Youngs boys help Tigers to silverware

Youngs boys help Tigers to silverware

MICHAEL BAILEY - EDP

05 May 2008



Former North Walsham youngsters Tom and Ben Youngs made a winning return to their former stomping ground as Leicester Tigers walked away with the international rugby sevens title at Scottow yesterday.

Ex-Walsham forward Ben Pienaar also played his part as the Tigers comfortably dealt with all the opposition had to throw at them, before dispensing with fellow Guinness Premiership side London Irish 40-15 in the senior final.

“We're really happy - it was a really good day,” said Ben Youngs, who scored a brace of tries in the final. “We had a hard game against Krusaders. Seru Rabeni, who is also at Leicester, had put that side together but I think half of them went to the army and navy game yesterday at Twickenham and they were still feeling rather rough, so we managed to get through that.

“But we are hugely delighted to win. The boys put in a good effort and I think it's thoroughly deserved. The last sevens tournament we played (at Melrose, Scotland two weeks ago) we lost in the final and we didn't want to feel that again, so that was a bit of motivation.

“But it's great to be back. Myself, Ben and Tom all had our rugby here so it is awesome to come back in front of the home crowd and a lot of family and friends. It was really great support and the crowd got right behind us.”

Former England captain Will Carling's Rucku Spartans side had to pull out of the tournament before kick-off, after one of their players suffered a serious injury in another competition the previous day.

Home side North Walsham failed to progress beyond the quarter-finals, despite a vociferous home crowd, losing to touring side Samurai Barracudas, who joined Cambridge University in falling at the semi-final stage.

In the junior competition, which was run for local sides parallel to the senior competition, an early Stowmarket try was as good as it got for the Suffolk side in the final.

Diss answered with four tries of their own to wrap up the local honours before half time, with a late Stowmarket try leaving the final score 26-12 as Diss added another success to their promotion triumph.

RESULTS:



Senior Results. Group A: Leicester Tigers 34, Cambridge University 0; Leicester 45, Scorpions 7; Cambridge Uni 33, Scorpions 19. Group B: North Walsham 5, London Irish 49. Group C: Samurai Barracudas 14, Cambridge RFC 12; Kaiviti Krusaders 5, Samurai 33; Krusaders 14, Cambridge RFC 35. Quarter-finals: Samurai 24, North Walsham 12; London Irish 37, Scorpions 7; Leicester 33, Krusaders 5; Cambridge RFC 12, Cambridge Uni 25. Semi-finals: Samurai 5, London Irish 40; Leicester 41, Cambridge Uni 5. Final: Leicester 40, London Irish 15.


Junior Results. Group A: North Walsham Seconds 37, East Coast Knights 0; Wymondham 7, Holt 19; NW Seconds 12, Wymondham 21; East Coast 7, Holt 36; NW Seconds 0, Holt 29; East Coast 7, Wymondham 45. Group B: Norwich 36, Dereham 0; Stowmarket 27, Beccles 0; Norwich 12, Stowmarklet 22; Dereham 17, Beccles 5; Norwich 29, Beccles 10; Stowmarket 27, Dereham 5. Group C: Diss 26, Nth Walsham U19s 19; Lowestoft & Yarmouth 17, Diss 24; Lowestoft & Yarmouth 10, NW U19s 24. Quarter-finals: Holt 22, NW U19s 10; Stowmarket 26, Wymondham 14; Diss 35, Norwich 0; NW Seconds 29, Lowestoft & Yarmouth 5. Semi-finals: Holt 7, Stowmarket 27; Diss 45, NW Seconds 5. Final: Diss 26, Stowmarket 12.

By Peter Treglown

North Walsham may have slipped out of the national leagues a fortnight ago but the quality of rugby at the Vikings’ annual rugby sevens competition this Sunday (4th May) shows no sign of diminishing.
The Scottow based club has again attracted a top quality line up of clubs to Scottow. This year’s entrants include two sides from the Guinness Premiership – Leicester Tigers and London Irish – as well as first time visits by a team entered by England World Cup winner Lewis Moody and another by former England captain, Will Carling.
Walsham chairman John Farrer said: “Walsham’s sevens are the biggest rugby event in the county. The quality of rugby is going to be excellent again this year with some of the country’s top clubs bringing teams. Every one of them treats the Walsham Sevens with the utmost seriousness and they are coming to Norfolk with the intention of walking away with the £4000 prize money. It’s going to be a fantastic day and, by all accounts, we have got some big name players coming on Sunday.”
This year, the Tigers, who have supported the sevens at Walsham since its inception, are fielding a particularly strong team that will include both Tom and Ben Youngs, each a former Walsham player, and two of the Tuilagi brothers. All four have seen Premiership action this season and both Youngs brothers have represented England at international sevens competitions.
Specialist sevens teams are represented by the likes of previous winners Samurai and the RLC Warriors from the Royal Logistics Corps.
North Walsham Vikings’ coach Dave Smith has yet to name his squad but will be looking to a combination of youth to inject speed and agility complemented by older heads to add experience. “This is a great way to end the season on a high after a season that has been less than easy for us. It gives Walsham players a chance to lock horns with some excellent sevens players and I can’t remember a year when we have disappointed at this competition – last year we beat Leicester Tigers in the opening match, which many said was not in the script. We start the competition this year playing against London Irish and we’ll be hoping for a repeat performance.”
The parallel local competition, meanwhile, has attracted a record number of entries this year with Norwich, Holt, Diss, Wymondham, Beccles, Stowmarket, Lowestoft & Yarmouth, Dereham and the East Coast Knights all fielding teams alongside North Walsham seconds and North Walsham 1921s.
The day starts off with North Walsham Vikings taking on London Irish at 11.00am and the action continues until the local competition final at 6pm and the senior competition final at 6.30pm.
The Band of the Royal Marines will be entertaining the crowds at 1pm. Entry is £10, under 16s are free.
North Walsham RFC is at Scottow on the B1150 between Coltishall and North Walsham. Details at www.7srugby.co.uk.

NORTH WALSHAM SEVENS
Sunday, 4th May 2008, from 11am

Next Sunday it’s the superb North Walsham Sevens competition. If you have been before, you’ll know what a great day of entertainment it is. If you’ve haven’t been before, come along for a tremendous day of sevens action from of the country’s and county’s top teams. With two Premiership sides and teams entered by Lewis Moody and Will Carling, it promises to be a great event.

Teams for this year’s sevens include North Walsham Vikings, Leicester Tigers, London Irish, Cambridge, RLC Warriors, Cambridge University, Samurai, Krusaders, Scorpions and Spartans.

Local sides include Stowmarket, Norwich, Diss, Beccles, Southwold, East Coast Knights, Dereham, Wymondham, Holt, Lowestoft & Yarmouth, North Walsham and the Walsham 1921 Academy.

The sevens really is an incredibly good day out – make sure you come along. £10 entry fee, the programme is £3.00.

How about taking a table or a place in the marquee? We have a few left. A table of 10 will be £450 including VAT (or £45 per head for a part table). This includes the entry fee, the programme and seeing North Walsham beat Leicester!

We look forward to seeing you all in the marquee; canapés will be served at 12.30, lunch at 1pm.

For full details of this great event or to book your place in the marquee, go to www.7srugby.co.uk, email info@7srugby.co.uk or call 07919 531841.


VOLUNTEERS WANTED
Saturday 3rd May 2008
Can we have some volunteers, please, to help prepare the grounds for the Sevens? Please come along from about 10am. Your help will be greatly appreciated.

The North Walsham Rugby Sevens have been described by England's former Sevens coach, Mike Friday, as one of the top three rugby sevens tournaments in the country.

The tournament regularly attracts some of Britain's top sevens teams, including sides from the Guinness Premiership like Leicester Tigers, Northampton Saints, London Irish and Harlequins, National League sides such as North Walsham Vikings and Southend and specialist sevens sides Samurais, St George, the Scorpions, the Panthers and many more.

A number of up and coming international and Premiership players have appeared
in the tournament in past years.

A parellel competition is run for local teams from all over Norfolk and has
seen clubs such as Norwich, Lowestoft & Yarmouth, Beccles, West Norfolk,
Diss, UEA, Norwich Union, Swaffham, Wymondham and North Walsham
Raiders competing for victory honours.




NORTH WALSHAM RUGBY 7s


or contact info@7srugby.co.uk