Storm 7 Name Elite Men’s Squad for Bournemouth
After a dissapointing Rugby Rocks, Storm 7 have named the following twelve players who are looking to put things right.
1) Lome Fa’atau
2) Sam Cavan
3) Mike Fedo
4) Luke Carter
5) Robbie Shaw
6) Ross Sampson
7) Graham Spiers
8) Luke Allen
9) William Wardlaw
10) Charlie Baffour
11) Harvey Skelton
12) Ashley Smith
The Open team has also named a very strong and experienced side and will be looking to improve on last weeks Bowl victory…
All three of our teams will be running out in new strips fresh off the press…
Massive thanks go out to all of our sponsors.
Tsunami Axis
Front Up Rugby
Orchard Pig
Kings Biltong
Camworth LLP
and the marketing team of the year …
Goram & Vincent
Storm 7 Women Name Bournemouth Sevens Squad
Having drafted in a number of England Development 7s players and also England 7s player, Kate Hancock, fresh from representing England in Amsterdam, Storm7 women boast a side full of blistering pace and young talent.
The squad for Bournemouth is:
Kate Hancock
Sophie Nicholas
Ama Okafor
Deborah Fleming
Natalie Ekweogwu
Ali Wright
Shelley Barr
Beth Newton
Holly Molesworth
Siobhan Longdon-Hughes
Stacey White
Emily Ryall
Rugby Rocks 2012
Storm 7 Rugby Rocks sevens 2012
Better late than never…
Rugby Rocks 2012
Basked in glorious sunshine, Richmond’s Rugby Rocks saw Storm 7’s second outing of the summer.
With mixed fortunes the team’s came away having learnt huge amounts ahead of Bournemouth 7’s this weekend.
Open
Bouncing straight back from the disappointing start at Manchester. The open team left Rugby Rocks as the Bowl Winners.
The first game of the day is always the hardest after long journeys and early starts, this was no exception and although Storm 7 fought hard they came up short losing 26-14. The team then went on to win 6 matches on the trot and play some outstanding rugby. The whole squad performed but several players caught the eye, including Harvey Skelton, who was making his first appearance in a Storm 7 jersey since 2011. He scored a number of solo efforts and helped pull the strings for the rest of the team to succeed. Harvey has been rewarded for his efforts and this week features in the Elite side in Bournemouth. Other players of note were Rory Jones, Max Woodward, and Steve Plummer. However singling these players out will probably be an injustice to the strength of the squad. Storm 7 eventually ran out in the final winners by 7 tries to 3.
Elite
After a great effort the following weekend in Manchester, Storm 7 Elite arrived at Richmond in high spirits. The squad contained high calibre players throughout and things started well. Storm 7 won the pool and showed some real class in doing so. Luke Carter picked up where he left off the previous week with some excellent performances filled with genuine effort and commitment to the cause. Tom Arscott making his come back to the Storm set up, having been involved nearly six years earlier, showed his premiership class and carried well.
The pool victory meant the stage was set for Storm 7 to play the heavily experienced Esher RFC team. Esher have a long history with sevens and despite Storm 7 showing some early promise Esher raced away to secure an empathic 45 – 5 victory. Massively disappointing to see Storm 7 leak so many points and to play as individuals rather than as the team that had won the earlier pool matches. Worst of all though was the fact that our main sponsor for 2012 Tsunami Axis arrived just in time to see this match, they must have jinxed the team!! The British Army went on to win the competition outright with a resounding final against French outfit Pyrenees.
Storm 7 has regrouped and is ready to right some wrongs this weekend in Bournemouth. The team that has been named is brimming with quality and sevens experience.
The Elite side has been named as:
1) Lome Fa’atau
2) Same Cavan
3) Mike Fedo
4) Luke Carter
5) Robbie Shaw
6) Tom Arscott
7) Graham Spiers
8) Luke Allen
9) William Wardlaw
10) Charlie Baffour
11) Harvey Skelton
12) Ross Sampson
Hope to see you there
Storm 7
Manchester Sevens Report
Storm 7 Manchester sevens 2012
19th – 20th May saw Storm 7 enter the first tournament of the season. With three strong sides Storm 7 were confident of putting in a good squad display and didn’t disappoint with the Women’s Elite reaching the final and the Men’s Open team losing in the Plate Semi Final. However the best was left to last with the Men’s Elite winning the Plate competition in style having played scintillating rugby all day.
The mens open team played well in parts but too many errors and silly turnovers meant that the team had to make do with a semi final defeat in the plate. Despite this a couple of real gem players were discovered, and some old slower boys (Tim Gear-Evans) continued to realise that his best days were behind him… Plenty to work on, but the Orchard Pig went some way to ease the pain of a somewhat disappointing day.
Lome fa’atau hands out the instructions
The Women’s Elite looked to be cruising all the way having gone undefeated in the pools and racking up the points along the way. The team boasted some absolute speedsters and crushed everyone that got in their way, great signs for the future and a real asset to womens rugby. Unfortunately they came up against a well drilled Akuma Dragons team (a Welsh sevens team) who have played together for several weeks. Despite Storm beating them in the pool stages 24-17 the final was a much tighter affair. Akuma opened the scoring, but Storm 7 hit straight back and tied the game at 5-5. The match was a stalemate for the remainder of the match until in the final minute of play an Akuma player slipped through and scored under the posts. With the conversion made The Storm 7 Women had to make do with the runners up spot having lost 12-5. Masses of credit to the team though who showed massive potential and will return at Bournemouth for another crack at the title.
Notable performances were given by the two young England development players, Deborah Fleming and Natalie Ekweogwu, who took part in their first tournament after being selected for England’s talent transfer scheme in November. They both proved likely to be players to look out for in the future and will be representing Storm7 again in Bournemouth. England winger, Charlotte Barras who was playing after 18 months out with a back injury, also demonstrated her class with several outstanding try-saving tackles and strong line breaks.
The team coach, England’s Maggie Alphonsi (who is recovering from injury), said, “It was great to be involved with Storm7 in their first tournament and to coach the girls who were a pleasure to work with. It was gutting not to win but it is very promising for the next tournaments to come.”
The Men’s Elite team arrived on Sunday morning to begin their existence. There was a real buzz in the camp and the boys looked switched on. Storm were drawn in a pool with Burrda Ronin, a well established circuit team, Loughborough students who have an awesome reputation in the rugby world, and Wolfpack 7’s, another established team of invitational players.
First up Storm had to negotiate the Burrda Ronin team. Things started slowly and Ronin took full control to score under the posts. With a simple conversion Storm 7 found themselves 7-0 down. However this stirred the boys into life and a magnificent solo effort from Lome Fa’atau levelled things up. He chipped ahead and glided around the defence to collect his own kick before touching down under the posts. 7-7 with a minute to go before half time. Storm 7 went on the attack again and were rewarded with a scrum on the Ronin 22 metre line. Luke carter, who was outstanding all day, spotted a massive gap down the blindside to score in the corner. He then slotted a very tricky conversion from wide out to make the half time score 7-14. The second half got under way but was quickly halted due to a nasty injury to James Holland from Storm 7. After receiving lots of treatment on his lower leg and ankle the medical team rushed him off to hospital with a suspected broken leg. The twenty minute delay didn’t affect the Storm 7 concentration and Luke Carter again broke to score under the posts. 7-21 with a few minutes remaining. The nerves started to show when Ronin broke clear through to go under the posts to make the score 14-21, but Storm 7 controlled the remainder of the game to close it out.
Storm then took on Loughborough students in their second pool match. The confidence shone through and with Luke carter, Graeme Spiers and Noah Pflaum all showing great class the Storm 7 team stretched out to a 31 – 0 victory.
The final pool game was with Wolfpack 7’s. Storm 7 knew that victory would see them head the pool and face a semi final in the cup competition. The additional pressure didn’t show and the boys went on to record a second straight shut out victory, this time winning 33 – 0. Tries coming again from Luke Carter, Grame Speirs and Noah Pflaum.
The victory set up a show down with Leicester Tigers in the semi final of the cup.
Despite player some excellent rugby and creating 4 clear scoring chances things did not go Storm 7’s with drop passes and inaccuracy being the main culprits. Leicester were physical and clinical and with a winger that left scorch marks on the turf opened up a 19-0 lead at half time. Storm played much better in the second half but the damage had been done and the eventual score line of 26-7 saw the elite teams first defeat.
The team dropped into the Plate final and faced the Burrda Ronin team that they competed against in the opening pool match. An early try from Ronin was a warning of how dangerous they were, however Storm 7 went back to the type of confidence and skill that had seen them crush a couple of teams earlier in the day, tries came quickly and the defence worked tirelessly to deny ronin any further scores. Graeme Speiro, Luke Carter, Lome Fa’atau and Brad Pears all getting on the score sheet. Final score 43-12
The Score line reflected the improvements and confidence that the team developed during the day and Storm walked away with the Plate Winners trophy…and plenty of eyes turned our way.
Storm 7 Elite – Plate winners MR7’s 2012
A really good start to the sevens season for all of the Storm 7 teams with lots to build on and feel confident about. Luke Carter was declared Storm 7’s Most Valuable Player of the tournament.
We are now building for Rugby Rocks London this weekend….
Hope to see you there
Storm 7
Storm 7 Women Name MR7s Squad… its on!
Storm 7 Women have announced their first ever side ahead of this weekends MR7’s and what a line up!
The squad includes players such as England’s Charlotte Barras, Darel Poole and Tina Lee, Scotland’s Lynsey Douglas, current England development players Natalie Ekweogwu and Deborah Fleming in addition to the world class England player, Maggie Alphonsi, who will be assisting the squad.
The invited players boast a blend of youth and experience with the common attribute of being hugely talented rugby players. They will grace the field in Manchester this weekend (fixtures starting at 10am) in such of their first piece of silverware and to start building towards being the top women’s invitational teams on the circuit.
As is true with all Storm7 teams, the women are determined to put on a display of champagne rugby, with a hard edge, and are looking to demonstrate why they will be a force to be reckoned with on the 7s circuit.
The full line up is:
Charlotte Barras
Darel Poole
Tina Lee
Lynsey Douglas
Natalie Ekweogwu
Deborah Fleming
Ama Okafor
Shelley Barr
Ali Wright
Emily Ryall
Maggie Alphonsi
Stacey White
FREE KIT… Just introduce a player sponsor to Storm 7
Storm 7 will give ANYONE a free leisure kit package worth over £80 if they introduce a player sponsor to the team.
All the details you need are here including downloads and application forms.
If you need more details then email tim.gear-evans@storm7rugby.com
Do it today and you’ll be walking around in the exclusive 2012 Storm 7 leisure gear…
BUY TICKETS FOR RUGBY ROCKS LONDON HERE
By clicking the above banner you will be whisked off to the ticket shop of Rugby Rocks…. order tickets through this link and you will be helping to support Storm 7.
Do it, or else!.png)
The Orchard Pig enjoys refreshing Storm 7
Orchard Pig has joined forces with Storm 7 for the summer of 2012 and will feature on the exclusive OP Storm 7 Vest (available from our www.storm7store.com)
The Somerset cider producer started life in 2004 and has gone on to thrash out award winning ciders and fruit drinks. They have a passion for naturally produced products and Storm 7 are thrilled to be working (and drinking) with them.
Sevens and cider go together like peas and carrots and this natural fit will keep the summer sevens party ticking along nicely.
During the tournaments the Storm 7 teams will be able to quench their thirst with The Taste of the West Silver Medal winning Bramley & Jonagold apple juice, and after the hard work on the pitch is done (hopefully successfully) the guys and girls can move onto something a little bit more grown up, and crank up the party.
Watch out for Storm 7 and Orchard Pig who will be running various competitions and promotions. Pop by the Storm 7 base and you’re bound to find a promotion or two!!
“Storm 7 are thrilled to have a true West Country cider producer as our partner. Storm7 have our roots in Bristol so we’re a stone throw away from the guys in West Bradley Orchards. There are big plans ahead for Storm 7 and this links in with Orchard Pig whose reputation is growing throughout the UK, We’re keen to help spread the word and introduce people to this exquisite cider.” Tim Gear-Evans, Storm 7 Rugby
“Sevens rugby and Orchard Pig have a special bond. It was actually at a local sevens tournament were the business first took off and Orchard Pig was born. We are thrilled to be a part of Storm 7 and look forward to joining in with their success both on and off the field and hope that this is the start of a long term partnership, Good luck Storm 7!” Andrew Quinlan, Managing Director – The Orchard Pig
Check out the Orchard Pig Range HERE
Storm 7 Leisure kit available for Pre Order
The 2012 leisure kit package is available to everyone*, although we ask those that are playing to order first.
Please contact Tim Gear-Evans to receive a voucher to give you 25% off if you’re a player on our books. You can either collect the items in Bristol or pay a small postage fee.
Spread the word far and wide.
*order placed now will be on pre-order for delivery shortly. First come, first serve basis.
Women’s sizes are also available
