Despite drawing a blank in the pool stages, Enfield Ignatians rebounded strongly in one of the consolation prizes on offer in the Hendon Sevens after shading the showdown with Belsize Park 26-17 at Hendon RFC last Saturday (April 30).

The blue and golds ran out deserved winners after crossing the whitewash four times, with Harry Masini, Jack Wilson and Euan Renny among the try scorers. The visitors also added three conversions in what was a tense and tight encounter.

Ignatians got off to a poor start in the pool stages and were outgunned 45-12 in the opening encounter against the division higher Hammersmith & Fulham. Tom Buckland and Anzl Swartz both claimed consolation scores for the blue and golds.

However, Ignatians gradually got more competitive and they also almost engineered a sterling fightback against Harrow. Trailing 22-0 at the break, the Enfield side were seemingly all but down and out.

The visitors steeled themselves for a big second-half, but despite tries from Alex McCall, Anzl Swartz and Euan Renny, all of which were converted, Ignatians were just on the wrong side of the ledger after going down all guns blazing 22-21.

Ignatians also pushed the hosts Hendon close but, again, victory just eluded them after going down 26-24. Lucas Yoxall and Harry Masini (two) were among the try scorers.

Head coach Jack Wilson, a try scorer in the Bowl final, believes that the whole exercise was a worthwhile and he said: “In the first two games, I thought we were still in fifteens mode, but we adapted as the tournament wore on.

“It was quite strange in a way as, in the [hypothetical] event of winning everything in the pool stages, we still could have come away with nothing, yet despite our losses in the pool stages we still came away with a trophy.

“It’s been quite a while since we have competed in sevens and the boys have clearly developed a taste for this form of the game. It’s possible that we could enter another sevens tournament in July.”

Ignatians are expected to start their pre-season during the first week of July, and hope to confirm the exact date shortly.

Enfield Ignatians squad: Tom Cox, Tom Buckland, Lucas Yoxall, Euan Renny, Alex McCall, Anzl Swartz, Jack Wilson,, Luke Stack,, Harry Masini, Calum Middleton, Mapheon Dube, Alberto di Dio..

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