Petersfield Rugby Club brought down the curtain on their season with the hotly-contested annual Pub Sevens festival at Penns Place.

The weather held, the rugby was superb, the camaraderie was high and the beer flowed as 14 teams battled it out for the coveted trophy.

With holders the White Horse Southsea unable to attend, the door was left wide open for a new champion and the teams all rallied to the cause.

Pool One saw a strong Folly Wine Bar One laud it over the Whistle Stop Two, the Clubhouse Two, the Blue Angel ‘The Raz’ – a university team in from Liverpool – and the Duke of Cumberland Two.

Pool Two welcomed back to the event the White Horse (Easebourne) and a first visit by the Albion (Farnham) and Cloisters competing with the Whistle Stop One and a much-fancied Duke of Cumberland One team.

Pool Three was a very close affair as the Queen’s Head shaded first place from the Folly Wine Bar Two, the Clubhouse One and the returning Upton Park Bar.

As the event entered the knock-out stages there was barely time to draw breath and the bowl semi-finals were keenly contested between the Duke of Cumberland Two and Folly Wine Bar Two and the Blue Angel and the Albion.

The event raced on to the plate semi-finals where the Clubhouse Two found their way past the White Horse (Easebourne) and the Clubhouse One won with a golden try to beat Upton Park Bar.

The cup semi-finals saw the Whistle Stop One just have too much for the Queen’s Head and the game of the day saw the Duke of Cumberland One beat the Folly Wine Bar One with a golden try to end a fabulous game of rugby.

In the finals Cloister overcame the Whistle Stop Two 26-5 to take home the wooden spoon trophy.

The Folly Wine Bar Two claimed the silverware in the bowl trophy final, overcoming the Blue Angel 17-5.

The Clubhouse were the winner and loser in the plate final as Team One faced Team Two.

The cup final proved a game too far for the Whistle Stop as they were soundly beaten by the new Pub Sevens champions – the Duke of Cumberland.

This year’s Pub Sevens festival was sponsored by Syn-Star.

Chris Todd