28th April 2011
Devonport Services Under 16’s return from France winners of the Tournoi de Cornouaille.
Devonport Services Under 16’s entered the Tournoi de Cornouaille held at Quimper Rugby Club over the Easter Weekend which featured teams from across France including a number from Paris. The festival is for the Under 17 age group and the organisation and hospitality is second to none. Despite different interpretations to the law Services managed to win their group stage on the Saturday putting them into a quarter final with one of the tournament favourites a French rugby academy on the Sunday.
Despite calls about Roast Beef from the sideline from the Normandy team Caen, Services secured a win to the Semi Finals. The team then had the privilige of meeting Caen in the Semi Finals and probably the best perfomance of the day showed that actions were louder than words and completely outperformed what was a good side.
Into the final against Vitre which was extremely tense with supporters and other participants on all sides of the pitch. A close match ended in a score of three points each. This then led into a penalty conversion sudden death between the best kicker from each team.
Le Telegramme newspaper published today
Les nerfs de l’arrière anglais, Jedd Evans étaient en acier. C’était la condition nécessaire pour que Devonport inscrive son nom au palmarès du tournoi international cadet. A l’issue de la finale face à Vitré, les Britanniques ont gagné sur une pénalité en or.
Loose interpretation is that Devonport Services won the final due to the « Nerves of Steel » of our full back Jedd Evans.
Attending the gala dinner in the evening Services players were applauded off their bus by the other competitors.
Congratulations to the whole team who played some excellent rugby which was well commented upon by organisers and supporters alike
Last note is this tournament is definitely worth attendance and English teams are warmly received.