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Hosts Newport RFC retained their Worthingtons Men of Gwent Sevens title with a victory over guest side Welsh Wizards at Rodney Parade on Saturday.

The Wizards, a late replacement for Newport Saracens and the sole non-Gwent side in the competition, went into the tournament with a number of their players having already won the Benidorm Sevens.

The side included several guest players, Scorpions Tom Jarvis and Joe Ajuwa, Darren Ritchie of Plymouth as well as young Ospreys player Will Price and they didn’t concede a point in any of their matches, apart from when they played Newport.

The two teams met in Pool B and they drew 14-14, but in the final Newport put them to the sword 20-7.

Captained by Rugby World Cup Sevens winner Craig Hill, Newport scored four tries, three coming in the first half.

“They had nilled everyone else so this was a great squad effort,” said a delighted Hill.

“After drawing in the opening game we saw their strengths and weaknesses. We tried to rattle them and it worked. They play Sevens week in, week out, so credit to the boys. 

“It was a great squad effort especially considering we only had one forward playing because of injuries," added Hill, who also captained Newport in their victory here last season.

Newport shut Wizards danger man Joe Ajuwa out of the final after he had mesmerised all the other teams in the tournament, their own 6ft-plus players combining not just to remove his threat but to set their own stall out.

Alun Awcock romped across for two tries, with Mike Poole and David James scoring one apiece, though newcomer Alex Cuthbert also impressed throughout the tournament.

Despite the victory Hill regrets that there is nowhere else for Newport to go now that the Men of Gwent Sevens is over.

“It’s a shame, but there is talk of a Premiership tournament next year so that would be great.

“Possibly the Dragons will take another look at me as well after I played a few games for them at the end of last season.”

The Wizards had the consolation of providing the player of the tournament in Paul Jarvis, while Cross Keys and Blackwood played some good sevens rugby to reach the semi-finals.

Results:
Group A: Dragons Academy 26 Tredegar 0; Caerphilly 31 Tredegar 19; Dragons Academy 12 Caerphilly 14.
Group B: Newport 14 Welsh Wizards 14; Newbridge 0 Welsh Wizards 43; Newport 31 Newbridge 15.
Group C: Cross Keys 45 Pill Harriers 7; Blackwood 38 Pill Harriers 12; Cross Keys 19 Blackwood 24.
Group D: Bedwas 36 Newport HSOB 5; Pontypool 22 Newport HSOB 7; Bedwas 38 Pontypool 21.

Quarter-finals: Caerphilly 5 Newport 43; Bedwas 14 Cross Keys 26; Welsh Wizards 42 Dragons Academy 0; Blackwood 31 Pontypool 14.

Semi-finals: Newport 28 Cross Keys 12; Welsh Wizards 29 Blackwood 0.

Final: Newport 20 Welsh Wizards 7.