BIRMINGHAM and Solihull Bees celebrated a fine 2022/23 campaign on and off the field with the club’s annual end of season awards night.
The Bees won the Counties 3 Midlands West (South) title having triumphed in 18 of their 20 league matches to secure a third league title in as many seasons.
And the club also reached the quarter-finals of the Papa Johns Community Cup where they were beaten by eventual winners North Bristol.
The game against Bristol proved to be the club’s last of the season with their opponents unbeaten at home all season.
And two converted tries and a penalty late on in the first half sent the home side into the break with a 17-point lead to leave the Bees on the verge of a quarter-final exit.
The Bees improved after the break and reduced the deficit when Adam Boot picked up the ball from a scrum and danced past two defenders to score his side’s first try of the game.
And Liam Dunne then crashed over to reduce the gap to seven points with the Bees unable to score a late try to keep their Twickenham dream alive in a 17-10 defeat.
The club would like to thank Midhire Vehicle rentals, in Shirley, who supplied two minibuses for the game.
Onto the awards, PJ Hatch scooped the club’s Top Try Scorer award whilst Joe Davies was named Coaches Player of the Season.
The Most Improved Player of the Season was awarded to Ryan Sleaford as Lewis Edwards claimed the Supporters’ Player of the Season gong.
And Liam Dunne received the Landmark Achievement award after he registered his 100th first team appearance for the club during the season.
Club coaches Keith Scott, Tom Fleming, Rona Higgins and Michael Jinks have all stepped down from their performance duties.
And club captain Jonny Higgins has also stepped down from his leadership duties after moving away from the area.
The night of celebrations took place in the clubhouse of the Bees Portway home as all in attendance enjoyed the new bar which was designed and installed by Solihull member Stephen Parker.
And the club would like to thanks sponsors: Traffix, Oakland International, Prime Accountants, Purity Beers, Cameron Legal, Monsoon Restaurant Wythall, Window Centre and MidHire Vehicle Hire – Solihull.
The club’s director of rugby, Lou Lupoli, presented players with their awards with Solihull now busy preparing for the Counties 2 Midlands West (South) division under head coach James Panter next season.
