Out of the blue

Trawling through Facebook on Friday, I had a personal message from my cousin 'C' , who lives in Belgium.  He was going to be in the UK the following day with his Rugby 7's teams and could we meet up.  Well the last time I saw him was at a family funeral so I  was delighted that this meeting was going to be something completely different as I have never been to a rugby 7's tournament before.

When we met I discovered that his brother, J, was coming and I also met his lovely daughter, Z, who I had last met when she was about 12 years old in America and who now lives in the UK. What a great reunion it turned out to be;  we never stopped talking and reminiscing and I got to watch two very good 7's teams from Belgium who had just returned from competing in the Universities 's tournament in Brazil where they were vice champions.

Watching one of the rounds which they won

The team B coach, Z, C and J watching a team B match

The very professional Belgium 'training camp' with ice bath in the foreground!

What so impressed me was that all these lads looked fit, unlike some of their opponents, and that they were always training.

Team A training

Well, both teams won their groups and then into the semi-finals.

Team talk for the A's before their semi-final

Meanwhile the B's were playing their semi-final which they won and after a very exciting match the A's won, so this was now an all Belgium final.  I had expected to leave early afternoon but watching all these matches was so exciting that I was still there for the final at 6.00pm!!

Team talk before the final.  Note their supporters high up in the background who had the Belgium flag

The final in progress

Well, the B's beat the A's and the presentations were made, but everyone at the host club were so friendly and I had a great time catching up with family.  The Belgium teams will be making for Manchester in September to take part in the 7's tournament there, which unfortunately I cannot attend as I am taking part in another activity.  Rugby 7's will be a new sport in the 2016 Olympics in Brazil that I shall enjoy watching.