The ENFIELD IGNATIANS’ title winning U16s team gave a very good account of themselves after signing up to the sevens circuit for the first time in the Hope Tournament hosted by Saracens at the Bramley Sports Ground (July 4), writes Jonathan Landi.

The blue and golds 12-man squad played four games in all and they began with a bang after forcing a memorable 19-19 draw with Saracens, having trailed the game with a minute remaining on the clock in a game streamed live on Next Gen Rugby on Youtube.

With nothing to lose, Ignatians went for a broke and the risk paid off as they worked their very fast winger in, before rescuing the game with the very last kick following a successful conversion attempt.

Ignatians’ rocky patch proved to be their next two games and, in a fractious bad- tempered affair against the Northamptonshire-based and the eventual beaten finalists, Concorde Sevens, they suffered an honourable if very frustrating defeat 14-0 defeat.

It was a loss which came at a cost, as having lost the services of some key personnel, Ignatians were a bit underpowered for the considerable challenge of Bishop’s Stortford, which the Hertfordshire side lorded 31-12.

Still, Ignatians were far from disgraced, having engineered a couple of decent tries against a
side which would eventually win the tournament, by way of consolation.

Given that they hadn’t played any rugby since March, Ignatians, in common with their rivals, Barnet Elizabethans, were by now out on their feet in the heat, but they still managed to end on a high by shading the finale 14-7.

The win by rights earned Ignatians a place in the Plate final and a re-match with Saracens, but with the final some two hours down the line, and given that the squad was down to its bare bones, the decision was taken to call time on proceedings.

Coach Steve Corcoran said: “As first sevens experience, the commitment and endeavour from the boys, having not played any rugby since March, in the heat and on a hard track against highly competent opponents, was outstanding. They can be very proud of their efforts and the hard-fought draw against local rivals [Saracens] will linger long in the memory - and even longer on the internet.”