Maidenhead RFC's Braywick Park hosts Touch Rugby's European Club Championships

Pictured: Thames Valley Vikings’ Lucy Neal-Hooke, Matt Halligan, Charlie Newton (behind)

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Maidenhead RFC’s Braywick Park hosted Touch Rugby’s European Club Championships this weekend.

The event – The Champions League of touch rugby – featured 18 teams from eight different countries, including Touch Berlin and CDR Hurricanes of France. Five teams from England, including the Thames Valley Vikings, and two each from Scotland and the Channel Islands also took part.

The main competition was won by Hot Custard, who beat Six Pack Roosters in the Elite Final. BBR of London – pre-tournament favourites – won the bronze final after beating Cambridge Hornets, while local side Thames Valley Vikings fell to Touch Berlin in the plate competition.

The Thames Valley Vikings came eighth overall, missing out on winning the Plate competition by just one touchdown after losing 6-5 to Berlin.

A number of Maidenhead residents play in the team which is based in Sonning.

Josh Henderson, of Maidenhead RFC and England Touch Boys u18s, is about to represent England in the Junior Touch Championships in Paris from August 15-18.

Lucy Neal-Hooke plays for Maidenhead RFC Mohawks and is an O2 Touch League referee. Tom Simpson plays for Maidenhead RFC and England West Wildcats while Charlie Newton is an O2 Touch League player for Maidenhead.

Teams are made up of 14 players, sometimes mixed gender, with six on the pitch at any one time, and substitutions allowed at any point during the game.

The attacking side has six chances to score before the ball is turned over to the defensive team and the ball must be passed backwards.

Anyone interested in playing touch rugby should contact the Maidenhead RFC Mohawks via mohawkstouch

@gmail.com