Galaxy complete NTS double

Galaxy London completed a memorable double for the club last weekend, taking home the overall titles for both the Elite and Development National Touch Series.

Galaxy had entered Round 3 well clear at the top of the Development NTS table, but the Elite NTS swung this way and that throughout the day, with the destination of the overall crown only being decided in the Cup semi-finals.

Galaxy and NQ Rebels went into that game knowing that whoever won would clinch the Series, with Nottingham Hoods – the other team on 90 league points at the start of the day – having lost to Cambridge Hornets in the quarter finals.

Leading 2-1 at half-time, Galaxy were pegged back to 3-3 and the 4-4 when the final hooter sounded, which meant – just as in Burton two weeks earlier – the teams headed into extra time.

But NQ were unable to turn the pressure they piled on in the first two minutes, and when Galaxy were awarded a penalty close to the NQ line with the game into 3-v-3 sudden death they made no mistake, Josh Henderson finding Louis Treays with a long ball for the clinching score.

Unsurprisingly the celebrations were somewhat muted, both due to the heat but also because there was a Cup final still to come, with Galaxy beating London Eagles 1 5-3 to secure their second Cup of the campaign.

Elsewhere in the Elite NTS Cambridge Bees and Wigan Warriors put on a show of competitive Touch in the Plate final. This, too, went into extra time courtesy of India Halsall’s late score for Wigan, but Cambridge scored two unanswered tries in the next two minutes to lift the trophy.

And Hot Custard took home the Bowl, comfortably seeing off Canterbury 5-1 in the final.

CLICK HERE to see the final Elite NTS league standings

Galaxy’s Development team followed suit on Sunday, completing a clean sweep of Cup titles to confirm their place as clear champions. However they were pushed throughout the day, not least in the knockout stages where Peterborough and Cambridge Wasps were both only beaten by the one try.

The final was more clear-cut, Nottingham Outlaws beaten 6-1, and Galaxy had an undefeated season in the bag.

The other trophies on Sunday went to Warwick, who won the Plate by beating their West Wildcats rivals, Oxford, 5-3, and there was a memorable moment for Exeter Eagle Owls – who earlier had lost a player to a lengthy injury break – in the Bowl, scoring the only try in a tense final against Canterbury Cubs.

CLICK HERE to see the final Development NTS league standings