Minchinhampton 2017 7s Champions

Not even the rain that fell for most of the day could dampen the spirits of players and supporters at Saturday’s Minety 7’s tournament, won, after a dramatic final by Minchinhampton, who over came the RAF Horus team in a sudden death shoot out at the end of a terrific day’s 7’s rugby.

14 teams entered this year’s tournament expertly organised by Minety’s Jack Ward.

Divided into 2 groups of 7 teams, across two pitches, matches got underway at 11am.

At the end of a fiercely contested round of qualifying matches Horus and Swindon College Old Boys emerged as the top two sides from Pool A.  Three teams tied for top spot in a dramatic Pool B.  Caveman 7s, Cirencester RFC and Minchinhampton finished with 10 points each.  Points difference scored on the pitch saw Minchinhampton and Caveman 7s tied once against with points differences of 122 each.  After a brief committee meeting it was agreed between the two teams that top spot in Pool B should be decided by a toss of a coin.  Minchinhampton won and moved into the main Cup final against Pool A winners Horus, leaving Caveman 7s to compete with Swindon College Old Boys for the Plate.

With the rain lashing down Caveman 7s and Swindon College Old Boys could not be split after full time so a period of extra time was played with the first score deciding the outcome of the tie.  With both teams competing for every ball it looked as if extra time would be tied until Caveman 7’s broke through the Swindon line to score the decisive try.

The final was equally hard fought.  Horus and Minchinhampton threw everything into an excellent final, which, like the Plate Final, was tied at the end of full time.  It was Minchinhampton who triumphed with a try in extra time.

Qualifying Scores

TeamPlayedWonDrewLostForAgainstTotalPool AMinety62131011315St Josephs Dads600635890Cirencester College Academy6105281342Horus 765011413511Swindon College Old Boys65011323510Supermarine6312106897Devizes Colts6312141737

Pool BDreamers6204451914Caveman 7s65011462410Cirencester RFC65011374910Minchinhampton65011573510Chippenham RFC6303126666Cirencester Royal Ag. Coll.6006121120Barbarians6105351752

Full photo gallery and film of the final to come.

Many thanks to all who took part in the Minety 7’s.  Special thanks to Jack Ward for organising the whole event.  Congratulations to Minchinhampton – we look forward to you coming back to defend your title in 2018!