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St George Sevens walked away with the second-ever ULR Sevens title pipping the Welsh Warriors at Bury St Edmunds on Sunday.

The winners, an England Sevens development side coached by Ben Ryan, required the last play of the game to beat a Warriors side containing a number of Wales’ IRB Sevens regulars, 15-14.

St George and the Warriors had battled past a high quality field to make the final, in what’s turning into one of the most competitive events in the UK.

Millfield schoolboy Miles Mantella produced a superb individual effort to give St George the lead, retrieving his own kick through to touch down.

Back came the Warriors with superb interplay between the tournament’s two standouts, Ifan Evans and Alex Cuthbert, giving the latter a score and the lead at 5-7. St.George replied immediately with the equally impressive Uche Odouza continuing his day’s form by rounding his man to push them ahead 10-5.

A botched St.George lineout was pounced on by the impressively sharp Cuthbert, who pushed Wales ahead early in the second period (10-14).

Brave Welsh defence kept St. George out with another searing Mantella break curtailed by Lee Rees. Although a serious Warriors injury rather took the sting out of the final, St George pressured, keeping it tight, and Richard Crane scored a dramatic late winner.

Route to the Final

St George had thrashed a young Northampton Saints, the tournaments defending champions, side 55-7 in the quarter-finals despite conceding early on.

Ryan’s side then faced a tough challenge from Samurai International in the semi-finals, again conceding early with the always impressive Simon Hunt going blind. Odouza then took control scoring a fine individual effort before setting up Mantella to give St. George distance. Further tries to Northampton Saints scrum-half John Brake and Phil Burgess saw the English side home 27-17.

The Warriors proved too strong for the Irish Wolverines in the other semi-final with Cuthbert, Evans, and Tom Issacs all scoring with experienced Rhys Shellard also impressing in the 38-10 win.

ID and Marauders show potential

Olorun ID warmed up for the impending National Sevens Series with their first appearance of the Summer and duly impressed - their side having a heavy south west influence.

They came unstuck against Samurai in the Cup quarter-finals though, with Simon Hunt turning in another vintage performance and scoring an outstanding hat-trick.

The Marauders again included a young squad and two Chris Rose tries gave them a well earned 10-10 draw against Samurai in the pool stages. Howard Graham’s side found the going too tough in the quarter-final stages though blowing up 33-12 against the Warriors.

Blackheath continue to impress with former England Sevens coach Mike Friday leading them to a quarter-final berth, eventually going down to the Wolverines 28-14. 

Latvia brought an international flavour to proceedings, losing to the Marauders and Samurai in the group stages before beating Southend.

Koru Kamikaze showed good form in the latter stages of the event comfortably seeing off the challenge of Cambridge University to take the Plate.