Bradford and Bingley RFC

The event was set up to complement the existing Rugby Rocks events held in London and Edinburgh each summer to give nationwide coverage to the unique concept of combining a Rugby Sevens competition and a music festival. (oh and some netball too!).

The Bingley location is almost exactly in the middle of its sister events, being 200 miles north of London and 200 miles south of Edinburgh; the London event is now in its fourth year and is becoming a well-established fixture in the sporting calendar. The Bees hope that their event can go on to become an equally vital part of the Yorkshire summer sporting and social whirl.

So with the pitches marked out and the drinks in the fridge all and the teams on their way to Bingley, all we needed was the weather...and did we get some. However, despite the rain threatening to wash the event into the River Aire on Friday night, those hardy souls who stuck with it for the full three days witnessed some great sporting action, heard some terrific music and generally had a wail (or a whale, if you like) of a time.

The Dub Pistols really got the main marquee bouncing on Saturday night, getting a few veterans bouncing about like giddy teenagers, while the pace of the rugby played on Saturday had a few giddy teenagers hobbling about like gnarled old veterans once they were off the pitch.

The Bees own team made it to the final of the main event on Saturday, against all the odds, but were beaten by Newitts Centurions who had previously won the London event and the Amsterdam 7's.

The Sunday saw the social event and in it was a team of over 35's called the Yorkshire Legends. Put together by the ever green John Duddley, and had the likes on Henry and Robbie Paul playing and not forgetting our own Stuart Dixon with Phil and Ben Greaves. Bees 2nd string managed to win the plate while The Legends made it to the main final but losing out to a Puma social team.

Also on Sunday was the Bulls Legends V Super League Legends match in aid of the Bulls’ Quest for Survival campaign and the Prostate Cancer Charity and saw the likes of Henry and Robbie Paul, Stanly Gene, Hugh Gumbs, Leroy Rivett, Jamie Thackray, Mark Calderwood, Willie Poching, Ikram Butt, Francis Cummins and Lee St Hilaire take to the field.

For the record the various winners of the events went something like this:

Saturday, Men’s Open Sevens, winners: Newitts Centurions. Runners Up: The Bees.

Saturday, Plate Competition, Winners: POD. Runners Up: Galloping Goats.

Netball Cup, Winners: Team Northumbria

Netball Plate, Winners: Wilsden Wildcats.

Sunday, Men’s Social Cup, Winners: Puma Social. Runners Up: Yorkshire Legends.

Sunday Plate, Winners: Bees Twos.

A fantastic weekend, which will only get better with age, so… See you next year.

Saturday Pictures, click here

Sunday Pictures, click here

Bulls Legends V Super League Legends Pictures, click here