Ventnor Rugby Club continued its impressive summer form by securing a 3rd place finish at the Solent Sevens tournament in Gosport on Saturday.
The Island side produced a series of impressive performances against high-quality opposition, underlining the progress made by the club’s young 7s squad ahead of the new league campaign.
Ventnor faced a daunting group featuring hosts Gosport, who were recently relegated from Counties 1, and US Buccaneers, whose players enjoyed a strong Counties 2 campaign last season.
Despite the tough draw, Ventnor rose to the occasion, finishing the group stages unbeaten with 3 convincing victories to book their place in the semi-finals.
Their tournament came to an end against a strong Fordingbridge side, who finished in the top 3 of Counties 2 last season. Although the defeat ended hopes of reaching the final, Ventnor bounced back in style by beating Gosport in the third-place play-off to seal a podium finish.
Head coach Damien Marriott said:
“Today was an incredible performance. The growth from where we were at our first tournament to where we are today is a testament to the lads’ efforts at training.
“To compete against such strong sides, including teams with proven Counties 1 and Counties 2 experience, should give us huge confidence going into the season.
Article continues below this advertisement “We were disappointed not to reach the final, but that disappointment shows how much our expectations have changed. Back in May, we were simply excited to enter our first tournament and get the opportunity to play 7s. Now we are competing with quality teams and expecting to challenge for trophies.”
The encouraging display provides another confidence boost for Ventnor as preparations continue for the start of the 2026/27 season.
