GREENOCK Wanderers were crowned Helensburgh Sevens Champions following an entertaining and competitive tournament.

Having already sent a sevens team to compete in the Kilmarnock Tournament at Bellsland, Wanderers sent their senior seven to Ardencaple for what promised to be an open and attractive competition.

The eight-man squad were aware that rest periods would be at a premium but their skill, aggression and sevens tactical nous more than compensated for the lack of replacements.

Up front, club captain Matt Gray, Kieren Smith and sevens skipper Brendan McGroarty dominated the forward exchanges, with McGroarty in particular catching the eye with an 11-try haul for the tournament.

Half-backs Andy McDougall and Kenny Diffenthal controlled the pace of play superbly and created the space for Wanderers' speedsters Sean Connolly, Callum Harrison and fans favourite David Watson to inflict maximum damage with ball in hand, which they succeeded in doing throughout the competition.

The group stages posed Wanderers little problems as they dispatched a Helensburgh RFC sponsors' select side and Alan Glens with consummate ease with the highlight being 17-year old Callum Harrison notching his first try in senior rugby. A young Currie side from Edinburgh failed to live up to expectations in the quarter-final as the locals romped home 43-7, but a serious test was anticipated in the semi-final where pre-tournament favourites, the fast and free-running Glasgow University side lay in wait.

A brace of tries from McGroarty and Diffenthal gave Wanderers a 12-point interval lead but a spirited fight back from the students was only quashed in the last minute when McGroarty once more produced an outstanding individual score to secure victory.

Host side Helensburgh provided the opposition in the final and once more skipper McGroarty and McDougall were the driving force behind a polished and competent display that saw the locals win the tournament on the back of a comfortable 26-5 victory.

Wanderers last won the Helensburgh Tournament in 2009 and have already accepted an invitation to defend their crown next season.

  • Wanderers; Matt Gray, Kieren Smith, Brendan McGroarty (captain), Andy McDougall, Kenny Diffenthal, Callum Harrison, Sean Connolly, David Watson.
  • Wanderers are sponsored by Texas Instruments.