Albany Storm take the Under-14 honours as 1000 players hit the city for WA’s biggest Rugby 7s tournament

More than 1000 juniors descended on the city for the AFGRI Albany 7s, which attracted 77 teams aged from under-eight to under-15 at the weekend. Launched by Albany Storm president Paul Osborne in 2017 with a handful of teams, the event is now WA’s biggest 7s tournament with the latest addition featuring 1100 players. There were 16 clubs from metropolitan Perth, one from the Goldfields and five from the South West, along with hosts Albany Storm. Jason Marrable, Rugby WA’s regional manager, said the tournament was a community favourite which helps clubs develop their young players. “The event is such an important feature, not just in the development of junior players, but also for our regional clubs,” he said. “It provides them with the opportunity to play the best of our metro clubs, testing their skills and getting stuck into some high-quality rugby. “We’re really looking forward to seeing this event grow in the coming years, inviting interstate and international teams into the Great Southern and driving passionate involvement from the entire rugby community.” The Storm defeated the Kalamunda Bulls 31-5 in the under-14 cup final to record the home club’s best result of the weekend. The under-15s were defeated 26-10 by the Ellenbrook Vipers in the shield showpiece. Other results included: Under-8 cup final: Kalamunda Bulls d Cottesloe Pirates 15-10. Shield final: Wanneroo Chiefs d Swan Suburbs 15-10. Plate final: Associates d Baysie Koolbardi 25-20. Under-9 cup final: Joondalup Brothers d ARKS 10-5. Shield final: Southern Lions d Mandurah Pirates 15-10. Plate final: Cottesloe Pirates ) d Baysie Waalitj 15-5. Under-10 cup final: Wests Scarborough d Mandurah Pirates Black 10-5. Shield final: Mandurah Pirates Blue d Cottesloe Pirates 15-10. Plate final: Joondalup Brothers d Wanneroo Roodogs 25-0. Under-11 cup final: Associates d Rockingham Gold 15-10. Shield final: Bunbury Bulls d Joondalup Brothers Blue 15-10. Plate final: Mandurah Pirates d Ellenbrook Vipers 30-0. Under-12 cup final: Kalamunda Bulls 34 d Palmyra 34-12. Plate final: Swan Suburbs d Joondalup Brothers 14-12. Shield final – Wanneroo d Baysie Bears 26-17. Under-13 cup final: Derbal Nara Rockingham d South West Spirit 24-12. Under-14s cup final: Albany Storm d Kalamunda Bulls 31-5. Under-15 cup final: South West Spirit d SWS Barbarians 26-12. Shield final: Ellenbrook Vipers d Albany Storm 26-10.