Ilkley Rugby Union Club, who are preparing for life in SSE North One East, have been successfully keeping their hand in by playing sevens, winning the South Yorkshire qualifier last Saturday in emphatic style at Wheatley Hills.

They defeated Sheffield Mighty IIs, Hallamshire, Wanderers Return (Doncaster Phoenix) and Thorne Panthers in the pool before seeing off Sheffield in the semi-finals and invitational side the Flying Lizards 36-14 in the final.

Ilkley, who scored 301 points while conceding a miserly 40, are now through to the finals day at Thornensians on Saturday, July 12, which is the same day as the West Yorkshire finals at West Park Leeds.

llkley's rugby chairman Tom Gillon said: "The club are rightly proud of our successes in the sevens and displays that the boys, in particular the young backs, are still hungry for rugby and the rewards it brings.

"Sevens is a fantastic variation to the normal rugby code, and we are pleased to be part of this burgeoning facet of rugby."