The Dragons Academy showed outstanding skill and determination as they conquered the Glasgow City Sevens Tournament last weekend.
The tournament is graced by an array of professional teams, as well as the expected Scottish professional teams in Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh, Sale Sharks (last years winners). The prestigious tournament gave the young players an opportunity to experience top class Sevens in a different environment.
The young Dragons acquitted themselves superbly well, no member of the ten man Dragons Academy squad were over 20 years of age and in fact there were three lads who were only seventeen years of age, so this was a big challenge.
The first round saw the young Dragons drawn against Biggar RFC, the pace and athleticism of the young Dragons proved to much for the Biggar team, the young men progressed with ease through to the next round of the main cup competition. The next round saw the young Dragons pushed to wire by Garnock RFC, who proved a tough nut to crack, the youngsters learnt some very valuable lessons during the game, although the Dragons progressed to the semi final after an excellent second half.
By the time the Young Dragons played Dundee HSFP they were looking like a seasoned Sevens team, keeping their defensive shape, good width to their game and excellent skills, the Dragons disposed of Dundee HSFP with relative ease and duly took their seats to watch the would be final opponents from the other semi final between Sale Sharks and Glasgow Warriors. It was the Warriors who triumphed over the Sharks mainly due to the experienced Scottish international sevens players they had amongst their team.
We knew the final was going to be a tough challenge, both in terms of a physical challenge from the senior Glasgow outfit and because of a thunder storm that appeared from no where 30 minutes before the final was due to kick off.
The Young Dragons created a number of chances in the first half of the final, but it was Glasgow who managed to get the first score turning around at half time Glasgow were leading 5 – 0. The Dragons scored first in the second half which was duly converted Dragons leading 7 – 5, then Robert Lewis (Player of the tournament) scored an excellent try which was again converted, Dragons 14 – Glasgow 5. From the kick off Glasgow spread the ball wide and scored an excellent try to bring the score to a nail biting 14 – 12 in the Dragons favour. The final 9- seconds saw the Dragons under constant pressure from Glasgow, although due to a turn over from Ben Roberts and a clearance kick to touch by Rob Lewis they managed to hold out to the final whistle winning the competition 14 – 12.
This was an outstanding result for the young men, who showed skills, pace and real determination in what was an excellent tournament.
