THE 49th Guinness Pock 7s produced another bumper festival of rugby at Percy Road, which ended in a triumphant homecoming for former Pocklington second row Phil Smith.

Smith, now a captain in the Duke of Wellington's regiment, brought back his team of Army Fijians, who played the best rugby throughout the afternoon before reversing last year's final result to beat Hull and lift the Fowler Trophy.

There was good rugby all afternoon - the tournament being particularly well contested from the quarter-finals onwards.

Hull edged out London visitors Prowling Pretenders in a cliff-hanger, Malton and Norton had an easier passage against Goole, but the Duke of Wellington team were pushed all the way before beating students Brookfield.

But the closest call came in a local derby where Driffield scored in the last minute and kicked the crucial conversion to put out the hosts Pocklington, who had earlier hit the post with their second conversion attempt.

Hull just did enough to beat Malton and Norton in the first semi then the Duke of Wellington Regiment always had their noses in front against Driffield.

In the final, Dukes were in determined mode and showed their full range of handling skills to go ahead early on and maintain their advantage.

In the Plate final, an end-to-end affair saw Beverley prevail to beat Hull Ionians 36-24.

Pock 7s results
MAIN EVENT

First round: Selby 12, Beerandrugby.com 7; Edinburgh 29, Yapham Badgers 10; Goole 24, York University 19; Pontefract v Pocklington Colts scratch result; Harrogate 10, North Derbyshire Panthers 32; Matlock 14, Brookfield 32; Borough Road OB 5, Old Pocklingtonians 10; Ipswich Exiles v British Asian RA scratched.

Second round: London Prowling Pretenders 47, Selby 5; Hull 14, Edinburgh 12; Hull Ionians 12, Goole 15; Malton & Norton 19, Pocklington Colts 12; Duke of Wellington Regiment 26, Derbyshire Panthers 5; Beverley 14, Brookfield 27; Driffield 29, Old Pocklingtonians 0; Pocklington 24, Ipswich 19.

QUARTER FINALS: London Prowling Pretenders 12, Hull 19; Goole 12, Malton and Norton 40; Duke of Wellington Regiment 28, Brookfield 17; Driffield 14, Pocklington 12.

SEMI FINALS: Hull 15, Malton and Norton 5; Duke of Wellington Regiment 26, Driffield 15.

FINAL: Duke of Wellington Regiment 26, Hull 12.


PLATE

QUARTER FINALS: Beerandrugby.com 5; York University 12; Pocklington Colts 5, Hull Ionians 41; Matlock 5, Borough Road OB 12; Ipswich 0, Beverley 46.

Semi-finals: York University 5, Hull Ionians 31; Borough Road College 10, Beverley 36.

Final: Hull Ionians 24, Beverley 36.