Having enjoyed a successful season at the 15-a-side game Eastbourne RFC Under 13s tried their hand at the 7s version of the game for the first time at the Worthing Junior 7s Festival on 21 April.

The Festival draw left Eastbourne in a very tough group containing both the County 15-a-side finalists Horsham and the host club Worthing. Completing the group were Medway RFC, an unknown quantity from Kent.

Fears about the team’s 7-a-side inexperience, the absence of a number of key players and a numerically shy squad seemed justified as Bourne were comprehensively overturned by Horsham in the first pool match by a 36-0 margin. Although they competed well Eastbourne were slow in coming to grips with the key tactical differences required in 7s.

The second pool game against the Worthing 1st 7 appeared to be going the same way until the Bourne players grasped the need to compete vigorously at the breakdown and the importance of the positional side of the game. Despite eventually going down 29-19 to an accomplished Worthing side it was clear that lessons were being absorbed quickly in time for the game against Medway.

So it proved as the players produced their best performance of the day against the Medway ‘A’ 7. The ‘headless chicken’ style of their first pool game was now replaced by a far more measured approach as Eastbourne jealously guarded possession before putting their speedsters into space to finish off some very measured play. Particularly impressive in this respect was Euan McGreevy who displayed deceptive pace out wide. Eastbourne’s 34-5 win put them into pole position in the Plate competition final where they would again meet Medway.

Although suffering from fatigue and the disadvantage of a dearth of numbers at the end of a very long day, Eastbourne cruised into a convincing lead before taking the collective foot off the pedal in the final, recording a convincing 26-12 Plate victory.

Thanks should be given to the parents for their tremendous support over the 7 hours of the competition and to the players who bounced back from adversity. Particular mention should be made of Cameron Johnson (CJ) who took some heavy knocks early on but continued to tackle and compete well above his weight throughout. Also to be mentioned in despatches is Louis Greenfield. Always a team man, Louis by the end of the competition showed a tactical and positional awareness well beyond that expected of a player normally playing in the second row.

Many thanks also to the ERFC Under 15s for their support during the afternoon and congratulations also to them on their own Plate final success.

The squad:

Harvey Warren, Keenan Poolton, Euan McGreevy, Callum Carlton, Louis Greenfield, Ronnie Doorey-Palmer, Mason Dowle, Cameron Johnson, Angus Bingham, Ollie Ashdown, Connor Stinchcombe

For anyone wishing to join this ambitious but welcoming group of players, please speak with Mike Chapman on 07760 178835 or email to mkachap@btinternet.com