Army Sevens Competition
2005

Reporter: Roger Thompson

Main Competition Final

1 RS (45) v 23 Pnr Regt (0)

Predictably, but not without a minor flutter, the Royal Scots won the Army Sevens title for the sixth year running at the Army Rugby Stadium, Aldershot

The Royals almost met their match in the semi-final against a bustling RGBW 'Slashers' team that matched them for pace-if not quite for prestige. The 'Slashers' fielded Army stars Toobs Koroinalevu and Saula Roko, a Fijian international 'pace-man' on the IRB Sevens circuit.

The 2005 Army XVs champions were the first to draw blood but their period of glory was short lived as the Royal Scots' Army stars Bul Bulumakau, Kite Rawalai and Epeli Qolikibua shrugged off the deficit and moved effortlessly up through the gears. The Royals won 21pts-10 to meet 23 Pioneer Regiment RLC (who beat 6 Supply Regiment RLC) in the final.

The final was somewhat one sided as Bulumakau rampaged on the right wing leaving the left flank open for Rawalai to draw more than his share of the defensive cover and create mayhem. Even the great Joe Kava who had masterminded 23 Regiments progress to the final could do little more than tackle-by which time the ball had gone! The stage was left clear for Qolikibua, the most gifted of Sevens players, to create space, glide down the central runway and ghost past good players.

The final score of 45pts-0 was emphatic but, in a 20 minute encounter, hardly a drubbing. The Royal Scots, the Army's senior Regiment of the Line, remain first when it comes to Army Sevens and it is difficult to see who can wresle the title from them in the near future.

Plate Competition

1 Highlanders (33) v 4 GS Med Regt (0)

The Plate competition was won by the Highlanders who beat 4 GS Regiment RLC in a competitive final by 33pts-0.

Women's Main Competition

AGC (0) v AMS (32)

In the Women's tournament the Army Medical Services overcame a gallant AGC team by 32pts-0. Hardly surprising as the AMS fielded England international forwards Ann O'Flynn and Kath Woods.