered in the social competition so finally didn’t have to face Loughborough and Saracens (Saracens went on to win the elite competition). We had 3 games in our pool matches against an invitational FRN development side, Blackheath and Milwall. We won all these games comfortably so were set to play a charity team, Scotty’s Little Tigers in the final. Unfortunately due to the timing at this tournament a quarter of our squad had to go home leaving us with no substitutes. With no substitutes and an opposition made up of Army and ex-England players and a couple of ringers from the elite group, we lost in the final. However the effort put in over the whole day cannot be faulted and once the bruises and sunburn have faded all the girls can be proud.

Thank you to Phil, and all the ladies who took part this summer whether it was rocking up to training, supporting us on the day, playing or attempting to play but getting injured. All of you had a part to play in what was ultimately a successful 7’s summer.

Lotte Doyle

Further reading