The Plymouth College rugby team have retained the title they've won for the last two years with a very successful campaign at a bitterly cold Kelly College.
The College opened their account with a comfortable win against Tavistock College before going on to beat Queen Elizabeth and an invitational Barbarians team. This meant that Plymouth topped their pool and were set to play the winners of the other pool, current Devon 15 and 7 a-side holders, Exeter School.
The final was a terrific match with Plymouth showing great composure and stubborn defence. A well worked try put Plymouth 5 points to the good and it would be fair to say that the better side led at half time. With the result by no means a foregone conclusion, Plymouth applied the pressure and a try by Henry Slade, also converted by Slade, put the College 12 points clear. Plymouth controlled the game until the last minutes when sustained possession from Exeter allowed them to score with the final play of the game.
There was little doubt though that Plymouth deserved the title and the performances of the whole squad are worthy of praise. Good attitude and approach were present throughout the day and captain, Jamie O'Gallagher, and Vice-Captain, Alex Smith, led through example. This was a young squad with 13 of the squad due to be playing again next season. Final opponents Exeter have had their finest season for many years and their only defeats came at the hands of Plymouth, firstly in the regular season in 15-a-side by a single point and during the Kelly 10s final.
Plymouth also performed well at the recent Millfield Sevens reaching the final after impressive wins over Blundell's, Bruton, Millfield IIs and Ysgol Glantaf. They lost in a well-contested final to a very talented and pacy Millfield First VII. The College are now set to contest the Welsh Invitational Sevens at Brecon on 21st February and the Marches Sevens at Hereford on the 28th February.
