SEVENS skipper and PE teacher Sonia Green has set her sights firmly on the national title after the Orchard Pigs began the inaugural 24/Sevens competition on a winning note.

Teacher Green and The Pigs headed to Exeter’s Topsham Park on Saturday for the South West Open, one of six women’s teams welcomed to the 24/Sevens event, which also featured three other competitions.

Run by England Rugby, 24/Sevens is an exciting new community sevens series that aims to grow rugby and increase participation among men and women in clubs.

The prize on offer for the winners in Exeter was a place in the showpiece national grand final event, held on July 24 – with the venue likely to be Allianz Park.

And the Orchard Pigs ensured they will be one of 24 teams bidding for that title later this month after emerging victorious this weekend, overcoming the Fuzzy Ducks 24-17 in a thrilling finale.

The Pigs’ quality showed and their international prowess, featuring Wales and England internationals alongside Green’s wealth of sevens experience, shone to claim the title, with both sides heading to Allianz Park to represent the best of the south west.

It marks a return to her home-ground for Saracens-player, Green, who admitted she is bursting with excitement at the prospect of featuring on home territory.

“It was a really tough final, the Ducks are an awesome team, we knew they would be and they have great skills, but our fitness at the end just about tipped it,” she said.

“I was hanging back a bit, but we just about got there. We’re a scratch team thrown together so to come and do that is pretty special.

“We’ll be going to my home ground too – I’m buzzing for that, hopefully we’ll have the same team, there’s some awesome talent, and it’s great that the Ducks will be there too.

“Everyone has been fantastic all day on and off the pitch and we’ve felt a bit like one big team today, and that’s the whole point of sevens.”

Next month rugby sevens will make its Olympic Games debut in Rio with Team GB sending both a men’s and women’s team.

There was plenty of talent on show at Exeter on Saturday to suggest that rugby sevens is strong across the country at all levels of the game, with Green hoping that her students can gain inspiration for hers, and the Olympians, performances.

“Seeing how much Sevens has grown is fantastic, even since when I was playing with England,” continued Green.

“The standard is getting so much better, and all the kids right the way up from Year 7 to sixth form want to get involved which is great for the sport.

“Tournaments like 24/Sevens are happening all over the place every weekend, and as a teacher if I can inspire them to take up the sport then that’s only a good thing.

“All my students are keen, particularly the girls which is fantastic to see, and it’s not as if that’s stopping when they get older, they want to keep it going when they get beyond 16 which is so important.

“At Orchard Pigs we’re quite a young team, they’re a great talent knocking on England’s door so a fantastic opportunity for them to show what they can do.”

England Rugby 24/Sevens, a new exciting grassroots sevens competition for all rugby teams, welcoming anyone who just wants to pick up a ball and run, for fun or glory. Visit www.englandrugby.com/24sevens to get involved.