2006 Details

28th June 2006 saw the semi finals and Final of the Malmesbury Touch Rugby 2006  being played on a splendid summer evenings, in bright sunshine and little wind.  The ideal playing conditions saw the quality of the touch rugby exceed the the high standards set during the previous 5 weeks of league competition.  This was the second season of structured league competition and of the six teams that were entered, two were new, two were under a new name and two had existing experience last time out.

Huw Jones scrapped his beaten finalists The Taffy Apples from last year and re-emerged with the Egg Catchers.  Unfortunately the change of name did little to improved their chances of lifting the silverware, they were again beaten in the final.  Joe Beardmore's Inter Yerma proved to be the surprise package of the tournament, always well prepared with a smattering of electrifying pace and touch rugby know-how, they narrowly lost all but one of their games and will surely be one of the teams to beat next year.

Last year's winners Lemon's Melons weren't entered as captain Graham Lemon had undergone surgery.  His mantel was picked up Dan Reynolds and Brent Dravitzki who organised the self styled Maverick & Goose team, which was regularly fielded a raft of quality touch rugby players.  In addition to this Maverick and Goose were one of two teams who regularly fielded a mixed team. The other team regularly fielding a mixed team was Team Aled, once again entered by team captain Aled James.  This year Aled adopted a much more ruthless approach in his player procurement and went one better than last year's plate victory with a place in the semi-finals.

Ever since Malmesbury Touch Rugby began in 2004 a team from Sherston has always been threated.  This year saw words put into action with Mark Goodway entering the Sherston Hornetss (sic) into the league.  To say that these chaps liked a close game is an understatement - they drew two of their games and scored the second highest number of tries but narrowly missed out on a play-off place. The Untouchables, beaten in the semi-finals last year were in once again and this year they fulfilled their potential.  Their captain, Myles Cavendish, did a wonderful job of adding to his team from last year with players coming from as far a field as Bath and Chippenham.

The first semi final pitted The Egg Catchers against Team Aled.  Close affair that the Egg Catchers eventually sneaked 10 - 8.  The second semi saw the Untouchables take on Maverick & Goose.  In a keenly contested tie, the Untouchables eventually ran out winners 7 - 6.  The Final was played between the Egg Catchers and Untouchables with experience being no match for youth.  The Untouchables running out eventual 7 - 5 winners.  Well done to all members of the Untouchables (and good luck with your exams!): Myles Cavendish, Tom Stanley, Liam Baker, Matt Johnson, Josh Ingram, Will Richards, Jody Acheson, Ben Riley, James Wright, George Moore.