Galaxy are out of this world

Teams from across the UK travelled to Stothert & Pitt RFC lastweekend to compete in the sixth annual Bath Touch Rugby Tournament.

The competition also doubled up as the sixth leg of the EnglishTouch Association's National Touch Series so the standard on displaywas of the highest quality.

That was certainly the case in the Cup final, which saw thecountry's top two teams - London Galaxy and London Otters Grey - gohead to head.

It promised to be a close match but the Galaxy team eased to a 5-2 win and increased their lead at the top of the overall seriesstandings.

The Plate was won by Gurus, who beat the Bareback Riders in thefinal, while Oxford claimed the Bowl at Thames Valley's expense.

There was plenty of local interest in the Shield final, where TheHornets took on fellow Bath team Shortsriders. The spoils went toThe Hornets but not before the game went to an extra time drop-offin which the Striders thought they had snatched it, only for a footin touch and a trip into a thorny hedge to deny them the win.

The real winner on the day, though, was the Royal UnitedHospital's Forever Friends Appeal which received a cheque for nearlypounds1,000 from the tournament organisers.

The money will be put to use in the hospital's NICU Space to GrowCampaign, raising funds for a new Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Visit www.foreverfriendsappeal.co.uk for more details about thecharity and www.englandtouch .org.uk for the full results from lastweekend, as well as the latest National Touch Series standings.

Plans are already being made for next year's Bath tournament.Email nts@bathtouchrugby.org.uk for more information.