TOURNAMENT WRAP-UP 2024

Over one hundred teams from fifty law and financial services firms lined up to play in this year’s Montresor Legal & Law Society RFC Festival of Sport (Fos) on Sunday 15th September.
This year saw the introduction of men’s 5-a-side football, to go alongside the mixed tag, netball, and men’s rugby 7s. The four tournaments kicked off in glorious sunshine at the extensive grounds of Richmond Athletic Association.

A few late dropouts in the Mixed Tag tournament saw a number of teams stepping up and playing friendlies throughout the day, before the matches became serious in the knockout stages. Norton Rose Fulbright narrowly beat Osborne Clarke 11-10 in the final of the Cup with last year’s Plate winners Eversheds Sutherland doubling up with a 5-2 win over William Fry. The Irish firm back over from Dublin for their 25th year running.

A packed netball tournament (always the most popular tournament at the FoS) saw thirty-two teams battling it out, with Lloyd’s of London Netball Club taking home the Cup, beating Barclays Legal 7-4 in a high-quality final.
Linklaters beat Baker McKenzie 14-5 in the Plate final and BDB Pitmans (new entrants this year) beat Kennedys 7-5 in the final of the Bowl. Charles Russell Speechlys took home the Fair Play award for their demeanour throughout the competition.

Rugby entrants have been dwindling in recent years with sixteen originally lining up to try and win the Cup. Despite the tournament being shortened and a number of players doubling up from games on the Saturday, there was some high-quality rugby on show. None less than in the final which saw Lloyd’s of London Rugby Club beating Slaughter and May 33-15 in the final of the Cup.

The Law Society RFC managed to beat Ashurst 29-7 in the final of the Cup, with Birketts being awarded the Fair Play award.

All of the tournaments were played in the spirt in which the event is aiming for, with good quality matches aligned to a social and family friendly atmosphere. The weather was great and the introduction of music throughout the day a nice addition for those supporting and not playing.

The Montresor Legal team had a raffle with Ross Boddy from Eversheds Sutherland winning an Apple Watch Series 9, to go with the Mixed Tag Plate his team had won earlier in the day.

‘We couldn’t be happier with the turnout for this year’s event, as we continue to grow and expand. Next year we’ll be introducing women’s 5-a-side football as well as looking at the option for women’s rugby 7s. A big thanks to the team at Montresor Legal for their support and the Brockwell Capital team for once again providing the balls for the teams – which got great feedback on their design this year!’