SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE TOUCH SERIES; ROUND ONE – WHEATON ASTON and PENKRIDGE; 15TH JUNE 2018.
Stafford Touch Rugby take first & second place in the opening tournament of the South Staffordshire touch series.
Eighteen regular members from Stafford Wednesday night touch rugby took the short trip to the Monckton Centre in Penkridge last Friday night for the opening tournament of the South Staffordshire touch series. The players were encouraged by a vocal travelling crowd who offered choice words of encouragement throughout the evening.
In true touch rugby style, the Stafford team comprised a broad cross section of players from the inexperienced through to rock steady veterans and all abilities in between. The players settled into two sides of nine to take on ten other teams from Essington, Handsworth, Rugeley, Walsall, Wheaton Aston and Penkridge.
With liniment & strapping in place, a brisk two hours of rugby allowed each team to play five very competitive games with six players on the pitch and three ever ready subs pacing the touchline. The evening ended with Stafford Bees racking up an impressive four wins and one draw to earn twenty-three points securing top spot & the trophy. Hot on their heels were Stafford Wasps with three wins and two draws earning twenty-one points and second place. Third place went to Essington Team X, joint fourth were Handsworth Hurricanes, Walsall Grizzlies & Essington Team Y, seventh were Walsall Bears, eight were WAP Classics, ninth were Wap Cwap, joint tenth were WAP Warriors & Walsall Polars and in twelfth place were Rugeley Rangers.
A huge thanks to all Wasps & Bees players who rolled on and off the pitch all night to keep legs fresh and the momentum at top speed. A special mention must go to Jiu Veramu and Megan Howe who played the full period of every game for their respective teams for the entire evening.
Stafford Wasps Team: Stafford Bees Team:
1. Ben Taylor 1. Darren Roe
2. Dave 2. Gavin Hogan
3. Ian Cantrill 3. James Brown
4. James Marr 4. James Van Nijkerk
5. Jiu Veramu 5. Joseph Powell
6. Lewis Cantrill 6. Megan Howe
7. Malcolm Heath 7. Niko Laqeretabua
8. Mark Cooper 8. Sam Robbins
9. Matt Yarwood 9. Steve McLuckie
The next round of the tournament is at Handsworth RUFC on Friday 6th July.