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As expected it was the Help for Heroes VII who cruised to the Rosslyn Park Floodlit 7s glory last night. Operating as a shadow England side, covering the late pull out of Blackheath RFC and with National Coach Ben Ryan at the helm, it proved a useful and vigorous work out ahead of the last two remaining legs of the IRB World Sevens Series in London and Edinburgh.

They were met in the final by a young and extremely talented Harlequins side, who were also beaten finalists in 2008. England Captain Ollie Phillips opened the scoring in the final, pouncing on some loose Quins ball to canter in from the halfway line.

Back came the Premiership play-off semi-finalists though, with the always busy Seb Jewell’s rangy miss pass finding winger Sam Smith to give the West Londoners some parity. Yet the Help for Heroes VII class began to kick in proving too adept and physical at the breakdown, a recurring theme throughout the evening.

The electric Dan Norton stretched the lead for the Heroes with a brace with Greg Barden and Army ringer Gus also getting himself on the scoresheet. A George Lowe consolation, again created by Jewell, was all Harlequins could muster against an as expected well disciplined defense, with the Heroes VII taking it 31-10.

Earlier in the night, Harlequins had breezed through Pool B dismantling a tired looking Cambridge 38-0 before eventually overcoming Esher 24-7. Their semi-final opponents were London Wasps who did enough to get by St Marys (late replacements for London Irish) and London Scottish. Wasps scorched into the lead in the last-four showdown with impressive schoolboy and England Under-18 international Christian Wade blitzing in with his first touch.

Yet Quins started to take control and winger Sam Smith took advantage of some flimsy Wasps tackling to go over twice. Chris York extended the lead before a penalty kick extended the lead going into the half. The powerful and pacey Smith completed his hat-trick soon after the break before a Wade consolation gave Wasps some respectability, with Quins heading to the final 25-14 winners.

Saracens, led by England Sevens’ Dan Caprice, had to settle for a 19-19 draw with Richmond in their first game. Richmond got out of jail with two late scores, the second finished off by Joe Ajuwa, to stun the Premiership outfit and open things up in Pool C. Yet it was Sarries who made their way to the last four courtesy of a better points difference thanks to their 38-3 win over hosts Rosslyn Park.

Loughborough University were always going to be up against it in Group D against The Army and Help for Heroes but showed glimpses of talent and pride in running the Heroes VII close eventually losing out 31-14. The Heroes VII faced the Army in the final game of the Pool stages and showed their class in proceeding to the Semis 31-5. There they met Saracens who started the stronger with the elusive Caprice causing difficulties for the shadow England squad. Eventually though the Heroes patience bore fruit with Rodwell, Phillips, and new Saracens recruit Kev Barrett going over. Jamie Hearn went over for Sarries but an opportunist score from Norton was enough to book a meeting with Quins, 26-7.