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Llangefni braved the torrential rain to yet again be crowned champions of the Llangoed International Rugby Sevens tournament for the sixth time in the competition’s 17-year history on Saturday.

Anglesey in Wales was the destination for the 20 men and 6 women’s sides who came from all over Wales and North-East England to the small village of Llangoed. The men’s competition saw the sides split initially into four groups of five playing in the morning and afternoon at the Anglesey village ground.

Yet it was really later in the afternoon that the big guns came into play with Llangefni storming away with their group, claiming four straight wins, scoring 105 points and conceding just five. In the semi-finals ‘Cefni’ were way too strong for Llandudno, romping to a 33-7 success, while Gwyr coasted to a 31-0 triumph over Warwickshire Ba Ba’s.

The final looked like it could have gone either way at one point, but Llangefni grabbed the honours, leaving the Swansea outfit runners-up for the second year running. Caernarfon won the ladies final, defeating Derby 51-0.

The Llangoed 7s has attracted teams from further afield in recent years but the 2009 event was a predominantly Welsh affair, which suited the locals perfectly especially when English side the Baa-Baas were put to the sword in the semi finals.

On any other day there is only 1 rugby pitch in the village but on the first weekend of June each year the whole village get involved as the 7s comes to town, with the local football pitch being transformed for rugby. With group stages taking place in different places throughout the village there is a real feel of a festival of rugby, strolling past the local pubs and shops on the way to games is certainly something quite different from the regimented tournament structure of elsewhere.

Well known to the local crowd and onlookers Llangefni ‘Cefni’ were deserved and popular winners, now having won the tournament in over 30% of its running. This is quite the achievement and when 7s returns to this remote area of Wales next June it will make them once again the favourites for the title.