Great display of youth rugby 'sevens' at The Whiteway (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Great display of youth rugby 'sevens' at The Whiteway

YOUTH rugby at Cirencester RFC celebrated the end of the playing season with its annual Jubilee Sevens tournament at The Whiteway last weekend.

Some 400 youngsters descended on the club to make up the 40 ten-player squads competing.

This year marked the 25th year of the Hugh Evans Memorial Shield event, which is awarded to the winner in the U17 age group.

Alexcars of Cirencester generously sponsored the two-day festival and Pertemps added further financial backing to enable the club to award trophies for the seven age groups taking part.

Such is the strength of youth rugby at CRFC but so stretched are the pitch resources, that the age groups were split into two days of competition.

The U15s 16s and 17s played on the first day with the U11s 12s 13s and 14s competing on the second day.

Some 15 visiting clubs made up the opposition travelling from Harbury in Warwickshire, Witney in Oxfordshire, and Supermarine in Wiltshire and Thornbury in South Glo'shire as well as the strongest of the local Gloucestershire clubs.

Glawsters own international frog, Olivier Azam and former All-Black Simon Mannix, moved among the Sunday morning crowd to spot emerging talent.

Both International players were on hand to present certificates to the U7 to U10 age groups who also used the event to stage their end-of-season presentations and boost a carnival-like atmosphere.

The Gloucestershire Rugby Football Union and host club provided referees for the fast moving seven minutes per half game, punctuated by only two minutes' rest at half-time.

Not only keeping the proceedings going on the field of play, the referees were on the lookout for the rising stars.

With each team of seven players playing on average five pool games, the referees officiated 200 games to make their choices.

Included in the referee line-up was Vince Hellier, a first grade referee from Sydney, Australia, doing a student gap year at Wycliffe College in Stonehouse and who is assisting the Gloucester Referees' Society.

His stamina, fitness and enthusiasm for the game were evidenced by a long cycle ride to get from Wycliffe to the event.

In the older age groups, the player of the tournament was awarded to Jack Adams (Brockworth U16s) who has already worn the England shirt for youth rugby. In the younger age groups, the player of the tournament was awarded to Kevin Jonjo Comerford (Harbury U14s) while the Mike Clapton Fair Play Award went to Scott Brandreth (Cirencester U13s).

Former Gloucester RFC player Nigel Scrivens made these presentations. The two individual player trophies, awarded to Cirencester RFC players by Dave Savage of D and J Sports, went to Harry Shepherd (U12s) and Harry Barthorpe (U11s).

Results of Cirencester Rugby Sevens trophy matches are as follows: U17s. Hugh Evans Memorial Shield: Winners Keynsham beat Cirencester into runners-up spot in the final and Gloucester Old Boys took the third place trophy. U16s. Winners Bredon beat Brockworth into runners-up spot in the final and Cheltenham took the third place trophy beating Witney.

U15s. Winners Stroud A beat Cirencester into runners up spot in the final and Chippenham took the 3rd place trophy beating Stroud B.

U14s. Winners Thornbury beat Harbury into runners-up spot in the final and Bredon took the third place trophy beating Cirencester.

U13s. Winners Hucclecote beat Widden Old Boys into runners-up spot in the final and Cirencester took the third place trophy beating Stow.

U12s. Winners Cirencester beat Widden Old Boys into runners-up spot in the final and Hucclecote took the third place trophy beating Cheltenham.

U11s. Winners Witney beat Chipping Norton into runners- up spot in the final and Cirencester took the third place trophy beating Widden Old Boys.