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Beach Rugby contines to thrive this year with some big crowds turned out in force for the seventh O2 Scrum on the Beach event on Skegness’s central beach at the weekend.

England winger Paul Sackey was once again at the Lincolnshire Resort to promote the popular annual event which attracted an estimated crowd of 2,500 and 240 players in 24 teams.

Despite windy conditions the O2 Scrum on the Beach event at Skegness proved as popular as ever with a team from East Lindsey District Council, who also helped to organise the event, among the entrants.

The Cup winners were local team Skegness Sharks with Southwell Reapers, a touring team from Nottinghamshire ,the runners-up.

Matt Loves Sausages, a scratch side formed for the day, won the Plate competition with the Seasiders, another local team, runners-up.

RP 6s, a local side made up of mixed age families, were nominated by Sackey having the best beach rugby style. They will now take part in a tag rugby tournament at Twickenham, the home of England rugby, next month with sides from the seven other legs of the O2 Scrum on the Beach.

The final event will be held at Lusty Glaze in Newquay from August 28 to 30.

O2 Scrum on the Beach is part of the RFU’s Play On campaign, sponsored by O2, that aims to keep more 16-24 year-olds in the game as they move from school into higher education and beyond.

Since its launch in May 2008, Play On, which is supported by the National Sports Foundation, has created a network of O2 Pathfinders to guide young players on their journey, promoted rugby directly to thousands of teenagers, and created more teams, competitions, coaches and referees to sustain the growth of the game.