Harlow's Middlesex Club Sevens tournament squad, pictured with bowl competition winners Ruislip 2 (Photo by Helen Maddocks)

RUGBY

HARLOW Rugby Club battled right through to the Bowl final at the Middlesex Club Sevens tournament, despite having just nine players to pick from for the whole day.

The Rams started the day off badly, losing 33-7 to Ruislip 1 in the opening pool game, Dan Hockley scoring all Harlow's points.

The team faired much better in the second game with a resounding 36-12 victory over Old Merchant Taylors.

Hockley scored two tries and a conversion, captain-for-the-day Josh Bohl and Neil Fitzpatrick both helped themselves to a try and conversion, while Paul Eynon and Sean Banks each grabbed a try.

The final pool game was a lot tighter against Haringay Rhino's, who ran out 21-14 victors. Player-coach Francis Brown ran in a try and conversion, Eynon a try and Bohl a conversion.

The results saw Harlow progressed to the Bowl competition and this is where they played their best rugby of the tournament.

Some excellent tries from Brown - who is set to join up with the India squad later this month in time for the Asian Five Nations - and excellent team support sent Harlow on their way to an impressive 42-29 win against Enfield Ignatians in the quarter-final.

And it was the same player who ran in another four tries in a 35-14 semi-final victory over Barclays Eagles.

However, the efforts of the day proved too much for Harlow's threadbare squad, as they went down 26-7 to Ruislip 2 in the final, Hockley notching all Harlow's points.

Harlow squad: Francis Brown, Paul Eynon, Josh Bohl, Sean Banks, James McFerran, Neil Fitzpatrick, Charlie Woodington, Daniel Hockley, Stuart Hitchcock.

12:18pm Thursday 8th May 2008

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