| 16 June 2008, 4:46 pm |
| Spoon Seaside Sevens Success |
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| A young Wooden Spoon Women’s Team attended the first Bournemouth Sevens in June looking to add some silverware to the cupboard and came away with the title, a very large trophy and many new Spoon fans. |
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| The successful Spoon Team in Bournemouth |
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 Three players who attended the previous tournament in Amsterdam were the backbone of the team accompanied by several newcomers and captain, Kim Oliver, who has spent the last year coming back from injury.
The weekend’s organisation left a lot to be desired with teams having to register by 9am on the Saturday but not getting their first game until 4pm! The prolonged wait did, however, give the team some time to get know each other, relax in the sun and talk Spoon to the many supporters who had been drawn to the festival of rugby by the host of well known rugby stars including Lewis Moody, Olli Barkley as well as many Premiership stars having fun playing sevens at the end of the season.
A big screen also showed the Premiership final and the England v Barbarians game ensuring that everyone got the best of both worlds and didn’t miss out on a single bit of the action around the country.
The Ladies tournament finally kicked off and the Wooden Spoon team started well with a tough game against Oakmedians, a well structured and fit team. Spoon’s defense was exemplary and despite first game rustiness ran out clear winners.
Disappointingly there were only two games on the Saturday and the final match was played against Portsmouth Uni. The girls ran in an abundance of tries as they put the opposition to the sword in style.
Image: The Wooden Spoon team receive the huge trophy from Lewis Moody
Sunday’s first game was against the Henley Hawks and was the last group game before the knock out stages. The team had been swelled to nine with the addition of an extra player helping the legs in what we hoped would be a day of four games through to the final. The Hawks were dispatched without conceding a try and the team headed into the quarter finals full of confidence.
London Team, Hammersmith and Fulham gave the Spoon team a good fight in the quarters but Spoon were just getting into their stride and were really starting to work as a team. Thanks to their sociable nature and obviously word of mouth that they were ‘not a bad team’ the girls had built up quite a group of supporters who were wonderfully vocal and loyal. It also helped that Mike Umaga (brother of Tana, former All Blacks Captain) had kindly offered his services as coach over the weekend, for which Spoon is very grateful, and drew a fair amount of his own support!
 The semi was played against old rivals Pink Barbarians who had looked impressive throughout the tournament stacked with Premiership players. But the Spoon team was totally unfazed by the opposition, stepped up a gear and ran in five tries to one for a comprehensive win to book their place in the final.
The final was against the Pirates who had played a hard fought game against the Free Spirit Rugby Babes. Physiologically the Spoon team had the upper hand, having beaten them in Amsterdam two weeks previously as well as having watched the Pink Babas beat them in the group stages. It was a good final, tough and full of great running rugby that obviously impressed the crowds of supporters.
Spoon ran out victors four tries to one to take the title. In addition the team raised over £400 selling wristbands and successfully raised the profile of the Charity on and off the pitch. There were many people impressed with the standard of the women’s game and the team has certainly converted these rugby fans to Spoon fans!
Thank you to everyone who gave up their time to represent Spoon.
Image: Gemma Sharples battling for possession against the Pink Babas
Wooden Spoon Women’s Bournemouth Squad:
Gemma Sharples
Sarah Guest
Fran Matthew
Charlotte Goode
Kim Oliver
Jackie Shiels
Laura Keats
Vicky Schiavon
Emma White
Clare Davies
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| Author: Sarah Griffiths |
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| Reg charity in England and Wales No: 326691, Scotland No: SCO39247 |
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