 On Saturday the WS Anti-Assassins team still managed to finish top of their group despite a shock defeat by Belfast HS former pupils in their second match. The AA’s beat Belfast Academy 35-0, lost to BHSFP 15-21, beat Templepatrick Tigers 43-5 and finally Donagadee 57-0. A surprise group win by Academy over BHSP secured us a place as ‘much relieved’ group winners, on points difference.
In the quarter finals we beat the 2007 winners Kidney Bean 31-20 and ran away with the game in the semi-finals, playing some of our best rugby, comfortably defeating Ballyclare 39-5.
The ten minute each way final was against PSNI (a team made up of current Fijians serving in the British Army) in front of a large appreciative crowd, who were not to be disappointed by the sheer quality and pace of the rugby being played; in what could only be described as a nail-biter of a match. We opened the scoring through Elliot Brown with a fine try under the posts, but missed the conversion. PSNI came back with 5 points, but we extended our lead through a Simon Baker try to 12-5 at half time. Two second half tries from PSNI gave them what appeared to be a winning margin, until a kick ahead from David Clements saw the big athletic AA’s forward outpacing the opposition on a 60 metre dash to score in the corner, levelling the scores at full time. In the first half of a five minute each way ‘sudden death’ final, neither team faltered, in an epic final which went all the way to the 28th minute of the match, when Sam Boyd picked up an untidy ball from a ruck, saw a gap and sprinted 40 metres to score the winning try and secure the Holmes Trophy for the first time.
 Squad: Simon Baker (Capt.)-David Clements-Joe Knowles-Sam Boyd-Elliott Brown-Ben Squires-David Williams-Billy Wilson-Dominic Morrison-Will Bradley
Will Bradley was named ‘Player of the Tournament’
On Sunday the Wooden Spoon played in the Manvik Premier 7’s Tournament. Disappointingly, the group was reduced to three teams with the late withdrawal of Ballymena. We never really found any shape to our game and struggled to beat Malone 14-12 and then Queens University 17-15. In the semi-final, a lack-lustre performance against an Ulster President’s team saw us lose by three tries to two. The final was a one sided affair with Samurai, without doubt the strongest team in the tournament winning by ‘a lot to a little’ and simply running away with the Trophy.
Squad: David Smith (Capt.) Graeme Magilchrist-David Clements-Richard Ellis-Tom Gough-Joe Knowles-Rory Brabant-Harry Whittington-Dave hall-Gareth Lewis
David Smith was named ‘Player of the Tournament’.
Spoon was delighted to support Allen Gibson and the WS Ulster committee who were the tournament’s benefiting charity, receiving a cheque for £1250.
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