A combined squad of 18 Vale of Lune players (average age 18) recently entered the 2024 Cheltenham Rugby 7’s festival, under the alias Lancaster Bombers. With some of the lads solely there for the rugby, the majority where there to enjoy the festival. With many having finished their A levels and some considering moving away to study, there was a celebratory mood from the outset. Many of the squad have played together at the Vale for over ten years.

The first game against was against some old boys where youth beat experience. The second game saw the lads take on the flying Fijians. The Lancaster Bombers were more than a match. They sent the South Sea men crashing out. Next up were the hosts, who gave the Lancaster boys their closest game of festival, but they were still no match for the rampant Lancastrians. The final game in the group ended up being a 'no show,' which sent the Bombers through to the final. The final saw the boys come up against a team that must have weighed twice as much as their team. However, agility triumphed over poundage, and the lads prevailed to be crowned Cheltenham Rugby 7’s open age winners.

Vale director Barry Lees said of this achievement, 'These young men of the Vale of Lune's player development programme, and their support team, have done us proud once again. We hope to see them expand their skills and experience in the Vale's senior sides during the forthcoming season.' He added that men's pre-season training in now underway at Powder House Lane on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7pm.

Player of Tournament Ashton Kasam-Sharples.

Squad:
Ashton Kasam-Sharples(C)
Bailey Wright(gaffer)
Max Higginson
Kieran Pickup
Jake Lloyd
Hayden Allan
Luke McConnel
Dylan Priestly-Payne
George Sissions
Oli Wilkinson
Henry Higginson(VC)
Henry Clifton
Sam Walton
Hayden Mills
Connor Kyriakou
Frankie Arundale
Jake Wilson
Jake Tilburn