Official report 2009
The weather Gods smiled on Stockholm over the weekend and almost the whole tournament was played in glorious sunshine. Forty teams from a dozen countries had braved the credit crunch to ensure a couple of days of excellent rugby.
The Men´s tournament saw a number of teams appearing for the first time along with regulars such as the Olorun Sharks a combined English team, determined to avenge their defeat in the final last year. The Ladies had a more established appearance with a strong Nordic base, but the Moody Cows and the German development squad were expected to do well.
The Men, with a 6 x 4 pool format went more or less according to seeding with the Sharks, Kukri Badgers and the Bootleggers all going through comfortably. Teamlink Titans proved a surprise package, comfortably beating home favourites Hammarby who until then had been shaping up well. The Spanish Chics also just came through in a narrow win over the host club, Stockholm Exiles. Complicated maths was required to determine the two best losers to make up the quarter finals of the Cup, with Hammarby and Agence Tourisme just getting the nod.
The Chics gained a black mark for failing to show on Day 2, citing multiple inuries, giving the Sharks a clear passage to the semis. There they were joined by the Titans, Bootleggers and Badgers. The wheels came off for the Titans in the semi and the Sharks strolled to an easy win. In the other semi, the young Bootleggers based on Exeter University just beat the Badgers, mainly from London Scottish. And so to the final. Could the Sharks recover their title or would the Bootleggers go three better than their quarter final of the year before? The match hung in the balance for fifteen minutes, with the Bootleggers holding on to an early lead until the Sharks equalised just on half-time. The Bootleggers continued to have the upper hand, but the Sharks defence held out and two breakaway tries towards the end gave them yet another victory. Top international refereee, Wayne Barnes, once again did the honours.
The Plate tournament was closely fought with some of the new teams showing up well. A sluggish Exiles just got the better of the colourful Texan Tigers, who had at least one player with strong American football credentials. Exiles raised their game to get to the final where they beat the Phantoms with a bit to spare.
Finally, the Bowl was won by the Norwegians from Bergen, who just got home 19 – 17 against the Mighty Twos, Exiles second team.
The Ladies pools, on a 4 x 3 format, threw up a few surprises. Home team Attila just beat Enköping while XV-a-side champions Gothenburg were no match for Exiles. The Horny Bulls, a Swedish-English combo continued to show their good form of the year before while established tourists, the Moody Cows as well as the Germans also looked good.
When it got down to the semis, The German development squad won 24 – 12 against the courageous Horny Bulls while Exiles showed outstanding form to see off the Cows 22 – 0.
The final was a tense affair with the Germans running away to an early lead but Exiles, beginning to suffer from injuries, got back to 12 – 10. It could have gone either way, but the Germans, whose development squad looked remarkably similar to the German VII-a-side team which came fourth in the European championships three weeks ago, just held on.
In the Plate tournament, Bergen Raiderettes rounded off a successful weekend for their club by beating Trojan, as well as taking the Fair Play trophy, voted for by the referees.
The Old Boys final saw Exiles again meeting the South Pacific Masters and once more the Masters just held out a little bit longer.
Results of all the games can be seen on the results page.
The social side was not forgotten with large numbers congregating on the Friday at the Irish Pub and sponsor, The Liffey, the pitch-side dance after a Tri-Nations showing on the Saturday, where the Ladies team, the Gazelles, won the prize as the best pirates and a final party on the Sunday at the team hotel, The Talk Rica.
Thanks to the 20 odd referees from all over Europe, including three ladies, who once again made themselves available for only modest expenses.
The Tens are as always, proud of their medical staff, which this year could boast of three young doctors from the Exiles club. The supremo, Dr Death (Fredrik von Bergen) led a team of ten which treated 290 patients over the two days, fortunately none with serious injury. Within sight of retirement, Dr Death still managed to fit in an extended run with the Exiles Old Boys.
Great food as usual from Karl and Gerry’s lot. A tremendous amount of work behind the scenes from the Exiles club with Harriet Sharp, Mailen Andersson and Katherine Lok keeping a tight grip of the administration behind the 90 or so matches played.
Pride of place however goes to the Mabon brothers, Allan and Hunter, who have spent months working on the Tens, needless to say without remuneration, but all for the love of the game.
The 18th version of the Tens will take place at the beginning of August 2010. All rugby enthusiasts are welcome.
Hunter Mabon Sr.