The Carmarthen Warriors  and the Warriors Ladies continued their 2017 season with a trip to London and the prestigious Sevens in the City last weekend.

Masterminded by former England internationals Matt Stevens and David Strettle, the tournament is held on Saracens' 4G pitch at Allianz Park.

With many clubs already in training for the 2017/18 season Arwel Davies still managed to assemble a potent squad for the long journey to the capital.

Ladies skipper Natalie Walsh was less fortunate, suffering a few early withdrawals not helped by the Scarlets Ladies holding their presentation night that evening.

With some of the squad ending a bus journey that had started in west Wales at 4am, it was almost inevitable that the Warriors would take a little time to acclimatise

The Akuma Agents – a team bristling with Pacific Islanders were too strong for the weary Warriors and the opening encounter was lost 27-15.

With each Elite team allocated a hospitality box as its base, the Warriors were quickly replenished and made easy work overcoming 7 Sirs and then narrowly beat Honey Badgers 17-12.

What looked like being a difficult quarter final wasn’t to be.

The usually impressive Apache were easily dispatched in a fine display, with the Warriors well marshalled by veteran Andrew Jenkins.

A 45-5 win sent the Warriors into a semi final against an old adversary from Flanders Seventies 7.

As expected, the tie was close affair, but some great leadership from captain Tom Powell saw the Warriors settle some old scores with a 19-17 win.

Again, two players from outside the ‘county’, Kam Nakove and Amosa Nova, were influential on the path to the final.

Outside the main stadium, the ladies weren’t having the best of days.

Drawn against the Dragons, Saracens and the Roses  - teams full of international and professional players from England and Wales, the ladies failed to win any of their pool games and found themselves as early spectators on the Elite pitch.

Despite this, Natalie Walsh was as ever upbeat.

"We’ve come a very long way in a short time since the ladies section was formed.

"We need to play sides like this to learn and improve. We certainly have today and will take that experience on to other tournaments in the future."

Back at Allianz Park and some 16 hours after some of the Warriors had left home, the team took to the final in a re-match against the Akuma Agents.

It turned out to be a totally different affair with the Warriors matching the Agents in both pace and physicality.

Chris Roberts led the way , ably supported by Shaun Leonard and Jack Price – a player certainly drawing the attention of many on the 7s circuit this season.

However, in a thrilling contest, the Agents ran out 17-15 winners.

Next up for the Warriors is a shorter journey to the Avon 7s near Bath on Saturday, July 15.