Success across the Sevens

Both the U18s and U14s have seen considerable success over the past week, bringing home the top prize in their respective Sevens competitions.

On Sunday 2 March the U18s retained the Reed’s Sevens Trophy, beating St John’s, Reed’s, Epsom College and The London Oratory on their way to the title. Donning their new Sevens kit, the match against Epsom was a particular highlight, with the boys scoring in the last play to win by a point.

Following on from this success, the squad went on to The Kent Cup, hosted at Gravesend RFC on Wednesday 5 March. Facing some stern tests throughout the tournament, the Tonbridge boys ensured that their strong start to the season continued, as they triumphed over a talented Ravens Wood School to win the trophy for the second consecutive year.

To round off a triumphant week, the U14 team won the prestigious Queen Elizabeth Barnet Plate, becoming the first Tonbridge side to win the tournament in this age group.

In their opening match, which was also their first experience of the Sevens format, the boys raced to a 19-5 lead against Dulwich but learnt a tough lesson on the importance of securing restarts, as they narrowly lost 20-19.

Undeterred, they went on to win the next two group games to progress into the Plate Competition. From the Quarter Finals onward it was a succession of dominant displays, as the boys scored 129 points, conceding just 14. Saving the best for last, the final versus John Fisher saw a performance worthy of any title, as they dispatched their competition with a score of 49-0.

Reflecting on the week, U18s Captain, Henry Hargreaves said, “I am really proud of the boys’ performance throughout both tournaments – to win both is a brilliant achievement. Playing Sevens during the Lent Term enables us to hone our skills in the off-season. Seeing the U14s dominate the Queen Elizabeth Barnet Plate is very exciting, demonstrating the pipeline of talent within Tonbridge.”