TRINITY WIN COPENHAGEN SEVENS IN STYLE!
14/08/2011

Squad :  Hugh McGuire (coach) Dominic Gallagher, Neil Hanratty, Dave Fanagan, Ed Barry, Paddy Lavelle, Colin MacDonnell, John Young (Manager); Front row from left to right Ariel Robles, Shane Hanratty, Dave Joyce, Pip Blake, Mick McLoughlin and Tony Smeeth (Coach).

All Ireland sevens Champions Trinity travelled to Copenhagen last weekend to represent Ireland in a two day tournament. Incredibly they came away with eight wins and the Championship Trophy.

On Saturday Trinity played four group games winning the first three quite comfortably against Wexio (Sweden) 43-0 Ali Baba (Germany) 34-0 and Erritsoe (Denmark) 59-0.

Trinity then faced a massive challenge against Amsterdam and Kinsale Sevens winners Suzies Exiles who are one of the top Invitation teams on the circuit in the UK and Europe and looked invincible in their group games. In an unusually over aggressive, if not intense, first half Trinity controlled the ball and smashed the very skilled Suzies players to the ground. They competed hard for the ball on the ground which seemed to take the usually very composed Invitation team by surprise losing their usual smooth pattern with some of their players getting visibly rattled. Trinity managed to get the first score when Ariel Robles danced through from 50 meters to score 5-0 to Trinity. In the second half Trinity added two more tries by Dominic Gallagher and Captain Dave Joyce to win the game 15-0.

The second day was completely unknown territory for the Students with the possibility of four more games if they were to win out. Most sevens competitions have a quarter final, semi final and final. The Danish organizers decided to split the eight qualifying teams into two groups of four with the two group winners playing a straight final just to make sure we had enough rugby!

In this group of matches Trinity faced the National Teams of Latvia and Moldova, both very physical and athletic teams. Trinity beat both teams by controlling possession and taking the opportunities when they came. They beat Moldova 40-0 and Latvia by a similar score.

They now faced what was effectively the semi final game against the defending champions RAF Spitfires, another team who play on the Sevens circuit around UK and Europe. The Spitfires scored first to put the students under pressure, but Neil Hanratty ran in from 50 meters after a delightful late switch with Ed Barry changing the angle very late on in the play. Captain Dave Joyce scored by the posts and Paddy Lavelle ran one in from far out.

Trinity were now in the Final facing Suzies Exiles for the Second time, and feeling very tired from the volume of rugby they were playing. The tournament finals all moved from the five beautifully manicured fields to one.

The Women’s Final between Ireland’s UL Bohemians and Suzies Ladies Team took place first. UL Bohemians, with their host of Irish internationals including Fiona Coughlin Irish Captain, played some great rugby defeating Suzies easily.

Trinity took to the field straight after and quickly scored two tries through Ed Barry and Neil Hanratty after a fine 70 meter kick and chase from Michael McLoughlin who recovered the ball and popped it up to the supporting Neil Hanratty.

Trinity looked comfortable on the scoreboard at this stage, but Suzies have great sevens players who play all summer and they managed to get some ball against a tiring student team. They scored two tries in a minute to come back level. Neil Hanratty then broke free from deep and ran in from 70m meters out, but the Exiles came back again to take the lead with two minutes to go.

At this point in the game Trinity looked done and dusted with players clearly fatigued and cramping up. Down 21-19 Trinity were backed up on their own line and running out of ideas. This was a perfect time for veteran wing (but hooker at sevens!) Shane Hanratty to step up to the plate. Shane shrugged off a tackle and sprints 80 meters before being dragged down by the Suzies sweeper (last player in defence). He held on to the ball for dear life and Trinity quickly recycled to move the ball to Dominic Gallagher who scored in the opposite corner. 24-21 up Trinity managed to scramble the restart and keep the ball, they moved the ball around looking for opportunities, and it was Ariel Robles who this time made a super line break under massive pressure squeezing under two defenders to get his team down to the visitor’s 22 meter area. The teams were now into injury time, the ball was moved to Ed Barry who carved through the defence for a fabulous try under the posts. This marathon weekend was over. Trinity players dropped to their knees in elation and fatigue.

This was a fantastic way to start the season with new Trinity President Kay Bowen looking on and cheering on the boys! Amazingly only two of this team played in the All Ireland Final Pip Blake and Ariel Robles. Five more Colin MacDonnell, Ed Barry, Dave Fanagan, Dom Gallagher and Paddy Lavelle played in the Leinster Sevens. Neil and Shane Hanratty, Mick McLoughlin and Captain Dave Joyce, who had exams when the other tournaments were being played, were all having their first experience of sevens. Well done to all the lads!!! And a great start to the Trinity Season.

 

 

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